After heavy weather the evening before, the 23rd annual YMCA Rowgatta was held under clearing skies on Saturday, Aug. 13.

The 26 vessels and 28 individuals launched their boats at 8:30 a.m. at the Newagen public landing, the traditional starting point for the event. Two rowboats and 24 kayaks took part in the race.  

The participants followed a three-section course of approximately 12 nautical miles around Southport.  Sections consisted of Newagen to Cozy Harbor, Cozy Harbor to Townsend Gut and Townsend Gut back to Newagen. They were accompanied by Coast Guard auxiliary safety boats and other volunteers who provided a nautical escort for each of the three sections of the course.

As an additional safety measure, spotters on land were positioned at Cozy Harbor and at the Southport bridge to make sure all of the boats were accounted for as they passed.

Winners and their times were:

First double kayak: David and Peggy Mitchell, one hour, 46 minutes

First single shell: Seth Chatterton, one hour, 45.50 minutes

First single kayak, male:  Jon Sauver, two hours, 2 minutes

First single kayak, female:  Helen Weld, two hours, 17 minutes

All entrants completed the event safely and within three hours and 30 minutes.

Saturday’s Rowgatta shared both timing and participation with the Olympics. On the same day, Boothbay Harbor’s Elle Logan and her women’s eight teammates competed and won first place in the Rio de Janeiro rowing event. Rowgatta winner David Mitchell competed in the 1972 Olympics in Munich, coached the canoeing and kayak team in the 1992 Barcelona Olympic games and served as an official for the games in Atlanta (1996) and Sydney (2000.) Mitchell’s wife, Peggy, is a former world champion in white water racing. Mitchell thanked the YMCA, saying that “the event is a great thing.” He believes that this year will be his last time competing in it.

Abby Jones, Healthy Living coordinator for the YMCA, headed up the event, which raises funds through entry fees and sponsorships to support free swimming lessons for the area’s second graders.  

Jones and her team began planning the event shortly after the new year. “We had to get our application in to the Coast Guard early.” Volunteers join the Y staff and help with preparations and on the day of the race.  

Among those who helped were: Pat Yetman, Haili Hardwick, Erik Hertlesen, Shane Pennington, David Eastwood, Mary Beth Comody, Andy Hamblett, Lura Kerrigan, Paul and Louise Cowan, Mark Phillips and Bruce and Joan Washburn.

Mark Knowlton and Susan Quimby started the event by sounding a brass horn that had belonged to Quimby’s grandfather. Quimby originated the Rowgatta as “a fun event for the Southport community,” according to Jones and the YMCA has been the organizer for the past several years. Sponsors this year are J. Edward Knight & Co. Insurance, Dead River Company, Tidal Transit Kayak Company and Robinson’s Wharf, Inc.   

Participation is restricted to “people-powered” boats.  Participants must wear a life jacket, have the boat number displayed and notify the event managers if they withdraw before completing the course. Jones believes the event helps to remind everyone of the importance of aquatic safety.

“Learning to swim and being safe in and around the water is important, especially here,” she explained.