‘Belle Aventure ‘ Will Not Race

on

The ocean match race between two classic yachts— Belle Aventure and Spirit of Bermuda— was broken this week when Belle’s captain Dave Thompson notified the Marion Bermuda Race organizers that they would not be able to race in the 645-mile crossing to Bermuda on June 14th. Spirit, the big blue Bermuda sloop had anticipated the challenge of a 645-mile match race in the new Classic Yacht Division against the 94-foot Fife Ketch Belle Aventure sailed by an all New England crew.

This leaves the fleet with 37 boats in the Founders Division and one in the new Classic Yacht Division. Spirit of Bermuda is the largest boat, with Founder’s Division entry Shindig, an Andrews 68 entered by Mass Maritime, 44 feet shorter but perhaps faster in some conditions. This should be the battle for line honors at St David’s Lighthouse, Bermuda

The smallest boat is Roust, a Sea Sprite 34, sailed by Ian Gumprecht of Oyster Bay, NY.

“Due to unforeseen circumstances with the owners’ schedules,” Thompson wrote to the organizers, “S/Y Belle Aventure will not be able to sail to Bermuda this year during the Marion to Bermuda race. We were looking forward to racing, but will have to hold off for a different year. Both the crew and the owners apologize for any inconveniences this may cause and wish you all luck in the race this year.”

Upon learning of the withdrawal, Bermudian Preston Hutchings said, “Their withdrawal is disappointing. Nevertheless, we will have a safe and fun time sailing Spirit to Bermuda and competing for the Blue Water Sailing Club Board of Governors’ Trophy.” The trophy is awarded to the yacht with the shortest elapsed time. Hutchings had been looking forward to matching up against another classic yacht for this race. In 2012 Spirit of Bermuda had also sailed as the only classic.

Back in February 2012, Hutchings was participating in a Bermuda Sloop Foundation fundraiser, trying to raise money for Spirit of Bermuda and to save himself from walking the plank. He asked Alan Burland, co-founder of the foundation about the possibility of someone chartering Spirit for the next Marion Bermuda Race. The charter price was settled in a few days and Hutchings and his friend Patrick McGee of Dallas TX took the plunge, but not off the plank.

They took a joint charter for the 2013 race and are set to start at 12:10PM on June 14.

McGee had once told Hutchings that he would like to race to Bermuda with his family. Going on a typical boat with McGee and his sons wasn’t really a possibility so the idea lay dormant for years. Now that they had Spirit, a boat that would need a crew of 21, the dream was rekindled.

McGee will be joined by his son William. Hutchings will be joined by his two sons William and Alistair. They will also be joined by another family… navigator and executive director of Team Adventure Larry Rosenfeld, his wife Amy and their son Willie.

Hutchings and McGee have also endowed the division for American Sail Training Association (ASTA) rated boats and have dedicated the division winner’s trophy in the memory of Ed Williams, the former captain of Sir Bayard Dill’s yacht the Dutchess of Devonshire.

Alan Burland commented on Ed Williams role in making the Spirit dream come true: “Ed Williams Sr. was a wonderful Bermudian sailor, ambassador, and friend of Spirit.” Burland had begun his eulogy at Williams’ funeral by saying “Captain Ed Williams was a loyal and steadfast supporter of the Bermuda Sloop Foundation… Capt. Ed wanted to help young Bermudians to learn real life long skills, to build character, to work together, to be resilient, and to excel – the very lessons he learnt so well.” Ed Williams Jr. will be aboard for the race.

This is the second “Bermuda” race for Spirit. In 2012 she sailed Newport Bermuda as the sole entry in the Traditional Division with a largely Bermuda youth crew, young people who had trained aboard her as part of their island educational program. Spirit is a sail training vessel manned by Bermuda schoolboys and schoolgirls, sailing masters and teachers. It is a seagoing classroom that teaches both an educational curriculum and life lessons.

The 2013 Marion Bermuda Race for Spirit will be quiet different. She will be pushed harder this time by a more experienced crew and the crew hopes to cross the finish line of Bermuda’s St. David’s Lighthouse first. Hutchings, this year’s skipper, was first to finish in 2007 with his modern 42-foot Swan Morgan’s Ghost.

