Neffy beats aRound the County

As in, arguably the most epic race of the year for many reasons. Allow me to summarize a few of these reasons should there be any skepticism surrounding this bold statement:

1. 'Round the County' is so aptly named because the race is, literally, around San Juan County.  So if right about now you're thinking "oh yeahhhhh, like the San Juan Islands, oh yeah those are beeeeautiful...oh and the ferry ride! Who doesn't love that ferry ride?" No one.  No one doesn't love that ferry ride. Know what's even better than that ferry ride?  Seeing the entire thing from a sailboat all day, for two days, with 6 of your closest friends. 
2.  The halfway point (and party) is in Roche Harbor, WA.  For anyone not familiar with Roche Harbor, it's a sleepy little picturesque village-y type place which I can only surmise has expertly figured out how to appropriately warn what I can only assume it the "usual crowd" to either avoid this particular November weekend altogether, or allow an appropriate enough heads up that only those in full appreciation of one of the best sailor parties of the year interrupting the usual gentle and, er, quiet vibe of such a place.  And it has a mausoleum.  Do what this information what you will.
3. It could very well be the only race all year you'll get to race with the beautiful Schooner Martha in all her splendor...under spinnaker or topsails she's, well, she's a very pretty girl and a downright expertly raced boat under any condition.  And we love her.  At 105, she's the oldest working sailboat in Washington State and the oldest living flagship of the San Francisco Yacht Club - even after having been declared a total loss and subsequently saved from a scrapyard in 1976.  If that doesn't make you all warm and fuzzy inside, you cold heartless bastard, seek help.

Day 2, from Canada. Photo Credit Patricia DeJoseph

Yes, I digress, admittedly there was in fact a moment during the second day's freezing wet beat upwind THE ENTIRE DAY during which I experienced an epiphany to the effect of, 'Ohhhhhh... yeah, okay, when people think we're crazy for being out here in November in the middle of the Salish Sea almost dragging out feet in the near-freezing water off the edge of a 30-ft boat in the pouring rain... I guess I understand where they're coming from."

 . . . but. . . not really though.

And also I would just like to say to those people living on whichever edge of whatever Canadian Island we sailed close enough to for a nice clear view of just what kind of modern home Canadian money can buy...HI.  Nefarious will likely be returning by your place of residence November 10th, 2013 sometime between 10am and 4pm.  Please feel free to deploy a care package from your cliffs of Moher to sail number #USA 53 containing the following:

(2) litres of high quality Canadian rum, appropriate for sipping between tacks.
(2) bags of Old Dutch potato chips, assorted varieties OK but MUST include ketchup. 
(1) huge bag of candy limited to items unobtainable in the United States. 
(1) appropriately-sized Canadian flag to fly off Neffy's backstay in appreciation.

Alternatively, tying said package to a mooring buoy at a depth greater than 20' marked by a flotation device with the words "KEEP AWAY - NEFARIOUS ITEMS INSIDE" is also acceptable.  Thank you kindly and I hope you enjoy our sailboat race.

2013: The year of the epic RTC sleigh ride.  Hmmmm, weather?!  It's time.

No disrespect, Herreshoff...but Pink Boats are LEGIT.

Since, in his own words:

"There are only two colors to paint a boat, black or white, and only a fool would paint a boat black".

Allow me to disagree.  Why?  Because there's a guy named Thomas Watson with a sailboat so pink that Barbie herself would trade her landlubber existence for a life at sea, except Tom isn't into Barbie - he's into helping save lives.  And not even Cap'n Nat himself could hold a candle to that kind of rationale.

How?  Tom will be sailing solo out of Seattle on Darwind October 1st, 2013, around the world and without stopping, in the pursuit to prevent and cure breast cancer and help save the lives of hundreds of thousands of women each year through sailing.  His organization has partnered with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation with an initial goal of raising $1 million to further the cause.

The 28.5' Pearson Triton "Darwind."

Um, okay.  What?  Seriously?  Is there any way, whatsoever, anywhere, in existence, to argue with the supreme awesomeness of this?  Because I seriously doubt it.  In fact, I'm so convinced such an argument does not exist that I am willing to put money on it.  In fact, I think we should ALL put money on it!  Let's do this thing!

I met Tom in San Francisco during the Farr30 World's/Rolex big boat series at the St. Francis Yacht Club during a typical night of Nefarious debauchery & good old-fashioned camaraderie which led to my learning of Tom's crusade and upcoming journey over a fine libation at San Francisco's Marina Lounge (of course - we had to).

Needless to say, I was nothing short of truly inspired.  Every sailor (ok, or at least every sailor as crazy for it as I am) dreams of making a life pursuit out of a love for being on the water, and hearing Tom's story made me realize something else that should have been so obvious as to have struck me with the force of Neffy's boom I've come so fond of avoiding: there IS something better than doing what you love.  It's doing what you love selflessly.  It's finding a purpose which allows your own passion to shine so brightly it only makes sense to positively impact the lives of others, of complete strangers, in the process.  And Tom Watson figured out a way to make just that happen.

Tom & Darwind out for a sail.  That's a happy-sailor-on-the-water smile if I've ever seen one!

So kudos, my new friend: may your journey be a successful one.  If one man's sailing voyage can put one more dollar into the hands of a single doctor, researcher, fundraiser, survivor, patient, therapy, or anyone else sharing the common goal of improving the odds, quality of life, prognoses, or awareness of breast cancer, any cancer, or any other senseless and heinous infliction on our loved ones and our society, you will have contributed more to the cause in a single day on the water than many people will in a lifetime.

So sail on.  Go team Darwind!