Great Pumpkin Pursuit race

Elise finished in 21st position

Bandido picked up a Pumpkin. We saw one on the course but we were doingwell in the race so the team voted against picking it up.

Dropping the pumpkins along the course

got it!

Like every year, on Great Pumpkin pursuit race, we swap positions on Elise, and we each pick the positions we think we are worst at (reliatively speaking). That works for most of us but Nathan because it is tough to find a position he is not good at...so Nathan gets what's left over...

So

Mark: helm
Ryan: foredeck
Nat: tactics
Nathan: trim 1

We also had a special guest: Junior sailing program participant Jack!! Jack did trim 2 with Nathan

We picked a counterclockwise route (tactician call)

Reason 1: more spinnaker legs when wind is supposed to be strongest
Reason 2: pushed by current the entire time
Reason 3: assumed upwind leg when wind is dying therefore with higher chances of creating apparent wind. Turned out that we hoisted the spinnaker close to the finish anyhow but mostly true

This photo was purchased from H20shots.

Jack was also our photographer

Jack and Nathan working on spinnaker trim

Happy Ryan

Meeting the race of the fleet going the other way

Beautiful beautiful day

Tough to be in the lee of Angel Island in a building flood

Photos from Norcalsailing.com

Jack brought us treats! Homemade Pumpkin

And I was Robin Hood

The devil trying to call the Earth on VHF

I sailed with my bow, made with wood from the yard

Ryan devilishly directing Jack to the start line

Nathan applying his face makeup