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Beverly Triton – No Permit Required!

BABA Members Clean up the Beach and Park on May 10
Meet Bob Brownlee – New Beverly Triton Park Ranger

BABA volunteers and some friends from the kiting community got together on May 10 for a beach and park clean-up at Beverly Triton.  BABA heeded the call from the neighborhood volunteers and spent an hour picking up glass and metal debris from the back of the park.

 

We found the beach was relatively free of trash but there were a lot of logs to clear so they didn’t wash back into the bay and become serious hazards to windsurfers, kiters and boaters.   Big shout out to Tom Caswell, Bob Catzen, Warren Evans, Kei Imai, Matt Lestina, Guillaume Vernieres, Gordon Wells and our new kiting friends Joe Boyle and daughters Cassie and Julianna, Tim Feeney and Mehdy Rad.

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BABA Season in Full Swing

BABA season is in full swing and I’m just getting back to posting the pix from the season kick-off party.  We’ve already had the Mayo Clean-up,  spring Hatteras trip (pix and blog coming soon) and a bunch of BABA’ns participated in the WET/Kashy Fins Spring Regatta in Seaford, VA this past weekend (KONA One is awesome!).

We have the Beverly Triton beach clean-up (May 10) and Gerry Brown Regatta (May 18) to round out the month of May.  Whew!  Lots of opportunities to work and sail with your BABA friends.  Check the website and watch your e-mail for details.

More from the Season Kick-off Party

“BABA Members are missing the boat if they don’t come to this annual party,” says Hatteras Trip Coordinator Coby Leyden.  “Food, food, food!  A beautiful home with a view of the Severn River, wonderful hosts (thank you Ann & Mike!), the awesome raffle of goodies from our generous sponsors, and most importantly BABA friends and families!”

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Mayo Beach Blitz

Thanks to all who came out to help clean up Mayo Beach on Sunday, April 19.  The daffodils were blooming and the ospreys were protecting their nests as the BABA team and Team Mayo took care of business.

Tom Caswell headed up the project and was assisted by  Colin Pitts, Fan Pat, Guillaume Vernieres, Warren Evans, Helen Van Gelder, Bill Anderson, Mike McCormick, Ann Jackson, Bob Catzen, Chris Wattengel, Kevin Sherlock, Mick Y (sorry don’t know your last name), and Boy Scout Ernie Seppiayton and his father Ernest.  If we missed your name, please reply in the comments – we really appreciate everyone’s help.  The Big Bean in Severna Park donated coffee and pastries and Mayo staff brought out donuts, granola bars and water for the volunteers.

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BABA Awards

Mike McCormick and Chris Wattengel
Mike McCormick and Chris Wattengel

After the elections (and some food and drink) at the season opener party, we recognized several BABA members for their stellar service.  Mike McCormick, outgoing chair, was recognized with the Pat Pugh Service Award and a gift certificate to East of Maui.  Thank you Mark Bandy and Mark Saunders for sponsoring the award.  Mike served as chair of BABA for 2 years, leading the steering committee through simple and complex decisions.  He also established the Mayo Water Sports Fun Fest in partnership with Anne Arundel County Rec and Parks.  2014 will be the 3rd year for the event.  Last year we had over 100 attendees – half and half between BABA members and members of the public.  This event has really helped enhance our relationship with AA Rec and Parks and they appreciate our efforts to help the public enjoy the park, windsurfing and other human-powered water sports.

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BABA Annual Meeting

Ann Jackson and Mike McCormick hosted the season opener party at their house on the Severn River on March 22.  It was a gorgeous day to take in a view of the water and hang with lots of BABA friends.  We had a brief peek at spring in between the big March snow storm and the following week of snow, record low temperatures and slurpee-like frozen stuff falling from the sky.

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BABA Membership – Don’t Leave Home Without It!

It’s that time of year – the time when we long for windsurfing weather, and the time when we pay our dues.

We pay our dues so we can be part of one of the best windsurfing clubs in the US.  BABA has Hatteras trips, regattas, clinics, social events at the beach and a great season kick-off party.  BABA members are also working on access to safe, clean, windsurfing launches, introducing kids to windsurfing and helping newbies get to the next level.

So far on the calendar for 2014 we have the Season Opener Party on  March 15, and the spring and fall Hatteras trips.  Reservations for the spring trip are now open, and you’ve got to be a member to participate!  We’ll have more dates on the schedule in the next month or so.  Subscribe to the blog and remember check the website for updates.  You can download the membership form here.

To remind you about all the fun we’ll have with BABA in 2014 have a look at these pix from last October’s Hatteras trip….

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Wind and Sun for the East Coast Championships Regatta

BABA racers and Meet at the Beach inspired windsurfers scored a big weekend at Mayo for the East Coast Championships on September 21 and 22.

We’ve got lots of pictures and words to share, but in case, dear reader, you don’t make it through the entire post, I’m going to take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers who pulled together to put on the regatta.   As Myles Borash said when asked why he traveled all the way from Boston to compete – he makes a great effort to travel to our regatta because BABA still cares about racing and has volunteers who will work to put on an event, while his local windsurfing community gave up long ago.

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Gunpowder Regatta and Learn to Windsurf

Longboard Start
Longboard Start

Your BABA peeps had a big weekend at the Gunpowder in June.  Where were you?  The threatening storms never materialized even though it was raining cats and dogs inland, and we had nice thermals both Saturday and Sunday.  Saturday the wind came early enough for 5 competitive longboard races.  The Formula kiddos decided to play rather than race and they were blasting downwind of the race course.

Big thanks to Jeff Forte for ably running the races from a kayak on Saturday.  BABA racing is going green – no carbon  except for our masts and booms.  For the final race of the day we had a self timed beach start in  rapidly increasing winds.  Stuart Annapolis Wind and Sam Berry returned to the race course after a long hiatus.  Welcome home guys!

On Sunday BABA’s Learn to Windsurf took center stage with an enthusiastic group of newbies ready to get on the water.  Storms were raging inland again but the bad weather was magically diverted around Gunpowder by BABA juju.  Hal Ashman of Ultimate Watersports was the lead on-land instructor.  I don’t think the students realized that they were being instructed by one of the East coast’s best.  Thanks for being there for BABA, Hal!  Winds were increasing through the afternoon so the LTW students had light wind to get started and a bit more of a push once they got their basic uphauling and sailing skills under wraps.  I heard one exuberant student cry out “I CAN DO IT!”  Congratulations to Janice E for continuing a tradition of well attended LTW clinics.  Thanks to all the folks providing on the water coaching – Mark Windz41, Helen VG, Bill A, Coby and Dennis.

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Andrea

by Keith Knight

Tropical Storm AndreaGlobal warming, climate change, is it really that bad.
According to one party, it’s all just a fad
Sure, my kids, or my kids kids have much to fear
But after work today, I’ll be tuning gear
It’s the first week in June and Andrea’s on her way.
Big surf, high winds, what else can I say
Motivated, ready, battle her I will
As long as my body holds up I’ll get my fill.
Andrea, Andrea you are the season’s first storm
Get your stuff ready as this may be the new norm

From iWindsurf Chesapeake extended forecast….

Southerly flow on the rise through Saturday AM; lighter Sunday

A few changes to the extended forecast this morning, although with a tropical system in the mix be sure to watch daily updates. TS Andrea lifts north and merges with a larger, more complex trough on Friday; driving up SSE winds for the Mid Atlantic. Winds ramp up through Saturday morning as the combined system moves into the area. On Sunday the system departs to the northeast and winds fade considerably.