The Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race

[Dobbs]

Today we attended the start of the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race. It's a 125 mile race from Annapolis to Norfolk. We weren't contestants, merely observers, but we thought we'd tag along for a bit.

Here's my favorite entry, Sultana









The Baltimore Clipper,
Pride of Baltimore before the start of the race.



The start was very dramatic. A one knot ebb was running, and in order to make the line, the bowsprit of the Pride pretty much swept over the committee boat that defined the windward side of the start. Unfortunately, I was busy handling our boat and marveling at the spectacle, so didn't get a picture.

We gave chase after the last boat crossed the start... My goal, however unrealistic, was to catch the Pride.



After two hours, we catch the Virginia, a reproduction pilot schooner.



5 hours into the race, with the Pride just out of range of the long 9s, we retired to anchor and dine.



You can see she has her fore t'gallant set and a stunsail on her fore topsail.