Spring Series 2 at Elephant Butte Lake, Day 2

The J/24 sailboat Kachina sails at Elephant Butte Lake on April 19th, the second day of the Spring Series 2, 2009, regatta hosted by the Rio Grande Sailing Club in southern New Mexico.



Starboard view, Kachina


J/24 Kachina


Kachina approaching


Hunter 240 Dado

Buoy 9A

Buoy 9A at Elephant Butte Lake, between Rattlesnake Island and Marina del Sur. This will be a rounding mark for the Race to the Elephant.

Spring Series 2 at Elephant Butte Lake (I)

MC Scow 586 sailing before the start of the Spring Series 2 regatta at Elephant Butte Lake on April 18, 2009.

"Dumbledore" on stern of Windependent, which was the committee boat for the Rio Grande Sailing Club's spring series 2 regatta in southern New Mexico.

Stern view, MC Scw 586




"Dumbledore" transferring back to Kachina after helping check out engine trouble on Windependent. It turned out that Windpendent was out of diesel fuel. Fuel was transferred from a spare jug on board but too much air was in the fuel lines for the engine to start, and the battery wasn't sufficiently charged to help bleed the air out of the lines before it died. At the end of the day, Windependent had to be towed by a J/24 with a 2.5-horsepower engine. (The RGSC motorboat had been dismissed for the day.)

Spring Series 2 at Elephant Butte Lake (II)

Hunnter 34 Windependent, on station for race committee duty before the Spring Series 2 races, Saturday and Sunday, March 27-28, 2009.


J/24 White Vang

Boom and boats

MC Scow 586 and Windependent

Spring Series 2 at Elephant Butte Lake (IV)

J/24 Kachina


Kachina, Windependent, and more pre-race activity

View astern


Pre-race panorama


J/24 sailboats 5003 White Vang and 4441 Kachina

Spring Series 2 at Elephant Butte Lake (V)

J/24 4441 Kachina and 5003 White Vang


bow views

J/24s 5003 and 4441

Kachina at left, White Vang at right

J/24 5003, White Vang

Stern view of White Vang

Kachina close view, before the start of Spring Series 2 races on April 18, 2009. Kachina and the performance fleet boats completed two races each on Saturday and Sunday, with a third race on Saturday abandoned when the wind died.

Penzance and Ribbons with Arabella at the Rock Canyon boat ramp

April 12, 2009 at Elephant Butte Lake, New Mexico

Rhinos on the Rampage I, March 27, 2009 at Heron Lake

Rhinos at sea

Members of a traveling herd amble across the mouth of Willow Creek

Rhinos concealed in tall brush.

Rhinos on the Rampage II, March 27, 2009

Snowy mountains behind Rhinos in northeast corner of Willow Creek Cove.


Rhinos ashore near northeast portion of cove, just east of mooring line 3.

South Cove Rhinos


Rhinos aground in northeast part of Willow Creek Cove.

Rhinos on the Rampage III, March 27, 2009

Juniper tree damaged while the marina was closed. Sitting at the end of the marina point, the alligator juniper is exposed to the full force of storms coming up the Narrows and is also a likely target for lightning strikes.

Gangway gap and misalignment. Originally, during the fall closure, the marina was separated from the gangway attached to shore so as to discourage trespassers; however, wind and waves moved the marina close enough so that the gap was only a hazard, but not a major impediment to trespassers.

Rhinos deposited at marina

Note that most of the Rhinos in this view have escaped to the wrong side of the rope that was supposed to confine them.

Rhino on the rocks south of the gangway

Rhinos being herded back toward the marina

Rhinos on the Rampage IV, March 27, 2009

Rhino on a root



B dock Rhinos


Rhinos on shore at the mouth of Willow Creek


B dock at the Heron Lake Marina and a pair of wandering Rhinos

Heron Lake, view to the northeast from the dam

View from Laguna Vista after spring snow, March 27

Mountain panorama with Brazos Cliffs


Brazos Cliffs -- with an interesting unfortunate twist from the computer

View from the deck

View to southeast from Five O'Clock Somewhere, with rose-gold glow on distant hill.s


View from Five o'clock Somewhere with flags, clouds, hills, and trees.