2022 Chaos Race

 Rick and I , on Spellbound, entered the Chaos race for a second year. Last year, because of light winds, we only had to go around three course markers but this year, with steady winds forecast it was a four mark course. 

We start, slowest boat first, one at a time, at ED2 and can sail the other 3 marks in any order, finishing again at ED2. We chose to head for the Nanticoke mark first. This large green buoy marks the channel that takes the Lakers in to the pier at Nanicoke to load and unload for Stelco. As we approached, I was on the helm, and a Laker was coming into the channel. I felt like we were playing chicken with this fast moving giant but we made it around the buoy well before he came into the passage.

We were using the Navitronics App on Rick's phone and it performed very well. Last year we had no idea where the buoys were. This year we knew exactly when and where to start looking for them.

Sailing diagonally across the bay to the Turkey Point buoy we again crossed paths with a working boat.

This time it was the Donna F. going back to Dover after a morning of fishing.

At Turkey Point we started to see other boats that had chosen different routes around the buoys. Redhead with her easter egg coloured spinnaker.

I think this is Shaibu but it might be Bluebird, both are Nonsuch's.

From Turkey Point we sailed along the north coast of Long Point

to the buoy marking Bluff's Bar sand spit.

Diagonally back to ED2 (Port Dover) and the course took us straight through this anchored Laker so we had to dodge around its bow.

Approaching ED2 we could see Grey Escape, moving much faster than us (he was close hauled, we were running) and he passed the mark ahead of us. About 9 hours out on the water on a beautiful day for sailing.  It turned out, when all the stats were crunched, that we came in 2nd in the JAM fleet, beaten only by Grey Escape. In hind sight we decided that we might have had a better chance of winning if we had started on the diagonal to Bluffs Bar. We came in 3rd last year and were happy with how well we sailed Spellbound, "to her PHRF" according to Rick. Each time we learn a little more about the strategy for this strange race.

I will end with some grandchildren pictures:

The Edmonton contingent swimming, in Kelowna. Photo by Aimee.

River. Photo by Aimee. They just sent me a video of her standing up, walking will happen shortly.

Cigi sporting her Blue Jays fan togs. Photo by Chris.