The 32nd Cruising Regatta has begun! We signed up for the Coconut Challenge and Regatta Races (as crew on catamaran Deja Vu). Our Coconut Challenge team is Sand Raptor—a combination of team members from Sandpiper and our boat Velocir (our dinghy is Raptor).
The first part of the Coconut Challenge is dinghy coconut collection. Coconuts are let loose in the harbor and the challenge is to collect them. The rules are taken very seriously—you must have one fin per person, a bucket and lifejacket. We didn’t feel we needed the bucket but ooooh, not an option!
Our awesome team!
The start whistle went off. Our dinghy Raptor is the first boat out of the gate!! You can just make out Amelia in her yellow life jacket pushing the dinghy into the water and Grant running behind. Amelia got a little ahead of herself, making it hard for the team to get into the dinghy! We were among the first to a pile of coconuts by the far beach and having a great time. Then, we looked back at some houseboats moored in the harbor and saw organizer boats dump bags full of coconuts into other team dinghies. It was a disappointment to see they were unable to make it fair after all the silly rules. On our way back to the back we got “attacked” by pirates, it was a lot of fun!!
Our haul was 23 coconuts. Other boats who knew where to be had upwards of 150 coconuts!!! (Maybe next year they will dump them all into the water before the start!)
The next challenge was a toss game. We did pretty well, Amelia was only slightly grazed on the head with a coconut. Lindsay who threw the coconuts did a great job! We caught 10 in a bag in 30 seconds! Ultimately we finished mid-fleet but it was great fun. We would like to thank the many people who put a lot of time and effort in to organizing the events, we just got to show up and have a great time!
Later this week, we crewed on Déjà Vu for the in-harbor race. They were nice enough to take us aboard and give us the experience of sailing a big catamaran.
It was a beautiful day for a race. We had an amazing start, port tacking the fleet when a catamaran next to us stalled. The course was 4.4 miles and we went around twice. Some boats pulled ahead but we stayed right with another catamaran and had fun racing them.
A beautiful sunset at Volleyball Beach. Georgetown is starting to really grow on us.
VELOCIR 
It took me a bit to figure it out but the synchronized swimming skit was hilarious!!! I will have to remember that if ever I need a skit!! Some people are so inventive. Perhaps even funnier as it was a bunch of old men. :^)
Sounds like the Regatta was so fun. 32nd annual is impressive. Looks like you are finally enjoying some warmer weather as well. You are not all bundled up in the pictures! Glad to see that.
Enjoy it all and so happy you are keeping this journal. It’s fun for us land lubbers. Thanks
Posted by Aunt Sandy | March 5, 2012, 11:33Wow, what great footage! Thank you so very much for putting that video together of pre/post race festivities, and the race on the Cat! I had not idea what that regatta/party would be like, and now I know!
All of the coconut activities look like so much fun :) and what beautiful water! Great pics!
much love,
Emily
Posted by Emily W. | March 5, 2012, 11:54