SEAS Cup

The forecast for Saturday morning’s Admiralty Cove race start was 90% chance of rain and a 10 knot Southeasterly breeze. SEAS racers motored down the Channel to the start line with a steady downpour of rain and not a breath of wind (except the kind a moving boat creates). As the 4-boat fleet of Loa’a Nalu, Haiku, Thalia & Optiminium gathered at Marmion Island for the start, everyone was suited up for the conditions and smiling at a nice breeze. Lyric (WR), serving as Committee Boat, would build anticipation for the start by voicing ‘5-second’ countdowns prior to each timing mark & hitting the horn on a couple others. As boats tacked back & forth below the line, the ripples on the water filled in along the Marmion end of the course and into Stephens Passage.

Fair skies and light winds made the circumnavigation of Grand Island a great challenge on Saturday. High Noon heads for home in the waning light  (see photo) while Haiku, Optiminium, and Thalia waited for wind south of Taku Inlet. Cetus and Tango gave up after light winds stranded them North of Grand Isle. More race details to come as the reports come in from all the boats.

When the leaves start falling and the temperatures drop in late August, most boating activity in the Juneau harbor system switches to winterizing engines and erecting pole frames & visqueen boat covers. To the casual onlooker, the cold weather means the boating season is coming to an end. In contrast, local sailors know that the Labor Day Regatta to Taku Harbor brings the hottest action of the club racing season, with opportunities for high winds, large boating turnouts, and 3 race legs that typically determine final positions in the SEAS Cup standings. The Regatta also provides improving sailors a chance to finish their season strong, and set the tone for their offseason preparations for next year.