Hutchings is bringing aboard 20 other sailors this time to go for the goal. 14 have multiple Bermuda Race experience, 2 have extensive offshore experience in other venues and 4 are experienced inshore sailors. Co-charterer McGee and his son and a friend Dan Routman are all inshore sailors from Texas. Oliver Sarkozy, brother of the former French President, is an inshore sailor as well.

Spirit’s  biggest and closest competition for line honors will be from a more modern cruiser-racer, an Andrews 68 named Shindig. The proof of the pudding is the performance. Follow Spirit Of Bermuda and all the other yachts in the Marion Bermuda Race with the Yellow Brick tracker program available on the Marion Bermuda web site— http://www.marionbermuda.com/

All in Bermuda are welcome to share in the post-race festivities and come down to the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club to walk the docks and see all of the yachts that have sailed from Marion in the classic ocean race. Celebrate the week of the solstice at RHSADC, Bermuda Style.

About the Marion Bermuda Cruising Yacht Race Association

Since its inception in 1977, the biennial Marion Bermuda Race has been a premier 645 mile ocean race and sailing event which appeals to a broad range of cruising and racing enthusiasts.  The spirit of the race is one focused on Family and Fun, and all yachts and crew are participating for the joy and pleasure of sailing, competition, and the camaraderie that accompanies such an offshore event.

The Marion Bermuda Race encourages the development of blue water sailing skills on seaworthy yachts that can be handled safely offshore with limited crew.  The Marion Bermuda Race is a 501(c)(3) organization and among other educational efforts, supports and encourages Youth Sailing programs.  The Marion to Bermuda Race is organized and run entirely by hundreds of volunteering members of The Beverly Yacht Club (BYC), The Blue Water Sailing Club (BWSC) and The Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club (RHADC) for the Marion Bermuda Cruising Yacht Race Association.

by Talbot Wilson / talbot@talbotwilson.com

Multiple Injuries, One Fatality in 195 Rollover

on

Just before noontime on Sunday the Mattapoisett Police, Fire and EMS responded to a single car motor vehicle roll over on Route 195 near the Marion town line. The vehicle, which had eight passengers, rolled into the woods along side the road.  All the occupants of the vehicle were injured in the crash, one person was med-flighted from the scene and a second was med-flighted after arriving at the hospital. In total four ambulances responded to the scene including mutual aid from Marion and Fairhaven. The Interstate Highway was closed down for a period to allow for the medflight helicopter to land. The State Police Reconstruction Team was called to the scene but the Mattapoisett Police Department would not comment further.

The Massachusetts State Police confirmed that the vehicle, a 1985 Dodge Caravan had eight occupants, one fatality and seven people who were injured.  The deceased was a 53 year old female from New Bedford, Jeanett Reed.  No charges have been filed at this time.  The driver was transported by medical helicopter to RI Hospital.  No destination hospitals or current conditions are currently available for any of the other occupants.  Per State Police policy, they do not comment on the relationships of the parties involved in motor vehicle crashes.

 

Florence Eastman Clam Boil

on

Join the Florence Eastman Post 280 American Legion on July 13, 5:00 to 6:30 pm, for a Clam Boil under the tent at Shipyard Park (venue courtesy of the Mattapoisett Lions Club). The $25 admission (tickets in advance, limited at the door) includes special chowder, two pounds of clams, stuffing, sweet corn, onion, potato, sausage and linguica, with proceeds to support the Post 280 furnace replacement.

Want to sponsor a boil for a shut-in? Ask how.

For more information, call Mike at 508-759-9311 (gpfnr@aol.com) or Ray at 508-965-6599 (andrewscompass@verizon.net).

Award of Excellence

on

Donald Bamburger, President of the Mattapoisett Lions Club, one of 45,000 Lion’s Clubs around the world, announced the recipient of 2013 Mattapoisett Lion’s Club Award of Excellence in the amount of $5,000.

