Our founder and President, Lane Briggs, passed away on September 19, 2005. For a copy of his obituary please click here.
A SHORT HISTORY OF THE RACE
For a detailed history of the race from 1990 to 2003 CLICK HERE
The genesis of this event reaches back two hundred years, to the era when cargo between Baltimore and Norfolk moved under sail, generating a fierce rivalry between these historic ports. Swift schooners vied for prime markets for bay-area oysters, watermelons, peanuts and other crops. The schooner reaching port soonest got the best prices and first choice among return cargoes, and such lucrative trade inspired development of fast, beautiful, weatherly fore-and-aft-rigged designs, of which the Pride of Baltimore II is one example.
In modern times, schooners carry young cadets, paying passengers or yachtsmen rather than oysters. Capt. Lane Briggs' schooner Norfolk Rebel (59 feet) is a working tug. Briggs challenged the Pride of Baltimore II (170 feet) to a down-the-bay race, winner to buy the beer at the finish, and in 1990 seven schooners battled their way down the bay. Every fall since then, a steadily increasing number of schooners large and small from all over the world have gathered at Fells Point to revive this ancient spirit of competition, tempered by a new mood of cooperation between the bay's largest ports to promote a cleaner Chesapeake. About forty schooners register for the events, and the sight of so many magnificent schooners gathered at the docks is truly breathtaking.
The Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race is held on the same week as the Columbus Day holiday and is scheduled to start right after the Annapolis Boat Show. This is generally on the third weekend in October to attract vessels making their seasonal migration south and the potential for hurricane-season weather always adds excitement to the outcome, sometimes requiring a shortened course. The event kicks off on Wednesday, with a parade through the Inner Harbor followed by a friendly gathering for sponsors and participants in Fells Point, and safety meetings for the captains. On Thursday the fleet musters for the start just south of the Bay Bridge off Annapolis. By Saturday the fleet is moored at North Landing Park and High Street Landing in Portsmouth, where participants, volunteers and sponsors celebrate with a pig and oyster roast and the awards ceremony. Dockside and onboard festivities continue on into the night as crews gather for the traditional 'Sailors Evening' to gam and sing sea chanties. On Sunday sponsors join the crews for a farewell breakfast.
Highlights from previous races
The fifth race, in 1994, coincided with a perfect schooner breeze for a fast reach down the bay and record times for all schooners. Before sunrise on Friday, Adirondack, Leopard, Tole Mour and Brilliant were neck-and-neck at the Thimble Shoal Light finish line, with elapsed times of less than 14 hours. In 1995, half the fleet retired to Solomons Island when calms, fogs, headwinds and gales made southerly progress impossible. Nevertheless, the newly launched replica America vied with Woodwind for line honors. (Woodwind won by only one minute and sixteen seconds.) In 1996, gale-force winds again scattered the fleet, and seamanship was sorely tested; nevertheless the participants, wet but undaunted, vowed to return for another try. 1997 again brought fast exciting racing in 25 knots of wind with all 25 entries finishing, and featured a spectacular start between two 140-foot yard patrol boats provided by the U.S. Naval Academy. We raised over $5000 for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. This figure was raised to $7500 in both 1998 and 1999. This figure is now in the $!0,000 range in 2002, 2003 and 2005. In 1998, lighter air favored smaller boats and Farewell (gaff-rigged, 40 on deck) was the big winner, with Capt. Gale Browning and her all-female crew taking First Across at Windmill, First in Class C, First on Corrected Time at Thimble, and First Overall. Willing volunteers hoisted her on their shoulders for repeated trips to the podium to collect a big pile of prizes. In 1999 the 3 masted Victory Chimes, (the last surviving Chesapeake Bay ram), returned to her birthplace on the bay for her 100th birthday. The broad reaching start of the 40 schooners in 30 knots of wind was spectacular. In 2003 the Spirit of Massachusetts entered the race for the first time. In 2003 and 2004 the wind was blowing hard but in the wrong direction for a schooner racing down the bay. Schooner crew skills and determination were sorely tested in these races. 2005 was a great year for wind and weather. A lot of the schooners were beat up badly but course records were set. This was a great race! The schooner Virginia joined us for the first time and tested her mettle. (For some excellent accounts of the 2003, 2004 and 2005 races check out Woodwind's website at schoonerwoodwind.com and Imagine...!'s site at schooonerimagine.com.)
In 2006 a record 45 schooners entered the race and 33 schooners made it to the starting line. Although there was only a little wind at the start; the wind picked up over night and quite a few schooners finished in near record time. ALL of the schooners that made it to the finish line near Portsmouth deserve an award for their perseverance, but Pride of Baltimore II won in Class AA, Adventurer 56 placed first in Class A, Prom Queen placed first in Class B and Adventure won in Class C. Jan Miles, Captain of the Pride of Baltimore II, commented that the schooner Virginia got faster and faster as she sped down the bay so next year the race could be even closer!!
