SYC Independence Day Challenge
A competitor in the plunger run heads to the finish line. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Ella Watts takes the lead in the watermelon swim. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The SYC instructors begin the egg toss competition. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The Red team concludes the rigging, sailing and de-rigging race. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
A competitor in the whistling competition. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The bubblegum blowing winner. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Boat bailers working hard. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
An instructor points to parts of a sail while a competitor tries to name them. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
SYC Director Will Jacobs thanks the competitors at the conclusion of the Independence Day Challenge. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The Blue team recites its cheer. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The Challenge parade begins. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Singing the national anthem. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Securing a rope to a cleat. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Competitors get a ride to their sailboats. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
SYC sailors arrive for the morning competition. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Heading to the dock. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
SYC sailors arrive for the morning competition. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Morning duties. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Launch time. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Game time before the competition. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
SYC Director Will Jacobs explains the day’s events. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The White team constructs its cheer. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The Green team huddles. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The Green team concludes its cheer. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The Challenge parade. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The Challenge parade. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Singing the national anthem. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Securing a rope to a cleat. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
A plunger runner. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Heading for the finish. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Oops ... got to pick up the flame. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
A plunger runner. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
A plunger runner. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
A plunger runner. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The junior egg toss event begins. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The first egg toss casualty gets some paper towels. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
A smile from a member of the winning Blue team. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The instructors try to catch the eggs. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Concentrating on catching the egg. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Got it! KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Inspecting an egg after it dropped on the ground. It didn’t break. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
A broken egg. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
A broken egg. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Rigging the sail. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Ready to sail. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Ready to sail. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The race to Pratt’s Island dock. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Returning to their moorings. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Getting ready to eat Saltines before whistling. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
A whistler. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
A whistler. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The bubblegum blowing contest begins. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Nice try! KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Tallying the scores after the bubblegum blowing contest. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Bail, bail, bail! KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The watermelon race begins. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Ella Watts heads for the finish to win the race. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Candy for the winners and all competitors. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Announcing the winner and runner-up teams in the Independence Day Challenge. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The scoresheet. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
A competitor in the plunger run heads to the finish line. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Ella Watts takes the lead in the watermelon swim. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The SYC instructors begin the egg toss competition. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The Red team concludes the rigging, sailing and de-rigging race. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
A competitor in the whistling competition. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The bubblegum blowing winner. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Boat bailers working hard. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
An instructor points to parts of a sail while a competitor tries to name them. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
SYC Director Will Jacobs thanks the competitors at the conclusion of the Independence Day Challenge. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The Blue team recites its cheer. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The Challenge parade begins. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Singing the national anthem. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Securing a rope to a cleat. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Competitors get a ride to their sailboats. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
SYC sailors arrive for the morning competition. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Heading to the dock. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
SYC sailors arrive for the morning competition. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Morning duties. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Launch time. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Game time before the competition. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
SYC Director Will Jacobs explains the day’s events. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The White team constructs its cheer. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The Green team huddles. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The Green team concludes its cheer. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The Challenge parade. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The Challenge parade. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Singing the national anthem. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Securing a rope to a cleat. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
A plunger runner. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Heading for the finish. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Oops ... got to pick up the flame. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
A plunger runner. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
A plunger runner. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
A plunger runner. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The junior egg toss event begins. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The first egg toss casualty gets some paper towels. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
A smile from a member of the winning Blue team. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The instructors try to catch the eggs. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Concentrating on catching the egg. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Got it! KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Inspecting an egg after it dropped on the ground. It didn’t break. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
A broken egg. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
A broken egg. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Rigging the sail. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Ready to sail. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Ready to sail. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The race to Pratt’s Island dock. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Returning to their moorings. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Getting ready to eat Saltines before whistling. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
A whistler. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
A whistler. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The bubblegum blowing contest begins. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Nice try! KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Tallying the scores after the bubblegum blowing contest. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Bail, bail, bail! KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The watermelon race begins. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Ella Watts heads for the finish to win the race. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Candy for the winners and all competitors. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
Announcing the winner and runner-up teams in the Independence Day Challenge. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
The scoresheet. KEVIN BURNHAM/Boothbay Register
It came down to the final event – the watermelon swim – and anchor Ella Watts won going away to give the Red team a one-point victory over the Green team in Southport Junior Yacht Club’s annual Independence Day Challenge on Monday, July 5.
Approximately 40 young sailors and their instructors competed in the 10-event challenge from 9 a.m. to noon. Hand and foot speed, coordination, balance, sailing knowledge and more were tested throughout the morning.
After Director Will Jacobs gathered the competitors on the new deck at SYC to explain the day’s competitions, each team – Red, Green, White, Blue and Black – was asked to develop a team cheer. After the teams belted out their cheers, the teams paraded around the grounds and sang, “You’re a Grand Old Flag,” followed by “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
The first competition involved two parts – correctly securing a rope to a cleat, then running a course carrying a plunger one-handed) and a “flame.” The flame was a table decoration. Should the flame drop from the plunger, the competitor had to stop, pick it up and place it back on the plunger.
The always fun and challenging egg toss followed, with both the sailors and instructors taking part. Participants had to take a step back after each successful catch. The young Blue team won that event, but the Blue instructors were the first casualties of that group’s competition.
Then it was boating time ... rigging, sailing and de-rigging. The boats sailed to the nearby Pratt’s Island dock and back to their moorings. The Red team took the lead in the Challenge, finishing first in the combined event.
Back on dry land, the competitors gathered on the lawn behind the upgraded junior building for the whistling and bubblegum blowing events. The five whistlers had to first eat four Saltine crackers then try to whistle “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.” The five bubblegum blowers had about three minutes to chew their gum then try to blow the biggest bubble. The Green team gained on Red’s lead in the the whistling event, but Red stayed in the lead by winning the bubblegum blowing event.
The last three competitions used strength and smarts. The Green team won both the boat bailing and naming the sail parts events (naming the sail parts was a relay race) to tie the Red team going into the final competition, the watermelon swim. Two swimmers from each team took part in the swim around the dock, handing off the watermelon to the second swimmer to finish the race.
The winning prizes of candy were handed out to end the fun day on and around the water. For the record, the scores were Red, 23; Green, 24; White, 32; Black, 35; and Blue, 39.
Event Date
Address
United States
