The Boys in the Boat - Crew Classic

If you have not read The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown I can certainly recommend it.  Or you can wait for the 2023 release of the movie from director/producer George Clooney.

The San Diego Crew Classic is the largest regatta in the nation, with over 400 competitors here.  There are even ‘Girls in the Boats’.

Friday was for registration, staging and practice.  The large lot at Crown Point was filled with trucks and trailers and the parking lot with buses.

the boats were unloaded and staged for inspection, cleaning and assembly.

It’s not as difficult as an Ikea project, but the oar arms, seats and shoes all need to be installed.  And in the right location for the person in that station.  Here’s UC Davis at work, surprisingly, they were one of the few that proudly had their name on their boat.

Making final inspections.  The shoes are bolted to the push plate, which can rock.  The strap between the shoes is the ‘ejection’ strap.  That will release the Velcro holding the rower’s feet in the rowing shoes in the event of a capsize.

The Washington Huskies are here.  I attended briefly, but my kid brother graduated a proud husky.

Assigned seating!  It kinda has to be that way to accommodate the preferred seat and grip of each team member.

The assembled boats are moved to their team’s area.  With luck, an area with shade.

But most areas lack shade

When the assembly and inspection is complete, it’s time for testing.  Friday afternoon the boats are in the water to test the equipment and run the course.

The ever popular Beer Garden is now double walled to prevent smuggling out a beverage.

Some teams have their own tent to hang out in.

While the smaller schools will share facilities.  This lunch is set up for Freedom Rows, an exhibition team helping US Vets.

The boat in the center is a 4-person without a Coxswain.  It’s the cox job to make sure the team executes the race strategy or make any needed tactical changes.

So many boats yet to be staged.

On my bike ride back the Friday afternoon gang was in their usual shady spot.  Mostly fun country or clogging music.

Saturday Race Day!

It’s really hard to tell the teams apart with 8 racing lanes.  And they are FAST!

The race course is 2000 yards from Ski Beach to Crown point.  Trying to keep pace with your boyfriend’s team is not easy.

San Diego State’s gals won their heat, with the Long Beach Sharks gals last.  I mention this ‘cause grandgirl Kg goes to The Beach.  Maybe she might have to crew.

There are two chase boats for each race. I thought they were for rescue, nope!  They are the judges to ensure each race is fair and safe.

I was rooting for this yellow boat in the foreground.  It’s the Netherlands Nereus Club rowing team!  A long way from home.  And they won!  

The easiest way to watch the regatta is on the ultra-big screen in the food court.

More appropriately the Food Truck Court.

The screen also shows the race info and lane assignments.

But to feel the energy, it’s all down at the water.

The boats are tagged with their race and lane assignments.  And after the race some energy has to be saved to carry it all back up to the staging area.

The Texas gals warming up on the Spin Cycles.  I sat next to a fella my age who crewed for Santa Barbara as did his son, who now coaches Texas.  Wish I had made the connection while I was talking to him.  That’s three generations of crew.   Good Luck Texas!

And Vendors …

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Nothing I needed ...

After the finals tomorrow the winner will have their names engraved on the Trophy.

That was my day, it was a good one.  Fran went up to watch some LPGA thing … yawn!, but she enjoyed it. 

Hope you had a good day too!

Fumigation StayCation

Homes in San Diego have termites, that’s the deal with living close to the coast.  And that’s true of any home close to any coast.

After checking reviews and interviewing a few fumigation and ‘orange oil’ folks we selected NIXTermite.

Very professional bid, with fancy literature, answered all my questions and provided sensor alarms at all entry points including windows.  And a great big tent!

Installer on the top of the chimney 

Any food (not factory sealed) left in the house had to be double bagged in the provided Nylofume bags.

A few freezer-food items bagged

We took advantage of the truck to place the dry food items items.  And filled the RV fridge/freezer rather than double bag some items.  But many remained as the RV cold storage is not very big.

Dry goods in the truck cap

The city allows me to buy street parking permits at $1/day to park on the street in front of the house.  So I bought them, and we did try that the first day of the fumigation

Boring!

Sitting in front of the house is BORING.  And Mission Bay is just down the hill.  Anyone who has been to Mission Bay in the past few years has noticed the transient population there.  Sooo ... We returned to the end of Mission Blvd at Mission Point Park in South Mission.

There were a dozen other ‘stealth campers’ there.  But we were not at all stealth!  We extended our slide, taking up another parking space.  And left out bikes off the rack, our steps extended.

Not so stealth camping

It was totally obvious we were camping!  To stealth camp, or Wally camp check out what Laura has to say at Chapter3Travels.  She explains how to be polite and welcome, instead we wanted comfortable and convenient.  Our neighbor was from Alaska, he kept his site spotless, even picked up litter.  Maybe he read the blog :)

At home I pay the city utilities to pick up the trash and I water the lawn once a week.  Here they pick up trash daily FREE!  And they water the grass areas FREE!

If I thought we could get away with it and could talk Fran into it I’d move here! :)

Great view from our 'front yard'

Fran’s sister and her husband joined us on the Mission Bay Channel one afternoon to watch the boats come and go.

For snacks we biked up to the Pennant.  Gads it hasn’t changed since we had $2 grill your own streaks or $0.19 spaghetti dinners … back in the day!

What has changed is “The Bench” is gone.  During my brief ‘homeless’ period that was my mailing address – “ The Bench, South Mission, 92109”.

The four of us sat at the channel enjoying the snacks while recalling the 'old days' and watching the water traffic in the Mission Bay Channel. 

Fran with sister Susan

We enjoyed the various party craft like the Paddle Pub

this self-powered water fliteboard looks like a lot of fun.

Fliteboard

lots of lasers  were again out.  There's a club locally.

Lasers on the bay

And this Navy unmanned missile launcher.  It was escorted by two Navy 'Range Control' boats.  Altho there was no live fire activity the range boats ensure there are no other craft in the area as they do their testing.

We viewed the sunsets on the ocean side.  No Green Flash tho :(

Seagull waiting for the Green Flash

Fran hoping for a Green Flash

I saw parking enforcement come by once and the city police several times.  Geez – felt safer here than at home! :)

On our final morning we rode the bikes up to Crystal Pier to have breakfast at Kono's.

We both ordered the ‘small’ breakfast.  Yupper we could have easily split a single small breakfast!

Kono's 'small' breakfast

Kono's offers both indoor and outdoor seating.  But we like to sit at their little Crystal Pier space overlooking the ocean. 

Kono's at Crystal Pier

Order anything with their potatoes, you’ll not be disappointed.

Back home the tent is coming off the house.  Once SDGE turns the gas back on I’m taking a shower.  A long hot shower!