Land's End-Homer Yacht Club Regatta

Yesterday was the second day of Regatta. With a name reminiscent of the Britt’s offshore race of the same name, Land’s End, some 210 deg. to the east, those yachtsmen of yore would not be discredited by the challenges of the Cook Inlet. With white water breaking over her bow, our 29-foot Islander made at least a proper showing. Racing with a club handicap of 25 seconds per mile less than her international ratting she finished fourth on Saturday and third on Sunday. Starting on the slack end of a 24-foot tide and a fair wind, the challenge was exceeded only by the beauty of the snow caped mountains, the pastel waters and the sighting of a Humpback whale. The variety of sailing vessels reflects the eclectic nature of the rugged inhabitants of this small fishing village on one of the northern-most ice-free seaports of Alaska. The fleet includes everything from working boats to a luxurious ketch, a pilothouse cutter and a couple of day-sailors. Most of the larger boats sailed up the coast from down below following much the same rout taken by Captain Cook in 1778. If we sailed like that, every day there would be little issue of physical fitness.

The weekend of festivities was punctuated by movies, lectures on racing strategy, The Homer News annual Spit Run, the Wooden Boat Club and growing participation from outside yacht clubs.