Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine

Harvest Moon racers could be seen off the Galveston beachfront. Photo by Kelly Groce.

More than 140 boats took off from Pleasure Pier in Galveston on a beautiful, clear Thursday afternoon and raced down the coast to Port Aransas to complete the 30th Annual Harvest Moon Regatta.^® Saturday, Oct. 15 was a busy day as the sailors were treated to a barbecue dinner and awards banquet followed by the Welcome Sailors Rum Party.

Lakewood Yacht Club was well represented among the race winners. John Barnett seized the coveted Bacardi Cup; Ted Greak earned the Cameron Cannon; Charles Herpich won the Commodore/John Broderick Memorial, and Jim Demarest took home the PHRF Spin Overall. Other Lakewood members who achieved top finishes in their divisions include: First Place winners Kevin Tyrrell, Ash Walker, Uzi Ozeri, Bob Giles, and Randy Pike; Second Place winners Carl Drechsel, J.D. Hill, Jay Zittrer, Cran Frasier, Taylor Smith, Gerhard Wittich and Richard Fawcett; Third Place winners Al Goethe, J.D. Bednar, O.J. Young, and Fred Pounds, and Fourth Place winners Robert Crosby and Gregory Way. Visit www.harvestmoonregatta.com for the full results.

This annual race is organized by Bay Access, a charitable organization supporting amateur racing. It is hosted by Lakewood Yacht Club, the City of Port Aransas and Port Aransas & Mustang Island. Aside from Harvest Moon Regatta title sponsor Bacardi U.S.A., other gracious sponsors of the 30th Annual Regatta included the City of Seabrook, all Bay Access annual race sponsors, Banks Sails, Windward Sea Ventures, Alliant Marine & Energy Insurance, Boatpix.com, Mantus Anchors, The Yacht Sales Company, Edna Rice Executive Recruiters, RejeX.com, Optima Marine, Faron Daigle Realtor®, Superior Marine Services, True North Marine, Coast Guard Foundation, Little Yacht Sales, North Canvas and Upholstery, Davis Marine Electronics, Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine, Ocean Navigator, Eagle Maritime Services, Inc. Saved by Spot, The Insurance Navigators, Fishbones Safety Solutions and Energy Services, Triumphus, Laguna Harbor, Oj’s Marine and several others.

“As usual, we could not continue to host this hugely successful event without the support of these enthusiastic sponsors, and this year’s no different,” says Harvest Moon Regatta^® Chairman Rex Bettis. “Our sponsors make this an exciting first-class event for our racers, spectators and guests.”

Congratulatulations to all the race winners and thanks go out to the numerous volunteers who helped make this a great event.

If you have questions about the race or have an interest in sponsoring next year’s regatta, visit www.harvestmoonregatta.com.