Cancelled Race? Not for the sharks!

I am lucky enough to have an office by the water and within walking distance to several marinas and my yacht club. On days like today, it also means I can predict when races will be cancelled due to stormy conditions or dangerous winds.

Earlier in the day, a coworker and I went for a walk, and the waves were crashing over Meyer's Pier (an unusual thing in these protected waters). With winds this strong, I was certain that the evening "round the buoys" race would be cancelled. The wind did die down in the later afternoon, but not by enough.

The sharks, being smaller and easier to handle than the larger boats, decided to go out for some match racing. Conditions were challenging, but not dangerous. After 90 minutes or so, we headed back in.

I often feel disappointed when a race gets cancelled, particularly when I don't feel like the conditions merit it... but I realize that a lot of the boats are more difficult to handle in a blow, are considerably more valuable (and expensive to repair), and frankly, many of the owners are older. Cancelling the race was the smart thing to do. Most of the people racing (myself included) are there for the fun of sailing more than the competition and winning races... so most of us would rather keep it fun and safe. The only conflict is between what different people consider safe. :-)