ENTERTAINMENT BOAT RACING

Most of the people living along the banks of the Boughton River had their own boat, even if it was only a humble dory or skiff. Many built those little boats at home in sheds or workshops and transported them by horse and truckwagon

to the beach. Along with buoyancy, another vital requirement for small vessels was speed.

This led to a pastime that still exists today, that of boat racing. The races were usually held in the evening after the day’s work was completed. Races were

run between Cape Spry and Launching, Annandale Wharf and Poplar Point Wharf, and Bridgetown to Poplar Point.

In the days of sails, the wind played a major role by giving the boats that extra push needed to cross the finish line.

On August 1, 1891, a good crowd turned out to watch a race from Annandale to Poplar Point. Three boats entered: John Swallow’s “Swallow”, Jim Robertson’s “Gilpin”, and John MacPhee‘s “Good Cheer”. The “Good Cheer” proved vic- torious crossing the finish line about 100 yards ahead of its competitors.

July 25, 1893, was an exciting day in Annandale as a Regatta was held with one race having six entries. John MacPhee once more took the lead with John MacDonald second. Third place was William Blackett, fourth was Edwin Mc- Farlane, fifth was Joe Chaffey, and sixth was Crawford Blackett,

After the emergence of gasoline engines boat racing became more pro- fessional. Often races were won by the number of horsepower rather than the

skill of the sailor. Some boats from Annandale Harbour still compete success- fully in boat races as faraway as Pictou, Nova Scotia.

Most will never again see the sailing boats speed up the River. We can only

imagine the billowing sails fanned by an incoming breeze, as the oldtime sail- boats race into the sunset forever.

ICE RACING

One of the favourite winter pastimes was ice racing. Many residents looked forward to the day when the ice would be frozen hard enough to hold the horses and spectators. it seems that for the months of March and April the most popular place to be was on the ice. Most of the races took place either at Jenkins Point or up the river a little farther below Herb MacLeod’s farm. These two locations were where the races were most frequently staged.

The snow would be cleared off the ice with homemade snow blades and Shovels. When the day for the race had arrived people came from near and far, all clad in good warm winter woolies to fight off the chill. They all gathered on the ice to watch the various classes of horses compete.

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