Wingfoiler circumnavigates the Island

Hall of fame windsurfer and Vineyard Haven resident, Nevin Sayre, completed his second solo wing foiling circumnavigation of Martha’s Vineyard on Friday, finishing the 55-mile journey in four hours and 55 minutes, more than an hour shorter than last year. 

The challenge, undertaken to benefit Martha’s Vineyard Community Services (MVCS), has raised over $50,000 so far, already surpassing last year’s total with donations continuing to roll in. Sayre said he is hoping they reach $1,000 a mile. 

“Going into this last year, I never in my wildest dreams thought we would be pulling in this much and there’s no expenses so it goes straight to the services that Community services provides,” said Sayre. 

Sayre, 65, launched from Little Bridge at Joseph Sylvia State Beach at 12:20 pm, traveling clockwise around the Island. Accompanied by a single support boat, he navigated the Island’s waters reaching a top speed of 19 knots (21.9 mph). 

There were of course some challenges. Despite more consistent wind conditions compared to last year’s journey around the Island, Sayre faced a familiar challenge when the wind died off near Gay Head beach, forcing him to rest on his foil board for 17 minutes and replenish with energy bars and fluids. 

“At one point I wasn’t sure if I would make it,” said Sayre, standing on State Beach exhausted and excited after making it back on Friday. “It was tough as expected but overall the conditions were good and you can always expect there to be parts that are way less than ideal.” 

“That affected my time but at the same time I got to rest a little bit,” he added.  

Seaweed presented another obstacle. Sayre said that he had to jump off and clear his board eight times. Around the south shore, the sun was hitting the water just right for him to see and steer around the seaweed. 

“Getting through Wasque, the current was with me, which helped in one of the roughest sections,” he said. 

For Sayre, his drive to raise money for Martha’s Vineyard Community Services is inspired by his mother, Harriet Hart Sayre, who served on Community Service’s board, co-founded the Possible Dreams auction, and elevated the Chicken Alley Thrift Shop into a cornerstone of the organization’s fundraising efforts.  

“This dates back quite a ways, my mom was very involved with community services as a volunteer,” said Sayre in an interview with the Times. “Community services is the most important organization on the Island for year rounders, this is the organization that provides childcare, elderly care, disability care, veteran services and the people who live here absolutely depend on it.

“My mom was involved and I share the same passion. She introduced me and I know all the people it affects on a daily basis,” added Sayre.  

The “Round the Vineyard Challenge,” is a revival of the MV Windsurfing Challenge, which Sayre organized from 1988 to 2008, drawing windsurfers from all over the world. This year, before Sayre started the challenge community services had already raised $30,000 in donations, an additional $1,800 came in during the challenge with a total of $3,400 coming in by the end of Friday. 

“I feel very gratified, I am a lucky person, I don’t currently need the services of community services but this is the way I can help the people who do,” said Sayre. “How lucky am I that I can combine my passion with something that makes a positive difference.” 

Similar to last year’s challenge, Martha’s Vineyard Community Services noted that Sayre’s challenge brought in a lot of first time donors. 

After making it back to the shores of State Beach, Sayre said he was “elated,” but happy to be finished with the grueling challenge. 

As for next year Sayre said he is sure what the plan is but he remains committed to MVCS.

“Its not getting any easier,” he said. “Who knows how this will evolve… I came back from the beach exhausted but so high from the experience, the adrenaline was still pumping and it’s just so gratifying to be able to do this 37 years after I first went around as a windsurfer.”