McGregor Bay revisited - again!
a cruise log built around pictures
the Outer Bay Race, McGregor Bay, Sun 8 Aug 1999
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On Sunday, the Bay still looked threatening at times, even with the deceptively calm waters of the offshore wind. Only 5 entries - 3 Wayfarers, a Teal and a Mariner - braved the gusty, cool NE winds, while Doug and Al volunteered for rescue duty. The RC wisely chose not to send the fleet all the way out to the mouth of McGregor Bay as usual but rather to put out a mark near the end of Wardrop Island (see chart below) giving the fleet a simple course from a start behind the Cantwell's island to the mark and back.
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Rick Cantwell (W3604) and Bryn Casson placed first in Wayfarers and first on elapsed time. After spotting the other two Wayfarers the lead off the long run, Rick and Bryn showed their heels to the rest of the fleet as they pulled away on the long and ever windier beat back home.
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The Mariner, sailed by Warren and Allie Gallagher and Elizabeth "Li'l Bit" Green (blue PFD) , placed first on corrected time. Elizabeth's  Oma, Wilma Starke who passed away earlier this year, would no doubt have been very proud to see Li'l Bit keep the family sailing tradition alive so well!
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Placing 3rd in Wayfarer 5636 were Diana and Emily Flemmer, the daughter and grand-daughter of Louis Nees (W2083), a Wayfarer even older than George Blanchard.
Even in the sheltered waters behind Rick's island, things sometimes got a bit puffy as Chuck Stanich and John Tompkins demonstrate here in their Teal!
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(left) Tom and Lee Williams and their niece, Laureen, sailed W6731 to a 2nd in Wayfarers - Len Macdougall, W6732, now you know where your sister ship hangs out!

(right) Bryn Casson and Rick Cantwell get ready for the start behind Rick's island.
(left) Crew John Tomkins has seen something exciting off the port bow.

(right) Diana and Emily check out the start line which was between the end of the Cantwell dock and the rock off W5636's bow. 5636 was kindly lent to the Flemmers by Ernie and Jean Broberg.
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The start: Rick (3604) gets off well at the leeward end in a ...
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... rather patchy breeze!
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It's a beam reach until they get past the islands off their port bow. Rick leads Dianna.
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Still bunched, the Wayfarers took turns leading the fleet until Rick took over upwind.
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Diana Flemmer gets set to pass Rick Cantwell who wasn't worried due to his upwind speed.
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On the beat home, the wind picked up considerably (but Al had run out of film!) with gusts to 20+ knots but everyone made it back without requiring assistance. A lively party followed as we devoured delicacies of all kinds that were apparently the entry fee for the race.
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Killarney and beyond
on to McGregor Bay
Cantwell candids
the Outer Bay Race
the McGregor Bay tour
Little Current - Killarney - home