We were only home from Newport one day then off to Denver.This was the only way to schedule it and avoid driving through Nebraska in snow. The trip was largely uneventful with two exceptions. As we were about to leave Nebraska we went through a very bad rain storm with high winds. We got down to about 20 miles an hour with our four way flashers on. At our first chance we got off the highway, but by then it was pretty much over.
The other item was the Arch Monument. It just appears in the middle of nowhere, an imposing structure over the high way. We got off the road looked around but did not go in.
The Arch Monument
A close up
While in Denver we sent most of the time just visiting family. Karl my son-in-law tried to get Bronco tickets but even with his connections we had to settle for watching them win on TV. On Sunday afternoon we all went to The Garden of the Gods. It is a well organized state park whose principle asset is rocks. Very big rocks.
The Denver family with Kelly and Trish
A useful but disturbing sign
Rebecca and Karl live in Castle Pines just south of Denver. It is desert dry and barren. We have not seen any snakes but Rebecca and Karl have.This trip i did not see a coyote but Trish and Kelly did. It was right at their back fence about 100 feet from the house. i did see buffalo and elk. The buffalo are on farm land and belong to some one. The Elk are just wondering through. We drove to take the picture to walk would have taken about 15 minutes.
The race on Saturday was abandoned due to lack of wind. The first leg and a half was sailed in a 8 knot breeze but as the yachts got to the leeward mark it died. This meant for the second regatta we The RCYC had won.
The following pictures are of the victory dinner and a couple of the Ocean front homes, sorry cottages.
The reason we were all going to Newport was The New York Yacht Club Invitational Regatta. Five years ago The NYYC decided to put the sailor back in the sailboat race. Rather then have the race decided on an engineers table lets decide it on the water, the old fashion way.
They invited 20 clubs from around the world to compete in New York 42s in September 2009. If you would like further details on the participants just go to The NYYC web site. In 2009 NYYC won and we, The RCYC came second. In 2011 we won and this year we came back from a disastrous start to win again. Larchmont YC of New York came second and The Royal Thames from England were third.
AS I have already said The NYYC were terrific host and ran great races. The boats have been set up identically and have exactly the same equipment. The sails are used only for this event. We happen to have a member John Hele who is also a member of NYYC and owns a New York 42. This gives us an advantage, but I understand that several teams own their own 42.
On Thursday Trish and I went out on a beautiful Sabre 48. The owner was very gracious and we all had a great time watching three races. While waiting for the races to start he turned on something called Skyhook and we were locked into a position pointed into the on coming rollers left over from the night before.
On Saturday we drew America a 75 foot Trumpy built in 1965. It was owned by a Hotelier from Sag Harbor New York. The yacht came with a Captain and Mate, so during lunch all the owner had to do was pour the wine. It turned out that he was a wine expert for his hotel's wine list is about 114 pages long.
America
My sisters on the fore deck of America
The racing was great but hard to get on a camera or at least hard for me to capture. I have included a couple of photo and a video.
While out on The Ocean you get to see many marvelous yachts below I have selected a small sample.
Now that I am back from Denver I will be able to catch up on the blog. We arrived in Newport RI from Mystic before Noon on September 12th. First we went to The New York Yacht Club to sign in and see if they had any information on that's days racing. All we found out was they had not started the first race.
My sisters Trish and I then proceeded to The Inns of Newport not to check in but to park our cars and walk to Lunch. It was a short walk to The Black Pearl where we had a fabulous lunch, mostly Lobster. Trish wanted to head right back to the Inn so Mary, Margaret, Joan and I walked over to the Newport Shipyard. When we got there it turned out they were hosting the brokers show (used yachts) for The Newport Boat Show. The new boat show was on but we had tickets for Sunday so skipped it for now.
Once in the brokers show we were in for a treat. While we did not board any of the yachts we did get to go up next to them and get a good look at another world. I have included some pictures of the yacht for sale. The price tags if there was one tended to be in the 6 to 7 million range.
On Thursday night NYYC held a lobster dinner for all the competitors and supporters. Needless to say it was fantastic. NYYC their staff and members could not have been more gracious host. RCYC had about 80 supporters while Seattle Yacht Club came a close second with about 65.
Everyone enjoying Lobster under the tent
One of the few pictures available of me in a bib standing beside our Commodore Jamie Keating
Trish and I have been doing a lot of travelling and I have not been keeping up with the blog.
Back on September 14 we headed to Newport via Mystic Connecticut. Our first stop was Springfield Mass then on Wednesday Mystic. On the way to Mystic we stopped at Hamden to pick up a pump for Irish Mist's air-conditioning unit.
Mystic Seaport was great. they are rebuilding an old sailing whaling ship. The required bits and pieces are manufactured right on the site. Like the whole eastern seaboard it is a beautiful location.
If you enlarge the picture below it will tell you all about the Charles W. Morgan.
Here is a picture of the ship being rebuilt.
Some of the shipbuilders inside working on bits and pieces.
My sisters and I were particularly interested in The Cooperage since one of our great great grandfathers was a cooper.
One thing we have all heard of but perhaps not actually seen are figure heads. At Mystic Seaport you go into a room and without warring one is greeted by a wonderful collection.
I will leave you with the thought that you must go to Mystic Seaport. I have included a couple of yacht pictures.
Trish and I just returned from New Port R.I. where we watched the third New York Yacht Club Invitational. four years ago in 2009 they invited 20 clubs to compete in an even sailing race. The idea was that the best sailor would win not the best boat. Twenty New York 42 built by Nautor Swan with identical sails would race every two years off New Port.
The crews would be from yacht clubs from around the world. If you would like to see an impressive list of clubs go to the NYYC web page and look at their section for The Invitational. In the first race we, the Royal Canadian Yacht Club did very well coming second to the host NYYC. two years ago we surprised every one and won the regatta easily. This year it was anything but easy. After three races Lachmont lead with 6 points and we were far behind with 30. Races 4 through 8 were then won by RCYC, our club. The last race was abandoned and we beat Lachmont by 6 points.
I have lots of pictures but we are hurrying off to Denver to see the grandchildren. I will have more later, but for now i will give you a poor video. I hope my camera work improves.
