Recap – Crazy Cats 2020

“We had our moments of brilliance,” was the phrase most commonly heard at the Lake Petenwell regatta.

Saturday was the perfect summer day. It was warm enough to want to be out on the water, but not so hot that you’d feel miserable baking in the heat. There was a nice breeze which was light, but steady, providing just enough hope for a great day of racing. A few clouds dotted the horizon (you know, that big cottonball-y kind), creating a feeling of bliss. And with a quick shove from the shore, boats were off to the start line.

There were thirteen boats on the start line this weekend. Looking up the course, there was some nice air on the water, with a few patches and holes to consider. Unfortunately, just consideration for those holes was not enough as boats that sailed into them often found themselves floundering, struggling to make forward progress, while boats in the patches moved with ease. And if the discrepancy in wind speed between the gusts and lulls wasn’t enough, there were some pretty large wind shifts, benefitting boats that took their knock early to get to the right side of the course. We managed to squeeze in five races on Saturday. Skippers and crews that were able to properly anticipate the shifts did well, while others often found themselves on the outer edge of the wheel.

Once the evening rolled around, folks passed the time by watching the sunset from the bluff, and waiting for food that was cooked at a far more leisurely pace than we’re accustomed to in our daily lives. We enjoyed s’mores (shoutout to the Werner Girls for that perfect marshmallow roasting) with some relaxed chit-chat, all while the younger kids showed up the older kids with their sparkler dance moves. We were scolded once or twice for lighting off a few roman candles (shoutout to Dale for keeping us respectful of our venue host), but even that couldn’t tarnish the feeling of ease around the bonfire.

Sunday, too, was warm and sunny, continuing the beautiful weekend trend. The forecast predicted the wind to build throughout the afternoon, as a pressure system passed further south. The holes on the water were not nearly as low as they were the day before, eliminating any minor frustrations folks had navigating the course. It was simply a beautiful day for sailing, and we were able to get three races in before calling it a day.

All in all, the regatta at Lake Petenwell couldn’t have been more perfect. Between the beautiful sailing weather, interesting races, and laughter around the bonfire, it was easy to relax for a while — something that was very much needed with everything going on in our world.

Anywho, good luck to those competing at Shell Lake this weekend! I look forward to seeing you all next time in Two Rivers.

This is AP, signing out!

Arden Patton