The gathering wasn't large -- maybe 30 people in all -- but considering that the temperature up on the highway was at one point 102 degrees Farenheit yesterday, it was surprising that five kayaks and two canoes actually came to the waterfront at the Red Dragon Canoe Club for the Summer Solstice Paddle for Cash Race.
Every boat paid a $10 entry fee, and half the money went to the club. The other half was to be divided amongst the top three finishers in a race, boat-for-boat, no handicapping, around a triangular course through the club's mooring field.
The first heat of three boats started at about 6 p.m. on this, the longest day of the year, lining up along an imaginary line in front of the dock. Race Director Bill Van Keuren waved each boat close to the line, the fleet facing into the current of a falling tide. When he was happy that all the boats were close to the line, Bill sounded an air horn and everyone sprinted for the first race marker, a large yellow sphere attached to a boat on a mooring.
An entire lap round the three huge inflated markers took six to eight minutes. There were two qualifying heats and then a race between the first two finishers in the respective heats.
The winner was a member of a nearby boat club, paddling a western Greenland replica kayak that he had built himself. (Or was it western Iceland?)
On shore, a cookout was underway, with burgers and dogs. And the meteorological gods favored us with a breeze off the river, so that no one was sweltering ashore or on the water.

Work aboard Robin is nearing an end and the day that she heads downstream is near. The electrician finished rewiring the mast yesterday. The windlass is mounted on deck. Today, in the continuing heat, I begin removing tools and trash and anticipate the day that our lady will be pretty, clean and ready to voyage once again.