Hail the Conquering Hero!

On October 3rd 2010 the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron, Halifax Nova Scotia, had it's annual club championships.

I believe the criteria to enter this race is a club boat, with at least one regatta/series win in that years season, qualifies to enter. All qualifying captains then choose from their 2 or three crew members to compete with them.

All competitors sail the clubs J22 fleet, rotating which boats they sail to even out the field and make the regatta fair for all.

This year we had 8 teams using the 5 club boats. Through a series of round robin starting at 12:00 noon the teams competed in every variation of boat and against all competitors possible.

After a full day of racing the winners emerged. Team Glenesk with Mike Archibald, Mat Archibald and Linda Langley. (above)

BTW, the winning captain receives the coveted parking spot at the club (closest to the door).

The Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron, located on the Purcells Cove Road in Halifax NS, is considered the oldest yacht club in North America. With it's beginnings in 1837, and establishing it's first club house in 1860, it has been running the oldest, continuous regatta in North America, The Prince of Whales, Presented by King Edward VII.

It has since become the home of top notch sailing olympians as Paul Tingly and Lisa Ross leading todays current team.

The RNSYS is primarily a sailing club and it is their goal to encourage and enhance the sport of sailing within the membership and community. Home to close to 900 members from Canada, the United States, and international regions, the RNSYS is proud to offer instructional programs and on water activities for all ages, with our learn to sail program being the largest in Atlantic Canada.

If you are interested in the club here is the [link] to their site.

As well here is the [link] to to event itself. I hope I captured everyone of the competitors. If you are interested in any of these contact me and we can make arrangements for prints etc…

I hope you enjoy the gallery, I certainly enjoyed shooting it from the deck of Ann Aclands A31, Anticipation.

Mother Nature thought it best to remind us!

Now as August ended, and September began, Mother Nature thought it best to remind us who's in charge.

With the lure of fabulous weather all summer, best on record, she had the idea it was time for a storm and along came Hurricane Earl.

He hit us direct but did show some mercy. He visited during the day, a rare occurrence for any hurricane, so we had the chance to watch him come and go.

The storm started first thing on the 5th (generator on by 10:00am, power out by 10:30am) and was all but gone by 12:30pm. The power stayed off until that evening.

We were well prepared and watched in awe as seas swelled with surge and walls of spray were lifted from the surface and screamed across the waves like great white curtains.

Here's a small gallery of images I took when it subsided and ventured out to assess any damage.

As you can see, with the storm all but gone, stress is lifted and the fun begins. The wind was still strong enough to knock you down if you weren't prepared for it.

Lots of leaves gone, debris on the beach and the loss of one grove of trees.

Gotta stop loosing trees to storms. That's atleast 15 in the last 15 years, one per year or more. Good thing I planted more in 2008.

Next; RNSYS Club Championship racing in Halifax Harbour - October 2010.

Summer Update from Nova Scotia

Okay, here I am again with updates to 2010.

Last time I left off talking about the Whale Car for the Bay of Fundy (June 5th launch). Which by the way has been a great success.

Terri McCulloch, Executive Director of the Bay of Fundy Tourism Partnership, has travelled all over mainland Nova Scotia and New Brunswick including a couple of trips back and forth across the Bay of Fundy on the Bay Ferries Princess of Acadia.

If you go to the Bay of Fundy Travel Show you can see what she has been up to.

Of course I shared the Route Halifax Saint Pierre Ocean Race start here in Halifax , Nova Scotia on the 10th of July. That race was an amazing one with record finishes and strong winds at the finish. Go to the Route Halifax Saint Pierre site to see the results and to check out more photos. You can check mine of the start at RHSP 2010 July 2010 start.

But now for a few updates. August brought exceptional weather to these waters for one amazing Chester Race week, August 11 - 14. If you've never experienced this event it is a must.

It is an annual regatta that attracts racers from all over the maritimes for the bragging rights of saying you won at Chester.

The weather couldn't have been better and for me it was the most enjoyable to date.

Aboard Ann Acland's new Archambault A31, Anticipation, we battled and won first place position in the A3 class. I must mention this boat was brand new, and as a crew, we had only sailed her for 4 events. The crew, consisting of 7 of the greatest mates I've had the privilege to sail with. I have been consistently racing with most of them for the past 5 years.

So when we won it was fabulous. To top that off we garnered the privilege of landing on the cover of the September issue of Canadian Yachting. That's me in red.

Here's the crew list as we appear in the photo ( Ann is actually between Owen and Phil in the grey cap) : A31 « Anticipation » crew : Rob MacLellan (CAN/Bow) – Derek Mason (CAN/Mast) – Jacqueline Stevens (CAN/Trim) – Owen Grace (CAN/Pit) – Philipe Dumaresq (CAN/Trim) – Cindy Roberts (CAN/Main & Tactics) – Ann Acland (CAN/Skipper & Helm).

To finish this one off, there are a couple of photos of our return trip from Chester on the 15th {HERE}. Even that was amazing. Note how calm the seas were on the way back. You'll also notice a number of fellow competitors sharing the day home.

Tommorrow, Hurricane Earl and Prospect, September 5, 2010.