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Sunday, August 7, 2005
Monhegan race reunites families, friends
Copyright © 2005 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc. | ||
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The longest races of the Gulf of Maine Ocean Racing Association series start off Falmouth Foreside in Casco Bay around midday on Saturday. Boats of various sizes and types will race through the night on courses ranging from 52 to 113 nautical miles, depending on their class designation. Most are expected to finish Sunday off Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth. "This is not just a race," says GMORA President Geoff Emanuel. "This is a reunion for generations of families and friends who grew up racing together. This is an adventure in endurance, patience and intestinal fortitude." Emanuel knows of what he speaks, having participated in more than 30 of the overnighters since his first Monhegan race at age 14. The race is an annual tradition for a lot of die-hard sailors who can't seem to get enough of what the Gulf of Maine has to offer. The Monhegan, as it is known, started with a competition among five schooners and a yawl in 1928, and except for interruptions during the Great Depression and World War II, has been an annual event. Participation in the regatta has risen and fallen over the years, reaching a high of more than 100 entries in the early 1980s to a low of 26 participants in 1996 after several years of very light wind and a recession. Renewed efforts by Portland Yacht Club have brought a rebound in race entries over the past few years, a trend both organizers and participants hope will continue. As of Aug. 1, an estimated 45 boats had pre-registered, and organizers were expecting at least 50 to have signed up by race day. "I have to admit that I am passionately in love with this race," says Emanuel, who concedes that he tries not to take things too seriously. One of his favorite memories was crossing the starting line on Tamarack with the barbecue grill flaming, but the genoa only partially hoisted because of a jam in the headstay. "The more fun we have, the better we do in the race." The Monhegan has attracted its share of world-class racers over the years - Ted Hood, Dennis Connor, and Ted Turner took part during the regatta's heyday in the 1970s. This year is no exception. Kip Stone, a local racer who singlehanded his Open 50 Artforms to victory in the 2004 Transat trans-Atlantic race, and more recently, won his class in the Bermuda 1-2, is expected to challenge rival Joe Harris on Gryphon Solo. Along with the competition and camaraderie, the Monhegan offers sailors an unparalleled look at nature. Every year, the race coincides with the peak of the Persied meteor showers. And the stars, particularly the Milky Way, are more brilliant from the Gulf because the boats are well away from the lights of civilization. On clear nights, racers have seen the reflection of the Milky Way on the ocean's surface. Monhegan participants also get a close-up look at marine life. It's not unusual for dolphins and porpoise to swim and play around race boats, and at night, the phosphorescence created by their movement makes them look like comets shooting through the water. It's nothing short of spectacular. Emanuel recalls one close encounter with nature brought some comic relief - and a break from boredom - during a particularly slow Monhegan race. "While we drifted off Monhegan for eight hours, a full-sized whale broached only a few feet from the boat," recalls Emanuel. "When it splashed down, we all got soaked." It's the comic relief that keeps racers like Emanuel coming back year after year. "Our boat's been a floating restaurant for the past 10 years," he says. "Humor is straight out of the men's locker room, card games have been played on deck, and tuna runs have tempted all to abandon racing for a shot at the big one." Day racers and cruisers are all encouraged to give the Monhegan a shot - just once - and take a chance that you might get hooked. Gail Rice of Freeport and her husband, Randy, race and cruise their Pearson 30 sloop on Casco Bay. She can be reached at:
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