Chris & Ellen Kohut wrote: > > Which puts into memory a description of a annual race (was it Paradise Ca?) > that was clearly in reaction to svelte Kenyans crossing the line in Boston not > yet breathing out of their mouths......SNIPPED > Now I propose in the interests of all of you out there (yes, I see that > hand.....) who have participated in various sea kayak races and make a miserable > showing for yourself-- similar events as a sideline to the more ego -driven > challenges. > We could all engage in the 50 yard wallow......across the mud flats with pfd > and paddle.....but short on water and nary a boat to be seen. The Downtown Boathouse in NYC has its annual Harrison Street Regatta Race in August (Harrison is a nearby street in Tribeca on which several of the original members live). The winner is the SECOND boat across the finish line. Traditionally it has been held as a race across the nearly mile wide Hudson to New Jersey and back without notifying the Coast Guard or making any attempt to alert commercial and pleasure boat traffic. Competitors, of course, got scattered across the course by the winds and currents and from dodging river traffic. The boats then gather just shy of the finish line waiting for some one to get tired of sitting (or having to pee or wanting a beer) to finally go across first. Then the scramble for the Number TWO and winner spot followed by lots of complaining by a bevy of sore losers like at a schoolyard pickup basketball game. Confusing things are the several false finish lines that gadflies like to set up. This assures that the arguments tend to continue until frost finally blankets the Big Apple. This year finally the organizers have come to their senses and in the interest of safety are holding the race entirely on the Manhattan side along the piers and about the same distance. The finish line rules will still be the same as undoubtedly will be the arguments. Race is on Saturday August 14th. Anything human powered is okay. I am trying to convince the organizers to keep the start time secret to really confuse things. :-) ralph diaz -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Sun Aug 01 1999 - 07:12:31 PDT
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