Dear Friends of CHARIAD:

Fall is a transition season from summer to winter. Both sadness for the passing of summer and wonder at the beauty on our New England fall colors and the brisk autumn days.

Saturday was CHARIAD’s Annual Fall Migration South. The gang of crew who did the migration from Marblehead to Weymouth could not have had a more beautiful fall day. I am attaching a picture of Marblehead Light as we were leaving the harbor and the windmill at Hull Gut in Boston Harbor as we approached the entrance to Weymouth. Behind Marblehead light is Abbott Hall, Marblehead symbol and behind the Hull windmill is Boston light. I am taking the author’s privilege to include a picture of me as we left the dock at the Boston Yacht Club.

Sunday was the day for walking along the Charles River while watching the Head of the Charles Regatta – rowing rather than sailing. Here are a couple of images from the regatta.

Polly Whiteside has been a stalwart organizer of the Head for many years. Several years ago, Polly was in charge of getting housing for the out of town crews. I had my townhouse about a block from the river in Cambridge. So Polly grabbed me at some function and said, “Rick, I need you to host one of our crews. Your place is perfect!” Not seeing an easy escape route, I told Polly, “OK – if you get the Swedish woman’s eight crew, I will host them.” Polly went off with an “OK, OK” to go after the next target of opportunity.

I did not think about the regatta again until I got a call for some guy on Friday afternoon before the Head telling me that “my crew” was arriving at my house at 6:30 that night! The good news was that I did not have to cook them dinner – but with the Swedish woman’s crew!! Who needs dinner.

At 6:30 a van shows up with 10 Japanese guys none of whom speaks English.

I played host. The Japanese rowed on the river. They gave me a little carved doll as a Thank You. No international incident.

Who is to say what would have happened if the Swedish women had shown up. There is probably a funny movie script in that story. Laraine Bautze was at the Head and said that her daughter is graduating from Hopkins and wants to be a screen writer. That is a concept to run with.

Hope you enjoyed the weekend.

Rick