the 2008 North Bay Wayfarer Weekend
Trout Lake Poker Race
photos by Dave & Carol Hansman, Julia & Al Schonborn
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After our usual staggered Le Mans start off the shore at the Hangar,
our six boats sailed a short beat across Delaney Bay to pick up our first cards envelope from ...
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... Ken Holloway in his canoe, cards that Ken would only hand out to those rounding him in the appropriate manner, i.e. to port. Getting away from #1 was the first big challenge since Ken was, as always, very near a windward shore. But eventually we all made it back into the open lake.  After our belated start, Julia and I were keeping a firm grasp on last place as we tried the spinnaker in shifty breezes that gave anything from a close- to a broad reach as we headed ESE down Trout Lake towards #2. All this time, we were taking the occasional pictures but haste made waste when the camera was inadvertently set to A (aperture priority) and all those pics were totally overexposed and useless. It was not, in fact, until we had made our second pick-up and were about to round Pilot Point into Dugas Bay that I realized I not only had a camera set to A, but had just missed an essential photo op. So, we turned around and just barely captured ...
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... the gang before they left their posts in the waters off John Richardson's cottage. In the orange jacket, our host for the post-race picnic, John Richardson, looks on, as does Kim Rainville who is on shore patrol today, which is why Dave Richardson has teamed up with Lori Beehler today. As Dave reports on the Duty Roster at #2:
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"The black-haired sweetie is my niece Bianca Valente. The young man who braved the waters and poker cards hand-off is Kim's son, Adam Hewitt. As I recall he had to be quick on his feet as the fleet came at him both to port and to starboard. I witnessed one boat that gybed just to windward of him causing him to duck under the boom. To Adam's credit he did not flinch and completed a successful transfer of the poker cards!"
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From there it was on into Dugas Bay
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The view from Banshee as Dave and Carol Hansman begin their beat into Dugas Bay, shows that Banshee has serious ground to make up. To put our own deficit into perspective, Julia and I were equally far astern of Banshee at this time.
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At pick-up point #3, Charlie and Shirley were once again on duty.
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After picking up their third envelope, Dave and Lori set off in pursuit of Dave and Carol, heading ...
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... NE towards the gap between Hemlock and Poplar Islands (site of Uncle Al's favourite sand bar) that would lead ...
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... Born Loser (and the rest of us) back onto the main part of ...
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... Trout Lake, which we would then cross to our 4th way point at the mouth of Lounsbury Bay.
When they took this picture of Al and Julia crossing Trout Lake to #4, the Hansmans were ...
- for full-size pic, click here
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... already off Garbage Island and on their way to the 5th and final way point. For future reference: In the photo above, we can also see Mystic. Sue and Steph had decided to be sneaky and avoid the gap between Hemlock and Poplar, and pass Hemlock to starboard instead. As failures go, this one was spectacular, as Mystic went from a quarter-mile ahead of SHADES to the position seen above.
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The run towards way point #5: Dave and Lori look back at ...
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... Julia and Al who have, for old times' sake, passed inside Garbage Island where the winds are always squirrely, and ...
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... are now spinnakering straight east down Trout Lake - with a ton of catching up still to do.
- for full-size pic, click here
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Far more than the Hansmans who saw Don and Richard Paine off their bow here.
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Julia has handed the spinnaker sheet to Al so that she can take a picture.
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As seen from Banshee, SHADES has just passed inside the Garbage Island ...
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... doldrums.
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Looking west along Trout Lake, the Hansmans can see Uncle Al way back there, and way, way back there is ...
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... "Detour Sue" who has felt no need to make a further side trip inside Garbage Island (r).
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Here's how Al saw the leaders as they were nearing #5.
(l to r) Robin and Andy, Dave and Lori, Dave and Carol (with Falconbridge Island more or less straight downwind of them)
- for full-size pic, click here
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Still leading the pack as we began to get sprinkles of rain, were Don and Richard.
- for full-size pic, click here
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Our final way point was well marked with one of Mary's flags.
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Starting the long beat home to the finish, it's still Don, Richard and Max in first
ahead of Robin and Andy with the picture-taking Hansmans in 3rd.
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One last shot from the Hansman camera before they do their pick-up at #5 and start their beat. (l to r) Dave R, Sue, Al
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The defining moment of the race: Says Dave H: "I also remember Dave Richardson passing Carol and me near Garbage Island
when we tacked unnecessarily and he picked up a lift and climbed above us without having to tack at all.  That is Trout Lake sailing."
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This is how it looked from Banshee as Dave and Lori (r) moved past the Paines into the lead for good, giving the lie to their boat's name.
- for full-size pic, click here
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Banshee view and assessment at the finish after Dave and Carol had snuck Robin and Andy (6071) to finish 2nd: I remember Robin was mad at himself as the was in front of Carol and I until about 500 m to finish and then he tacked into a hole, stopped dead, and we proceeded by him merrily.
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On the far right, we can see Al and Julia planing into the finish with a flourish - too late, alas!
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Rolling in to complete the picture are ...
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... Sue and Steph.
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After the BBQ: We're ready to head back to our various bases on Trout Lake, mostly back to the Hangar.
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The Paine Machine is nearly set to depart.
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Sue and Steph near the Hangar on what turned out to be a classic Trout Lake beat: 12 to 15 knots of WSW wind gusting
to considerably more, long port-tack boards with the occasional monster knocks that favoured starboard (above).
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Since Dave Richardson was not going her way, Lori sailed back to the Hangar aboard SHADES where she was ...
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... promptly put to work with the camera.
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Julia and Al enjoy a perfect sail home.
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Banshee has arrived back at the Hangar.
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Andy winches W6071 back onto her trailer to end a fantastic weekend.
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