This year’s recipient is Colleen Packard, a senior at Bishop Stang High School who will be attending George Washington University in the fall and will be majoring in chemistry. She is recognized for her work in community service, her goals when she completes her studies and her academic record.

Funds for this award were raised through the efforts of the Mattapoisett Lions at their annual Harbor Days Arts and Crafts Festival and other events throughout the year. For information on how to join the Mattapoisett Lions Club, please go to www.mattapoisettlionsclub.org. The Mattapoisett Lions Club Awards Committee includes Helene Rose, Deborah Lariviere, Bruce Boren and Ron Ellis.

Blogging, Now and Then

on

The public is cordially invited to attend the 2013 Annual Meeting of the Sippican Historical Society, to be held June 11 at the Marion Music Hall. The meeting will begin at 7:00 pm, and will feature a brief wrap-up of the Society’s business year, followed by the special presentation titled Blogging, Now and Then, by Harvard Professor Robert Darnton. Darnton’s lecture will explore how, long before the Internet, Europeans exchanged information in ways that anticipated blogging. The key element of their information system was the “anecdote,” a term that meant nearly the opposite then from what it means today. By tracking anecdotes through texts, we can rethink the history of books and reassess a rich strain of history and literature.

Professor Darnton, a part-time Marion resident, is an accomplished academician and author. After teaching at Princeton University from for almost 40 years, Darnton became Carl H. Pforzheimer University Professor and Director of the University Library at Harvard in 2007. His outside activities include service as a trustee of the New York Public Library and the Oxford University Press (USA) and terms as president of the American Historical Association and the International Society of Eighteenth-Century Studies. Among his honors are a MacArthur Prize Fellowship, a National Book Critics Circle Award, election to the French Legion of Honor, and the National Humanities Medal conferred by President Obama in February 2012. Professor Darnton has written and edited over two dozen books, one of which – The Great Cat Massacre and Other Episodes in French Cultural History – has been translated into 18 languages. His latest books are The Case for Books; The Devil in the Holy Water, or The Art of Slander in France from Louis XIV to Napoleon; and Poetry and the Police: Communication Networks in Eighteenth-Century Paris.

The Marion Music Hall is located at 164 Front Street, and ample parking is available across the street in the Island Wharf lot. The event is free to the public and no reservations are required. For more information, please email info@sippicanhistoricalsociety.org or call 508-748-1116.

Seniors’ Final Week

on

The seniors’ final week before graduation started on June 4, with the senior prom at Wequasset Resort and Golf Club. Promenade was held at the school at 4:15 pm for pictures. Students left the school after promenade in limos, party buses and other transportation methods and headed to Harwich, the location of Wequassett Resort. Doors opened for the prom at 6:30 pm. Latecomers were not allowed in.

The dance ended officially at 10:30 pm. Dinner was served at the resort, with each student getting a choice of a chicken dinner, a steak dinner or a vegetarian option.

Seniors had Wednesday off. The events continued on June 6 with a graduation rehearsal in the morning from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.

Later that night, seniors met in the gym at 6:00 pm with their graduation gowns (no caps) for Senior Awards Night. This event is mandatory. Parents and family members were encouraged to attend.

June 7 is Senior Assembly. Seniors must arrive at the gym with their gowns by 8:30 am. The assembly will officially begin at 9:15 am and end at 10:38 am. Proper footwear should be worn for the seniors to perform their ceremonial graduation lap around the gym.

After the assembly, seniors will report to the field (weather depending) for their Senior Cookout and yearbook signing.

The dress code is consistent for Senior Awards Night, Senior Assembly and Graduation. Girls are expected to wear appropriate dress and shoes for each event, with the exception of sneakers being allowed for Senior Assembly. Boys are expected to wear dark pants, a collared shirt and tie.

June 8 marks the seniors’ final event, Graduation. All seniors are expected to arrive no later than 12:00 pm. All seniors should report to the gym to pick up tassels and flowers. Gowns and caps are mandatory. The event will begin at 1:00 pm. Should the weather be uncooperative, seniors will report to the library and Graduation will be located in the gym. An outdoor graduation is guaranteed seating for all, but an indoor graduation will have limited seating to those with tickets.

