Wye Island Regatta 2006
12.4 mile race around Wye Island

Starring
The Bloody Mary, Blue Mountain Outfitter's Clipper Mariner
http://www.clippercanoes.com/mariner.php

Supporting Cast
C2g as the phlegm hawking bowman
Canoeswithduckheads as the man in wet black fleece
Brian Sill as the quiet one
Tyler McCrea as the Incredible Starboard Hulk
Mike McCrea as Chief Broken Coccyx
Paris Hale as Dorian Gray's younger sister
Theresa Alexander as Granny
Topher Reynolds as Captain Weirdbeard
Sailor Jerry as official motivational beverage

2006 marks the Bloody Mary's third triumph at Wye Island. In 2004
nobody had more fun:
http://www.paddling.net/places/showReport.html?913
and in 2005 the Bloody Mary began her proud history of racing victories
http://www.paddling.net/places/showReport.html?1211

2006 also marks the crew surpassing the 7-hour mark in training time,
provided the cumulative training log include the 2+ hours in the 2004
race, the 2:24:28 last year and the record 2:17:46 in this year's
race.

Training? Duckheads don't need no steenkin' training.

This years Wye Island Race also saw the Bloody Mary receiving well
deserved recognition; in just two years the Bloody Mary has become the
Wye Island equivalent of Norm in Cheers - everybody knows her name
and everyone greets her with some salutation, comment or question.

Beginning with warm greetings from the race officials at registration
and continuing throughout the race and post-paddling potlatch the
Bloody Mary drew a crowd of friends old and new.

And drew her first big-canoe competition, as Chip Walsh and the crew of
the Wontonnah, a 20 foot Maine Freighter, put up a good fight until we
showed her our wake in the final leg.

This year's Duckhead Racing Association was also joined by Martin
Elliot and Bob Shakeshaft competing in single rec kayak. Wait a minute,
"Shakeshaft"?, I sense another nom de paddler.

After the usual start time delays, allowing for additional motivational
libations and pirate costumerie, the Bloody Mary was hand launched, a
struggle reminiscent of the Bogart and Hepburn's African Queen in the
Ulanga marshes. Granny Alexander remarked "I never dreamed the mere
physical act of launching a canoe could be so stimulating". This was
probably due as much to Topher's uplifted kilt as anything else.

Paddling out to the start line the crew's intentions became clear, as
we pushed the Bloody Mary over the 6 MPH mark, eliciting concern about
burning out before even getting started.

Crossing the start we settled into a steady 5.2 mph pace. So steady in
fact that we seemingly maintained 5.2 MPH throughout the race. Captain
Topher's mileage and speed calls - "3.5 miles, average speed
5.2"...."6.8 miles, average speed 5.2"...."9.6 miles, average
speed 5.1, no wait, back up to 5.2" - led us to believe that his
GPS was malfunctioning.

Approaching the Wye Island Bridge and styling sharp cadence for our
race photo we began to slowly reel in the Wontonnah's quarter mile
head start. The operative word being "slowly".

Actually we reeled the Wontonnah in fairly easily, but passing her
proved another matter, we closed to within 50 yards and held that
position plus or minus 20 yards for most of the race.

I believe that the sight of the Bloody Mary nipping at her heels helped
spur the Wontonnah's crew to press on, as they passed numerous sandy
beaches that appeared perfect for a mid-race picnic stop.

While chasing the Wontonnah (an Algonquian word meaning "Crowded
boat") we caught and passed more than a few serious racers, including
an outrigger or two and even Bill Hahn and Charlie Thornton's
Wenonah. With something like 120 years of combined paddling experience
I surprised that Bill and Charlie haven't gotten the knack of it by
now.

Entering the final quarter of the race we finally reeled in the
Wontonnah, and without that disturbing visage holding us back began to
extend our lead. Despite challenging conditions, including a phlegmy
bowman, occasional course deviations due to Sailor Jerry's
inopportune interference, occasional deluges of rain, a headwind
throughout the day's circumnavigation (not fair!) and all too
frequent boat wakes we were on a pace to break the 2:20 mark when the
glorious sight of the orange finish line buoy at last hove into sight.

Bearing down over the last quarter mile, spurred on by Captain
Topher's elapsed time calls, we crossed in a Bloody Mary record of
2:17.46, besting last year's time by nearly 7 minutes. It did not
escape notice that we now have an even faster time to beat next year,
but for now we will bask in the glory of our record finish and our
complete and utter humiliation of the Wontonnah.

Captain Weirdbeard allowed us the usual victory grog, and we reveled in
being the only race boat to cross the finish line ballasted with a
celebratory case of beer and bottle (ok, two) of rum aboard, although,
again, the Wontonnah gave us a run for our money in finish line
libations.

Back ashore the Bloody Mary drew the usual admirers, as did Topher's
MSR Pavilion. I want a big racing canoe of my own, but dammit, now I
want a Pavilion as well. That is the best thought out tarp, and
probably the easiest to erect; it's about time someone put some real
thought into wing design. Compliments to the folks at MSR, I think you
nailed it with this one:

http://www.msrcorp.com/tents/pavilion.asp

The post-race confab went on well into the afternoon as usual and the
Duckhead Racing Association was visited by friends old and new.

Bill Hahn stopped by, having finished in a respectable 2:46:10. It only
took Bill 14 years to figure out that his previous partner was a
lilydipper at heart, something we recognized in the first 14 minutes.

Bill's visit was followed by a German racer, who regaled us with
tales of helping rescue some hapless solo canoeist during the hurricane
race of '04, mentioning that all of this overmatched paddler's
implausible excuses started with the phrase "No, you don't
understand". I miss the tradition of beating Paddler01 at Wye every
year.

Donning our commemorative 1st place tee shirts and distributing
hard-won race medals and other swag we were again among the last to
depart, heading for the traditional carbo-load at Holly's and
plotting next year's strategy.

Semi-official Duckhead race results:
Bloody Mary - 2:17:46 (1st 8-man canoe)
Wontonnah - 2:22:38 (1st 5 man canoe)
Martin Elliot - 3:37:55 (2nd men's rec kayak Master's 60)
Bob Shakeshaft - 3:37:35 (2nd men's rec kayaks Master's 50)

Despite Martin's comment after the race "Well, that's an
experience I can cross off my list and never do again" I'll bet
that once the Ibuprofen kicks in and the aches and pains go away
he'll start thinking about breaking the 3:30 mark next year.

Thanks to:

The group of kayakers who trusted me to take their group photograph -
you did want everyone just from the knees down, right?

The Annapolis Rowing club and everyone who helped make the 2006 regatta
one of the best ever.

Linda Hall for what I'm sure will be another extraordinary photo of
the Bloody Mary and her motley crew.

Phlegmy bowman c2g, for a steady cadence in sickness and in health. I
join CWDH, Brian, Tyler and Squatters young and old in saying "Nuh
uh, I ain't paddlin' bow".

Captain Weirdbeard for transportation, trailerage, commemorative CD's
and much more. Much. More.

And, most especially, thanks to Blue Mountain Outfitters for their
trust and generosity, and for another gloriously memorable adventure in
the Bloody Mary.

Wye Island Regatta info and details:

http://www.annapolisrowingclub.com/wyeisland.htm

Tom's photos of the day:
http://sports.webshots.com/album/554185804ntmAvs

The crew of the Bloody Mary:
http://home.comcast.net/~chipCanoe/BM-at-Wye.jpg

The Bloody Mary and Wontonah in action:

The Wontonah
http://tinyurl.com/r7s7z

The Bloody Mary
http://tinyurl.com/pqez4