CANMORE – It took a true Bluenose to know that strategy, and maybe even a little luck, would be key in taking on the oldest offshore ocean race in the world.
Enter Canmore skipper Matt Stokes, a native of Nova Scotia, who, along with his crew on the Blue Jay, finished first in their class and the top Canadians in last month’s 2023 Marblehead to Halifax Open Race, a 672-kilometre race in the Atlantic Ocean.
Like skiing is important to the Bow Valley, the local seaman said the ocean race is a prestigious event for Nova Scotians.
“It only happens every two years, so we’re really proud of that result,” said Stokes, who’s the current Nova Scotia Offshore Sailor of the Year.
“It felt like we had to scratch and claw for every single mile, and really, the result was not guaranteed until we crossed the finish line.”
The race’s origins date back to 1905, and after 118 years, it is believed to be the longest-running offshore ocean race in the world. The original start list in 1905 had 15 yachts setting out to sea, while in 2023, 69 schooners participated.
Starting in Marblehead, Massachusetts, Stokes said it’s much shorter in distance than other ocean races, but still presents on-the-spot problem solving and unpredictable weather. This year, in particular, sailors were engulfed by a blinding fog when sailing into the Atlantic.
Dealing with difficult conditions and changing wind patterns, there’s a pivotal part of the race when sailors cruise toward the Bay of Fundy, between Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Maine, which is known for its high tides.
Sailors make calculated risks on when to arrive in the big current section and how to deal with it once there. Research is critical, said Stokes.
“I don’t wanna call it luck, but a lot of how you do with the tide on the southwest corner of Nova Scotia depends on the time when you arrive...your strategy depends on your prediction for that time,” said Stokes.
“The lead boats, we had favourable tides. The boats that were maybe 15 or 20 miles behind us, the tide switched, and the next time I checked they were like 30 or 40 miles behind. So they got unlucky, maybe.
“Races are kind of won and lost because you had a slow hour or you made a mistake or something and we just didn’t do that this race.”
Overall, Blue Jay finished eighth.
Manning the Blue Jay was an experienced crew of former national team sailors, consisting of Andrew Childs, Peter Sargeant, Craig Noakes, James Luther, Kevin MacDonald, Todd Rutter, and Hugh Goodday.
“We’re really lucky on this crew because we have really high level sailors, but we're all just great friends from when we were kids and so we just have a great time sailing together and we’re really lucky like that,” said Stokes.
Although, Stokes might be adding a new crewman into the mix in the next couple decades. The local sailor and wife, Maria, are expecting their first child, a baby boy, in the fall.
“I had to put the boat away last week because my wife is seven months pregnant right now, so my sailing season finished,” he said.
