The Shaw Classic

Each year on the second Saturday of August, the San Juan Yacht Club hosts the much-anticipated Shaw Classic...it's a sailboat race that starts at the mouth of Friday Harbor, continues across the San Juan Channel, then around Shaw Island. Skippers have their choice of going clockwise or counter-clockwise around Shaw. Most skippers and crew, I told, begin planning their strategy days, even weeks ahead with the skippers checking the tide tables and reviewing which way the wind was blowing (if it was blowing at all!) on previous years.

Here in Cedar Cove, the bay started filling with big sailboats on Thursday. It was a beautiful site.

By Saturday morning, there were eight boats. Some were ready to participate in the Classic; others were just here for the party afterwards! Our buddy Ray was here with his 42-ft Tayana - a blue water cruiser weighing in at about 37,000 pounds. Cabiri is a big boat...and she's a beauty. Ray's crew for the race included Randy (of course), Brad, Barry, Maleah (Brad's daughter), and Linda (Ray's wife and self-named Galley Wench).

The race started at noon. Charli and I held down the fort here at the house and watched as the sailboats came through the channel from both directions.

The first boats came through about 2pm. It was pretty fun to see all the different shapes, sizes and colors.

And there were the kayakers. Oh, I bet I forgot to mention the paddle? Well, that day is also designated as the Paddle around Shaw, and it's very well known, too. Just ask anyone who tried to get on the ferry later that day or all day Sunday. It seemed like every car had a kayak or canoe loaded on top.

Some of the kayakers/canoers are just out for the fun of the paddle. They poked in and out of bays as they made their way around the island.

Others, however, were in serious race mode, like these guys.

It seems they have a similar outlook as sailors: if there's another boat in the area (and for sailboats, if the sails are up), it's a race...no matter what!

Cabiri came into view around Crane Island about 3.

I watched from the deck as she sailed past the house and out into the Strait of San Juan.

Here's a little video I made.

Because we're working remotely, I don't have a set of speakers with my computer so don't know what I said...I think I did a bit of a narrative about the crew and the race...at least that's what I hope!

Randy called about 5 and said they'd finished the race - yippee! - and were headed home. (They checked online later for the race results - Cabiri finished 9th in her class out of 14 boats. A pretty good showing considering she weighs 37,000 pounds and it was her first race.) Oh, and would I clean the 8 crab they'd left sitting in water that morning.

Barry wanted me to leave 2 alive so he could take them home with him the next day. I left him the most vicious two...mainly because I didn't want to get maimed by them. Really, they were mean! I know they don't look it here but these guys ... well, they weren't going to go easily!

Here are the other eight...cleaned and ready for cooking!

I have a picture of their shell backs and guts but I'm not going to post it...it's a bit gruesome.