Sailboat Beach Zoo

[Grant McAllister]

At 2:00PM Grant Jr. and I arrived at DC to great whitecaps and unbelievable crowds. People were parking on the road and walking in due to lack of parking spaces at Island Beach, so we headed to Sailboat Beach hoping for less congestion...NO SUCH LUCK!!! Finally found a parking space and threaded our way down to the beach to rig. On the water by 2:30 with the wind backing off by the minute. Jr. rigged a 7.7 and I rigged an 8.5 and we sailed out into the washing machine. Wakes were coming from every direction and we fought for space among the jet skis and boaters. Finally caught some good wind fingers and worked our way up toward the dam for some planers. Left at 4:30 feeling like we`d been in some weird video game...You know, like Sponge Bob`s "demolition boat derby"!

[Carl Christensen]

Scary enough to keep me out of the water. Charleston is probably safest but it would be nice to have a motor free area as population grows and boat traffic becomes increasingly congested. At this point engine powered vessels are the bullies of the high seas...

[obzansky]

For me, 2 near death experiences with the death machines outside the Charlestown launch.

[Leo Chan]

I think we should let the Park Rangers know that these mofos who are on the death machines didn't give the right of way to sailors. I hope enough warnings or fines will get them to behave a little more civilized and courteous.