Lake Erie Interclub - Port Dover to Port Colborne

We started to race at 7:30am on the leg from Port Dover to Port Colborne, over 40 miles. Mark Set put a tetrahedron out to windward and we had to tack up to it but from there on it was a downwind race with the wind building during the day. After passing the tetrahedron we looked at other boats and as they were not having an easy time flying their spinnakers we opted to delay putting up the Asymetrical. We were going pretty fast with just the white sails up. Again, starting first and having the faster boats catch up and go past us gave us great photo ops and made for an exciting day. I would have loved to have a recording of Sharon's commentary: "Ooooh look at that he  broached", "His sail's in the water ..... still.....still, oh there it goes, no, still in the water", "Wow look at this one come, whoa, out of control, rounding up, no, no, he's fine" etc etc.

Tenacity (red hull) and Goldfingers (yellow hull, with George aboard), both
Port Dover boats, opted to delay putting up their spinnakers.

I think this was Graffiti (couldn't see the name on the side due to the bow wave), it passed
us as if we were standing still.

Here's the required shot of Dreamer, this time sailing 2 spinnakers, with Special K
behind her.

Enigma, another Port Dover boat who is doing very well this year.

After they passed us, they headed off into the sun. That's Shaibu again
on the right.

Kestrel with Simon, Steve, Tanya and Al on board blew by us as well.

After the Nanticoke Shoal marker we decided to put up the Asymetrical as most of the spinnaker boats seemed to be under control and there was not as much for Sharon to comment on. As we had not packed it right two days prior (novice packers) it took about 20 minutes to put up. Unfortunately as I was spelling off on the sail and the helm there was not much time available for taking pictures. Most of the fleet was past us anyway.

Bob flying the Asymetrical from a lounge chair in the cockpit.

The wind had built all day and was occasionally pretty shifty. It was hard to judge but we estimated the swells at 6ft plus and the wind at least 15knots. As we got further East, of course, the waves built, pushed by a West wind. Just after the above picture was shot, with jokes about sending it to Bob's wife to show her how hard he was working, the boat rounded up in a gust of wind, surfed along the top of a wave and dipped the big sail into the water. As it didn't immediately pop back up I suggested (OK maybe I shouted) for Bob to release the sheet however he didn't need to as it had popped the shackle holding the sheet. So then the boat was back up straight, on course, with a big blue flag waving around along side. It took us a good 15 minutes to get her down and back into the galley, again.
With the white sails up we were speeding along and enjoying the occasional surf down a wave however we finished second to last.
We docked in Sugar Loaf Marina and heard all the "war stories". Perversely it actually made me feel better to hear about the number of blown spinnakers (Kestrel, West Wind and Goldfingers all had spinnaker casualties) and other equipment damage (spinnaker poles, blocks, a rudder). Not that I would wish any of that on anyone but it validated my feeling that it was rather an extreme day.
Once we cleared the galley of the sail, again, Sharon was able to make dinner and we barbecued off the back of the boat as only a cruising boat can. Exhausted but exhilarated. 
We knew we were not doing the race to Buffalo Yacht Club on Tuesday as Paul, Bob and Sharon have a family event to go to. When we woke on Tuesday morning to howling wind we were glad we didn't have to make the decision.