The Sound Rowers Budd Inlet Race is another one of my favorite races. I have fond memories of my first one several years ago when I entered in an Escapade. The weather that day started off calm and ended with some really fun 30 knot winds and 3-4 foot waves. It really showed me what that boat could do under such conditions.
This year, however, the day started off with a moderately dense fog covering the water. This was OK with me as it slowed things down a bit and gave me plenty of time to get ready. I actually arrived at Swantown Marina some 40 minutes before the pre-race meeting was scheduled, but it seemed as though I was the last to arrive. There were boats everywhere and people were milling all about the small park.
I unloaded my stuff, parked the Cadence near the boat ramp and put the car in the overflow parking lot.
It wasn't too long before Steve Wells started the pre-race meeting. He said that as soon as the fog lifted enough the race would be started. He also provided everyone with tips as to what to look out for along the course, such as a couple of shoals near the start, the general positions of the turn markers, etc. The last thing he said was that if anyone was seen not having fun that person would be disqualified from the race. The way he said it sort of appeared to indicate that the person making the observation would be disqualified, but I think he really meant the person who was actually unhappy.
After the meeting people generally started preparations for launching. I wheeled the Cadence down the dock between the two boat ramps and launched it off the side. After stowing the dolly up near the registration table I returned, taking photos of other folks launching their vessels. Some chose to use the nearly water level floating docks along the breakwater. Others used the boat ramps, walking into the water carrying their boats.
There were quite a few boats entered into the race today. There was an OC-6, a couple of 8 person shells, several doubles, many singles and scads of various paddled boats. I spent some time pedaling around warming up and taking advantage of photo opportunities.
There were a couple of times we had to clear a path for marina traffic. A middle sized power boat came in off the Sound, and shortly afterwards a sailboat under power left. They were all good sports and didn't once blast their horns.
As the minus 1 foot tide drastically reduced the width of the channel from the marina to the open water quite a few of the 66 boats in the race lined up along the breakwater as well. The 4 man and 8 man rowing shells stayed well behind the starting line, however, as they were going to give the field a 5 minute head start and have the thrill of passing boats throughout the race.
The starting signal was finally given and we were off!
It was a pretty quick start. As usual, the rowers and paddlers generally seemed to leap ahead, churning the formerly calm water into a seething foam. Rowers and paddlers had to take care so as to not collide with each other or severely get in each other's way. I think some of the OC-1's and OC-2's took advantage of their outriggers, using them as bumpers to help keep other boats at bay. Well, perhaps not as bumpers; rather, as devices to provide them with more personal space than they might otherwise have had and to provide them with a place to put their paddles without interfering with other vessels.
The field split into several groups. The eastern group, starting from the channel into the marina, chose to take a course along the east side of the first shoal near the marina entrance and head along the eastern shore. The group I was more or less in headed straight for the first harbor marker. The western group steered fairly far to the west. As far as I could tell, the eastern group seemed to be moving the fastest, though the rowers in the other two groups were pretty close behind.
I stayed with a couple of outrigger canoes and a kayak, catching my breath and snapping a few more shots of the other competitors.
The leaders in the group got a little confused after the harbor marker, so I pointed them in the direction of the first turn. It was barely visible in the distance through the now dissipating fog.
Why all those other guys were heading so far west or so far east was a real mystery to me!
After a while it was apparent that this group was not going quite as fast as I wanted to go. My legs and lungs were feeling good, the air was nice and cool, and the race was not terribly long. I pushed up the pace slightly and gradually passed the kayak piloted by Steve and the OC-1 piloted by Geoff.
"It must be an off day for you, Geoff", I said. Steve took umbrage, saying "Here Geoff has been building me up and now you are tearing me down, Mike". Oops!
I more or less mumbled something in apology and skedaddled out of there.
All this time Shane had been pacing this group in his new Black Pearl high performance kayak. He and I continued in parallel to the first turn where he decided to take a short cut through the legs of the marker while I went all the way around. I told him this was cheating, but I don't think he or anyone else really cared.
Soon after the first turn we came upon a blue OC-2 that had stopped to help a rower that had capsized. By the time we got there everything was back to normal, with the rower back on board and ready to continue. Aha! If or when the OC-2 passed I might be able to follow in their wake and have a rest besides!
The formerly downed rower soon passed by. The OC-2 caught up as I was about half the way to the second turn. Unfortunately, the draft from their wake was not as strong as I had been expecting. Did these guys not have a rudder? Was their boat more slippery than that of the Heikkila's?
Whatever was the case, I found myself struggling to keep up with these guys.
Photo of me!As we rounded the sailboat marking the second turn - gee, that guy has a big lens on his camera! - I split from the OC-2 and continued on at my own pace; i.e., slightly slower.
Shane followed the OC-2 for a while and then continued on his own, too. I guess he also noticed there wasn't much benefit from those guys.
It was pretty quiet now. The sounds of the OC-6 could be heard over the water, so I knew they were still hot and heavy somewhere behind.
Towards the shore was a group of rowers. They eventually decided to head further out into the bay, crossing my path, and then headed south. Weird. I guess when you are heading backward it is much more difficult to head in a straight line.
I heard them before I saw them. Glancing back over my shoulder the first 8 man rowing shell was finally approaching. Hey - maybe I could draft these guys!
Unfortunately, they were staying way out in the bay. Changing course so as to try to intercept, and also to take better photos, I started putting on more speed. They were going pretty fast.
They were too far out and too fast to catch. Oh, well. The photos would have to do.
Meanwhile Geoff had abandoned Steve and caught up to me. The little detour helped, of course, and now I was running a little low on energy. Could I catch Geoff and draft him? Maybe...
Almost. I stayed behind him for a little while, but was unable to keep on his tail. With the finish line in sight my miniscule increase in speed couldn't match Geoff's sprint. The sun was starting to make its appearance, increasing my sweating and heating. To top it off, a single rower and the first quad rowing shell also managed to overtake me before I crossed the line with a time of 1:08:36. Whew! A new record for the 7.5 mile course!
My average heart rate over that period was about 156 bpm, which is not too shabby for an old guy like me.
Steve came across the finish line about 30 seconds later, with the OC-6 and another 8 man shell a full minute later.
I took photos of most of the other racers just prior to their crossing the line, and pedaled over to the breakwater dock. There was quite a lineup of boats waiting to be taken from the water at the low dock, so it was fun to scoot between them and snap photos.
After docking and disembarking I let some of the other folks try out the boat. They all agreed that it was a great way to travel!
Remembering that they had run short of some food items at last year's race I hurried up to the park. As it turned out the line was very short and there was plenty of food to eat. Yum!
It was truly excellent. Steve Wells and Evergreen Rowing put out a fantastic spread. The salmon was perfectly done and seasoned, the salads were tasty and the desserts were enough to satisfy anyone's sweet tooth.
After lunch I headed back to the dock and gave another person a demo of the Cadence. When it was over we headed back quickly as Steve was already handing out the awards for the race.
After the awards ceremony I took the boat out of the water and lugged it up the ramp to the park where I met someone who just had to have a demo of it. Back down the ramp, into the water and off it went.
Eventually the boat was brought back, rolled up to the parking lot, rinsed off and loaded onto my car. Time to drive home!
Thank you, Steve Wells and all the other volunteers, for putting on a wonderful event.
Photos I took during the race can be found here.
Normally I would also post a link to the map of the course I took created using the recorded GPS track. Unfortunately, I managed to erase this track before returning home. So, while there is a rough map of my course on the photos page it by no means accurately reflects my actual position at any time.