by Pam
Today was windy and cold ... but mostly cold. I feel a bit guilty on the finish boat. It's a nice sized sailboat but the wind is such that we still swing around on the anchor. We go out on deck up by the masts to take finishes and I admit my hands are shaking by the time we get down below to check the scores with each other. But the deck time is just a few minutes and the rest of the time, we are treated to hot tea and coffee, hot soup, pastries, lunch, desserts and candy. I believe we had scones warming in the oven close to the time of the last finish today. It is by far the most comfortable finish line boat I have ever been on.
The Apprentice and Masters fleet ran a couple of races and were back on shore, showered, warm, dry and enjoying some hot pasta while the Grand Masters and Great Grand Masters were still screwing around trying to get the second race off. The GM's are a misbehaved bunch with multiple black flags and general recalls (5, I believe) that left the poor GGM's sailing around for at least an hour waiting for the second race. It doesn't make sense that guys over 65 and sailing a full rig are made to wait around and be the last to race and the last off the water. Waiting for a race to start in cold, wet, and windy conditions is just plain brutal.
As soon as the GM's started the final race, the GGM's started their sequence about a minute later and caught up to the GM fleet by the finish. Would it be so terrible if the GM fleet had to go to the back of the queue after a general recall and let the older guys get on with it. When I got to Doug shortly after he came off the water, he was about as cold as I've ever seen him. His priorities were warm carbs, hot shower, and a nap. But, it was the night for the North American get together so he only got two out of three.
And now we sleep and do it all over again tomorrow.
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