It Was A Fun Day at The Bay

Everything was ready for a fine outdoor gathering. For several weeks many people, including non-IYRS graduates, put time and thought into this first event organized by the newly established IYRS Alumni Association. The hope was to create a well attended event where people who once shared two years of their lives in the vast space of Restoration Hall could reconnect, catch up, and reminisce over memories imbued with the essence of cedar, shellac and primer paint.

One week before the event and everything was falling into place. All the J-22 sailboats from Sail Newport were spoken for and mostly paid for. Skippers and crew from the IYRS family were registered: a nice blend of alumni, first and second year students, system program students and even staff. People traveled from out of town including the much beloved Tim Mueller, who centered his holiday around Newport after a challenging first year at the University of Hamburg. When he heard about the regatta he immediately signed up for a boat.

Many came together to offer their assistance. A race needs a committee boat and this was graciously offered by Richard Allphin, of Jamestown, who along with Mike Lebesque helped organize all that a race needs in order to become a regatta. Barbeques were procured through Mike Martin, as well as from the Mystic Seaport Museum, which has had a special relationship with IYRS over the years. With the help of wondrous inventions such as email and the telephone, everyone showed up to take their place at the designated picnic spot to view the race from Newport’s harbor.

Saturday, September 20th dawned offering clear skies and a light morning breeze. The boating crews gathered early under the Sail Newport tent, at Ft. Adams State Park, some having risen at 5am to reach their destination on time. At the last minute, two alumni asked to join in and room was made on some boats to take them along. And then Elizabeth Myer, her husband Mike McCaffrey and one of the IYRS alumni working at his boat yard, made a surprise entry, making the total of the boats to start a “lucky” 13.

By the time the starting signal sounded the wind had picked up and boats raced toward the first mark by Goat Island. To reach the next mark, the boats had to either maneuver between two huge cruisers or head upwind and go above the windward cruiser to keep the air from the North undisturbed. Everyone watched with baited breath. When the boats reached the second mark by the Jamestown coast they faced another problem, a brutal tidal current. Those who did not linger at that mark managed to reach and round the third mark just below the Newport Bridge heading south again towards the last mark opposite Ft. Adams on the Jamestown side. Sadly, the wind died and those rounding the last mark to head home could make no headway and were pushed southward by the current. The race could not finish and motorboats were sent to tow the boats, one of which was being pushed far out toward Castle Hill.

Safely back with boats moored, the sailors gathered by the Museum of Yachting building where friendly faces awaited them with barbeque fires smokin’ and fresh corn a-roastin’. The trophy was awarded to the boat that first managed to round the final mark. The winning team was crewed by second year IYRS students and alumnus Gina di Renzo. The second boat to round that mark was skippered by Adam Charon, class 2007.

The sun began to set, the air filled with laughter and the warmth of lively conversation.
This was no ordinary alumni reunion. It was more like a family gathering of past and present IYRS members who happen to be a very special community of individuals.
It was indeed a great day at the bay