Well, the thunder and lightning that someone predicted for yesterday didn’t arrive, but neither did the sun or wind.  In fact, Oysterville seemed to be in a quiet gray envelope all day long: the high temperature was 66º, the low was 60º, and someone said the wind was only one-knot-per or. at best, two.  Certainly not an ideal day for the Annual Oyster Cup Regatta.

In fact, there were some glitches from the get-go.  Of the twelve sailors who signed up, three had to drop out before the day dawned – one whose back had given out, one who hadn’t been able to leave work for practice time beforehand (it probably wouldn’t have mattered), and one because his car broke down.  So the race began with nine.

Usually there are three heats or races but yesterday there were only two.  From the spectators’ viewpoint anyway, the first race was like watching a watercolor or, at best, a slow-motion silent movie.  From the point of view of at least some of the participants, “it just wasn’t any fun.”  Two dropped out before the first race was over.

The wind picked up a bit – perhaps a zephyr – during the second race and the seven who stuck with it made it around the course a little faster.  Even so, it was a long afternoon by Regatta standards and the third race was called off because they were running out of water, as in “time and tide wait for no man.”

We had our usual front row seats and had a grand time enjoying it all from a fairly dry vantage point.  It was misty-moisty but didn’t actually rain, and lots of people came to watch and visit with one another.  Now and then little kids and big dogs headed for the nearby marshy places keeping their respective adults busy and the rest of us amused.  We reconnected with folks we only see annually – “regatta friends” – and thoroughly enjoyed our day.

As usual, it was all topped off with the Banquet and Awards Ceremony at Tucker and Carol’s.  More visiting and more laughter and new tee-shirts.  As we walked around the corner and home, we were already thinking about next year and wondering if there will be better sailing weather…