The Saga of the Ontario Wayfarer Championships 2008

It was a foggy, foggy morn and the winds were still. We waited with impatience as the morning sun reluctantly burned away the mists. Was this notice of impending doom for the hopes and aspirations of the greatest Wayfarer racers ever gathered? Well, we thought we were a pretty good bunch and we were about to be robbed of a great day of racing. An inauspicious start to the weekend and the Regatta and Race Chairs were on a nail-biting streak.

So we relaxed and had some more coffee and waited. The sun finally burned through (as the "fog" really wasn't that thick) and our hopes rose with the growing ripples on the water. The Race Committee took to the power boats, marks were set and the racers were commanded to be on the line in 45 minutes. Well , maybe. The wind was still pretty light.

So off we went, ghosting out onto the great expanse of mirrored surface that is Lac Deschênes. In the end, after we were all seduced into thinking there was racing to be had, the winds began to decay. In the end, it took almost an hour to reach the Start Line. In that time, there was much socializing between boats, trading of tools to fix broken hardware, swimming and other kibitzing as well as wondering about the wisdom of the Race Committee Chair. He had been working with great optimism, enthusiasm and hope that there would be real wind once we were well out onto the lake.

After considerable frustration and the unleashing of paddles, the Regatta Chair ordered crew rig for paddles and make ramming speed for the RC boat. There was conferencing and discussion and we were subsequently ordered ashore for an early lunch, more socializing and to be "pressed" into prayer meetings to salute the wind gods.

Well, we very much enjoyed lunch, as we did the superb breakfast, and got ready for some good sailing as the sun went over the yardarm. Someone spoke of ripples on the water and rustling of the leaves of the trees. We waited with anticipation and finally were rewarded with the grand sight of patches of wind from the west or was it from the north or…. Who cared - there was wind.

There was a mad dash for the boats to follow the RC Chair out to the line for he had declared racing was on and we must be on the line within 30 minutes.

The winds that afternoon were really quite good and held steady with some shifting but who was checking (except for the Race Committee). We did succeed in getting in five good races in about five hours and came ashore ready to Burn Beef in a grand style.

The evening was a success on all accounts. All professed to being well fed and the celebrating continued through the setting sun and under the stars well into the later hours lubricated by "Dark and Stormies" and the good spirits of the crew present.

Well, the next morning brought serious concerns once more and I speak not of the condition of the sailors. That is another matter. The sun was up but all was very still. The RC Chair immediately commanded prayers to the wind gods and as we patiently waited, helped along with another hearty breakfast, the wind arose slowly from the east and we were on our way to another grand day. The winds were steady and the waters smooth. Three races were easily completed before lunch as the Race Committee kept us organized with quick turn-arounds.

We came ashore to tables laden with food and drink, just what was needed by hard working competitors. The spirits were raised as we celebrated what was considered another successful Ontario Championship Regatta (by consensus of course) with the awards made to the deserving winners.

I will leave the commentary on sailing and individual sailors to our web master, Uncle Al, for he has a wonderful and truthful way of describing the shenanigans we all enjoy.

I do want to formally thank the Race Committee Chair, Stuart Pursey and his committee, Nancy & Albert Cole, Janet Foster, Jan Laube, Joe Hannewyk, and Neil Rogers for their hard work and patience on the water. Photography was, in part, the effort of Marc Lamadelaine and Julia Schonborn. I also want to note the hard work by the LDSC Rear Commodore, Peter Blatherwick, ensuring we had the fine Race Committee above.

There is also a long list of volunteers from the membership of the Lac Deschênes Sailing Club who worked on the social side and my hat is off to them for making this an enjoyable and successful weekend for all. This weekend is about racing and about camaraderie and it takes a great team to make it work on shore and off shore as successfully as it has here once again.

My thanks to all who came and participated, to all who helped to make this a great event. I look forward to seeing each of you and all of those you can convince to join us here in 2009.