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.
Tom, Kei and G preparing to enter the forest.
Warren, Matt and Gordon with bags of glass.
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.
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.
Coffee before work
Bob and Ann listen as Tom sets the day’s goals
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.
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.
About 100 people showed up for BABA & AA Co. Rec and Park’s 2nd annual Water Sports Fun Fest at Mayo Beach on July 14. About half the people were BABA members and their families, and the other half were members of the public and new to BABA and windsurfing.
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.
It takes a village to put on a regatta, along with a dedicated Commodore, and BABA has all that and more! We had 2 days of beautiful weather and WIND for the 2012 East Coast Championships Regatta, part of US Windsurfing’s National Race Tour. The first race started around noon on Saturday, September 22 but there were many hours of planning and organization ahead of the horn’s blare.
Big thanks to Commodore Tomaso for bringing all the pieces together and running a great regatta. We’d also like to acknowledge Anne Arundel Recreation and Parks for co-sponsoring the regatta, and park manager Dary Lofgren.
Jeff and Darlene Forte spent Friday night on their sailboat Something Special, a 1973 41 Tartan sloop at the marina on the West River where it is moored. It took them about an hour to motor over to Mayo on Saturday morning where they anchored in position to serve as committee boat for the regatta – a much more luxurious committee boat than BABA usually experiences! Thank you Jeff and Darlene.
Albert Pritchard and Tom Caswell brought out their motor boats for the regatta – Tomaso and the committee would not have been able to put together such a great course if they didn’t have a boat. The smaller boats also served as safety boats to rescue befallen sailors, including Amber who broke a mast far from shore and appreciated the ride. I hope her string of bad luck has ended. Thank you Albert and Tom C.
Jeff and Darlene, and Dave Iseri and his daughter Jasmine ran the racing from Something Special under the tutelage of Commodore Tomaso. They ran a tight series over 2 days with excellent starts and undisputable finishes – some camera ready.
ECC Skipper’s Meeting