Sunday, September 21, 2014
Sunday morning I found myself driving north to Lake Allatoona for the USODA Southeast Championship. The U.S. Optimist Dinghy Association holds races all over the country and this is the first year that the southeast championship was hosted by the Atlanta Yacht Club and held at the lake in Acworth. There was excitement from the 153 sailors as they made their way down to the water as I pulled up. I will say that as someone who has sailed a boat that the wind is a fickle mistress sometimes and there was a delay in the start of the day’s races to allow the wind to pick up. Pretty soon the boats were put to water and the sailors lined up for the start of the first of two races for the day. It made me wish that I had learned to sail a little younger than I actually did…
Will Weinbecker walks his mast and sail to his dinghy during the 2014 USODA Southeast Championship at Lake Allatoona in Acworth on Sunday, September 21, 2014.
Bridget Monahan (left) and her brother Reedy put their masts on their dinghys during the 2014 USODA Southeast Championship at Lake Allatoona in Acworth on Sunday, September 21, 2014.
Lucy Spearman (left) and Evie Blauvelt make adjustments to a dinghy during the 2014 USODA Southeast Championship at Lake Allatoona in Acworth on Sunday, September 21, 2014.
Erin Haile (left) and Avery Ross stand in the water as they wait to be able to put their boats in before the 2014 USODA Southeast Championship at Lake Allatoona in Acworth on Sunday, September 21, 2014.
Chris Purcell waits to be able to put his boat in the water during the 2014 USODA Southeast Championship at Lake Allatoona in Acworth on Sunday, September 21, 2014.
Jojo Bolduc (center) puts his boat in the water during the 2014 USODA Southeast Championship at Lake Allatoona in Acworth on Sunday, September 21, 2014.
Mateo Farina (center) puts his boat in the water during the 2014 USODA Southeast Championship at Lake Allatoona in Acworth on Sunday, September 21, 2014.
Louis La Fontisee (left) makes his way to the starting line for the start of the 2014 USODA Southeast Championship at Lake Allatoona in Acworth on Sunday, September 21, 2014.
Anna Stark (right) and her nieces Caroline and Clara Fowlkes wave to Stark’s brother as sailors take to the water for the 2014 USODA Southeast Championship at Lake Allatoona in Acworth on Sunday, September 21, 2014.
Sailors make their way to the starting line for the start of the 2014 USODA Southeast Championship at Lake Allatoona in Acworth on Sunday, September 21, 2014.
Jojo Bolduc (left) sits at the starting line for the start of the 2014 USODA Southeast Championship at Lake Allatoona in Acworth on Sunday, September 21, 2014.
Boyd Bragg (left) sails his dinghy during the 2014 USODA Southeast Championship at Lake Allatoona in Acworth on Sunday, September 21, 2014.
Daven Subbiah sails his dinghy during the 2014 USODA Southeast Championship at Lake Allatoona in Acworth on Sunday, September 21, 2014.
Jojo Bolduc (right) and Trenton Shaw make the first turn during the 2014 USODA Southeast Championship at Lake Allatoona in Acworth on Sunday, September 21, 2014.