Sunfish Results & More

 The first Sunfish race of the 2026 season began at 1 p.m. today. The weather had looked doubtful and at times during the morning there was little or no wind and scattered rain showers. This was Jamie Stewart's first time as Commodore, and not knowing exactly what to expect, he enlisted the aid of Jamie Dimick (former buoy-boy) who was also filling in to place buoys for this race. With a careful ear tuned for thunder, buoys were set and finally, with no sign of worrisome storms, the race began as scheduled at 1 p.m.

Acting Commodore Jamie Stewart sent this report:

 Here are the results of the First Race of the Season.  The weather changed to a partly sunny day by 1:00 pm on Sunday.  The wind was fairly strong and consistent. After the third leg and heading to the finish line it started to rain on the Cabot side of the pond but the Danville side stayed dryer.  The wind was squirrely and the usual Joe's Pond weird. The sailors finished with smiling faces but were drenched.

 

Singles Race:

1st Place - Jules Chatot, Sr.

2nd Place - Jack LaGue

3rd Place - Jules Chatot, Jr.

4th Place - Rob Stewart

5th Place - Phil Crosby

6th Place - Sharon Trull

Doubles Race:

1st Place - Josh Ventrice & Scott Spencer

 And after I finished posting this, I found more emails from Joanne - so here is another photo. Also Joanne said they were particularly pleased to have two sailors from Wolcott, Josh Ventrice and Scott Spencer, and one from Parker Pond, Sharon Trull, join today's race. That is great, I hope they had a good time and will come back! 

Joanne also said that there was a slight mishap when one of the Jamies wind breaker flew overboard as they dashed up the pond. Fortunately, sailor Jack LaGue saw it and retrieved it - I hope it didn't cost him time and that's how he ended up in 2nd place! It's all in fun and Jack is a good sport.

The picture above right is Jules Chatot, Jr. and in the background you can see there seems to be a rain storm descending on the sailors. Also notice the sky in these photos as the weather changed from blue skies to dark, threatening clouds in a matter of minutes. Very normal at Joe's Pond. One last photo  - Jamie Dimick looks like a wet ride by the end!

Thank you for the report, Jamie S. and Joanne - and I'm so glad it was just a jacket that went overboard! And, Joanne - thanks for the photos. 

 

 

Last night we had the first dinner of the 2026 season at the Joe's Pond Association pavilion. The menu was "Treasure Island Chicken," one of the late Virginia Bently's recipes. It was delicious, served with perfectly-cooked rice, carrots, and a delicious salad. There was a good crowd of happy people and I was able to chat with a number of long-time friends and met some new ones. These are always very nice events. We were a bit worried about the weather and many of us layered up thinking it would be very cool and drafty - but it wasn't uncomfortable at all, and we were maybe even a little too warm as the crowd grew larger. I'm sure the folks in the kitchen were grateful for the cooler temperature. 

I spent a couple of hours at the Cabot Historical Society yesterday afternoon. The building will be open from one to three every Saturday this summer, plus on the Fourth and for Fall Foliage Day. Other times by appointment. It was cool and damp at the building as rain showers passed through, but we had a couple stop by who were driving through Cabot on their way to their new home in Stannard. They have only recently moved to Vermont and were exploring their surroundings. They said they wanted to see where Cabot cheese is made - and just happened to notice the historical building was open. Amanda (Legare) and I had a very nice chat with them. They have no connections to Vermont or Cabot - but were interested in learning about their new state of residence. 

Here's a special event to put on your calendar - it's a few weeks away, but best to plan ahead! This is at the Old North Church in North Danville, on July 26th. North Church is a lovely old church that has been kept in good repair and is much the same as when it was built in 1833. There is no electricity, so the evening service is by lamplight. Be sure to take a flashlight to aid in getting out of the church after the service as there are no outside lights, either. The church is in a very rural setting - no street lights, just starlight or a moon, if you are lucky.

Howard Coffin is giving his presentation, "Vermont Women in the Civil War," and it is very interesting. Howard is an expert on the Civil War and Vermont's contributions to the effort, and always delivers a great story. This will be a very special event - well worth the scenic trip to experience. Set your GPS for 2724 Old North Church Road, Danville, VT and experience a bit of what life was like in the early 1800s. 

When I sat down to write this post, there was sunshine and I was thinking I would have time for a walk around my pond before supper; but now the sky is clouded over, there was a brief rain shower, and even if the sun comes out, the grass is too wet (and maybe slippery) so I've given up on taking my little walk. It is also eerily still outside - not a leaf stirring. That makes me a little nervous - something is brewing in the weather department.

Stay safe, be healthy and happy.