Gustiness led to gumption at the 29th annual Oar and Paddle Regatta, as participants young and old battled the breezes around Sengekontacket Pond adjacent to State Beach.
With a four-foot shorebreak crashing along the beach near Little Bridge and terns performing aerial acrobatics in the powerful intermittent bursts of wind, Island Spirit Kayak members thought it would be a good call to move the race into Sengekontacket.
“I was so impressed with the gumption today,” Chick Stapleton, founder of Island Spirit Kayak and event organizer, said of the participants. “Only three kayaks decided not to paddle the conditions; some decided to turn back, and a few more were towed across the line.”
Stapleton said this year was different from prior years, and was “much more meaningful,” because the event was promoting the health and wellness of Sengekontacket.
She also said that because of the intense conditions, participants had to “really have their heads and hearts in the game.”
“The weather really separated the family fun paddlers from the competitive paddlers,” Stapleton said. “Everyone really put their skills to the test. It was less-than-friendly competition for some — people wanted to win!”
With 94 paddlers competing overall, 65 kayakers, 10 paddleboarders, six swimmers, and seven dogs crossed the finish line.
The course, which is normally a loop from Little Bridge to Big Bridge and back on the ocean side, was switched to a circuit traveling around Sarson’s Island counterclockwise, then back toward Little Bridge.
In just 27 minutes, Dana Gaines took his 29th straight win at the regatta in a sleek yellow surfski. He crossed the finish line full throttle, panting and shaking his fists in celebration.
Gaines waited to get his medal, and instead floated at the finish and cheered others across.
Less than two minutes after Gaines finished, Pam and Bob Balla swung in on their double sit-on-top kayak to claim the second overall time — their paddles moving in perfect synchrony as they approached the shoreline.
The regatta saw the largest amount of swimmers ever, and all of them finished without any problems.
Each swimmer had his or her own safety paddler, who carried their chipped timing bib across the finish for them.
The first swimmer to finish was Caroline Moyer, who amazed onlookers by finishing the challenging 2.7-mile swim in one hour and 11 minutes.
While many wore full and partial wetsuits for the swim, Moyer wore only a one-piece bathing suit, adding to the impressiveness of her feat.
As 67-year-old Randall Moyer approached the spit of beach near Little Bridge, onlookers cheered fervently as he swam over the finish line wearing only a Speedo.
Emery Fullin, 8, has been attending Island Spirit Kayak’s summer paddle program, and was ready to race solo when she had a last-minute change of heart, and decided to hop in a kayak with mom Whitney and her sister Bo. Keith Fullin switched his kayak midrace to help Collin Stapleton, and Collin and Keith wound up walking their kayak across the finish line together in a double.
The youngest paddler was Ingrid Robinson, 2, who slept on her older brother’s lap (Elias Robinson, 5) while their father paddled all three of them in a sit-on-top double by himself.
Island Spirit Kayak employee Tucker Cosgrove finished first in the paddleboard category, with Emily Josephs trailing just seconds behind.
Bridget Dunnigan, a Vineyard veterinarian paddling with her rescue pup, Dokie, finished in just under 40 minutes.
The first and only triple kayak, manned by Devin Araujo, Kristen Araujo, and Kian Stapleton, came in at 45:03. Their pup, Benny, was the second canine to cross the line.
Tom and Linda Huth arrived at the finish in one hour and six minutes, their two Jack Russells — Gillian and Cannoli — donning pirate and shark outfits over their doggie life vests.
Six handmade wooden kayaks graced the lineup this year. Three new mahogany and cedar-strip kayaks were made last winter by legendary local craftsman Randy Durbin. He built his first double kayak ever in hopes it might be fast enough to beat Gaines.
Island Spirit Kayak team members paddled the remaining wooden kayaks. All wooden boat paddlers placed in either the top 10 or first in their division.
Island Spirit Kayak donated its entire fleet of boats to the race, which many participants took advantage of.
All of the sponsors donated enough money that every entry race fee will go directly back to helping Sengekontacket Pond.
“We want to thank everyone that took part in this really exciting regatta for supporting the pond and maintaining it as an incredible resource for the whole Island,” Stapleton said.