By Jessica Correia

Marion Town Party Date Set

on

The Marion Recreation Department, in conjunction with the Marion Firefighters Association, once again is proud to announce the date for the Marion Town Party. The event will be held on August 24 (rain date, August 25). The party will take place at its traditional location on Spring Street in front of the Marion Town House. Festivities will begin at 4:00 pm.

A cherished Marion community tradition, this year’s event will feature a climbing rock wall, bubble bounce, dunk tank, music, bake sale, bonfire and more. Seasonal menu items and beverages are planned. Admission will be free.

Proceeds will be distributed between the Marion Firefighters Association and Marion Recreation to benefit local community needs. Marion Firefighters plan to use proceeds to provide new thermal imaging equipment for the Marion Fire Department, while Marion Recreation plans to use funds for the construction of playground facilities at Washburn Park.

Organizers are seeking donations from the community to help underwrite the event. Food, raffle prizes, services, bake sale items, cash or any other in-kind donation would be greatly appreciated. All contributions are tax deductible.

Please plan to attend with your friends and family to help make this community event a success.

For further information, or to make a donation, please contact: Steve Gonsalves at 508-264-5852; Chris Berg at 508-776-1615 or Jody Dickerson at 774-217-8355.  You may send also a check to: Friends of Marion Recreation – Town Party, P.O. Box 539, Marion, MA 02738, Tax Exempt ID: 27-0944172.

Art in Bloom Opens Tonight

on

The Marion Art Center’s Art in Bloom opens tonight at 6pm, and organizers and volunteers gathered Friday afternoon to prepare the exhibit. Works by Mary Jane McCoy and Arthur Kvarnstrom will be paired with interpretative floral arrangements by members of the Marion Garden Discussion Group.

Bobby Fuller and Karilon Grainger assembled an arrangement for a McCoy painting.

“I love her use of color,” Grainger said. “It’s fun re-creating and interpreting the paintings as best we can. It always gets interesting discussions going with visitors.”

MAC Executive Director Deborah Bokelkamp said that Kvarnstrom and his wife were en route from New York.

“I am very much looking forward to meeting him,” Bokelkamp said. “His is a special kind of work, plein air, all watercolors created outdoors and all about variation on a theme.”

Bokelkamp said that Marion artist McCoy’s “interiors and gardens are so vibrant.”

The arrangements take the exhibit to a different level.

“It’s so cool to see what people come up with,” Bokelkamp said. “It’s a summery, fresh exhibit.”

Art in Bloom runs through July 13. The Marion Art Center Gallery is open on Tuesday through Friday from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm, and on Saturdays from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm. Admission is free and open to the public.

Rogers Resigns From RMS

on

After only one year at Rochester Memorial School, Dr. Moira Rodgers has resigned from her position as principal, but she assured members of the Rochester School Committee that she had taken all the proper steps for a smooth transition to the next principal and administration.

“I want to make sure that everyone knows that I will have as much in place that I can have in place [so that everything goes smoothly next year],” said Rodgers. “I feel confident that the transition will be successful.”

She also took the time to thank everyone on the Rochester School Committee, as well as staff, students, and parents at RMS.

“Words cannot express my gratitude,” Rodgers said. “I’ve learned so much and I’m so grateful to everyone and everything that this year has afforded me.”

She added that she felt that the school had taken some major steps within the year that should be beneficial for years to come.

“I feel that we have made some plans and changes that will be best for the students and staff there,” she said.

Members of the Committee also thanked Rodgers for her service.

In other news, the Committee unanimously decided to change Kindergarten from a half-day to full one. The class would also remain free of charge.

According to White, Marion and Mattapoisett both have full-day programs, and he also said that half-day is still an option for students, but that decision is up to the parents.

Full-day bus transportation will be included for Kindergarten students, but half-day students would need to provide their own ride from school.

“It’s very exciting for the kids,” member Tina Rood said.

By Nick Walecka

Flash Flood Watch Through Saturday

on

The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch for our area through Saturday as heavy rains are expected while the remains of Tropical Storm Andrea pass though our region.