Sunset Regatta, (1a) 5 race start pictures at Elephant Butte

International Etchells with youth on board from West Mesa high school's Navy Jr. ROTC program. (3958) The Sunset Regatta happened in spite of low water at the lake; fortunately the water levels had recovered enough that the Marina del Sur boat ramp was usable for launching some sailboats.

Scenic view of boats during a light-air regatta start. Winds were about two to three knots during most of the starting sequence, followed by a lull after most of the boats had started, then a puff about five minutes after the start. It was mostly a light-air day but the boats covered the ten-mile course (probably about 15 miles with tacking and following the channels around shorelines) in an average of five hours, so the race was sailable. (3960)

More views of a cluster of a few of the dozen or so boats in the Sunset (usually Sunrise) Regatta, the annual long-distance race. With a severely shrunk lake, there could be no 50-mile race at Elephant Butte Lake this year. (3959)

Panorama of boats at the start of the Sunset Regatta, 29 September 2012. (3956)

Etchells and Balboa gliding along at the race start. (3957)