My latest new camera is the Drift XL Pro. I really wanted a 4k camera with long battery life and this was it with around 4 hours. I really like how easy it is to mount, and if it’s not level, you can simply rotate the lens in any direction for the right orientation. I got it this spring and have been using it for sailing either at the back of the boat on a carbon pole or on the front of my Laser looking back or forward.

Drift XL Pro mounted on the back of a sailboat using a carbon fiber pole and a pole mount.
Jon on the ILCA with the Drift XL Pro on the bow pointed forward. Photo by Paul Almany.
Jon on the ILCA with the Drift XL Pro on the bow pointed forward. Photo by Paul Almany.

Here are my favorite photos from 2021:

ILCA Sail on a day out for practice in May
ILCA Sail on a day out for practice in May
Portland Head Light during our trip to Maine
Portland Head Light during our trip to Maine
ILCA on the lot at Norfolk Yacht & Country Club during ILCA Nationals
ILCA on the lot at Norfolk Yacht & Country Club during ILCA Nationals
A serene sunset scene on a dock at a friends house in Hampton VA
A serene sunset scene on a dock at a friends house in Hampton VA
Flying Scots sailing downwind at the FBYC 82nd Annual One Design Regatta
Flying Scots sailing downwind at the FBYC 82nd Annual One Design Regatta
ILCA on the starting line at FBYC's 82nd Annual One Design Regatta
ILCA on the starting line at FBYC’s 82nd Annual One Design Regatta
Port tack ILCA on the starting line during the 82nd Annual One Design Regatta at FBYC
Port tack ILCA on the starting line during the 82nd Annual One Design Regatta at FBYC
Sunset from our resort in Maui
Sunset from our resort in Maui
Sunset from our resort in Maui
Sunset from our resort in Maui
Sailing downwind at the 40th Chesapeake Bay Laser Masters Championship
Sailing downwind at the 40th Chesapeake Bay Laser Masters Championship
Cholla Cactus in Joshua Tree National Park
Cholla Cactus in Joshua Tree National Park

See past years here.

Saturday was FBYC’s Cut Channel Race. I would have liked to sail but I needed some time in the ILCA ahead of nationals next weekend. I spent about 2 hours sailing in 15-20 knots with some 3 foot waves in places and a light drizzle of rain.

I also got a few photos of the start of the Cut Channel Race:

At the start only two boats were in position to hit the line on port headed for the next mark of the course. Many boats started on starboard, barely laying the starting line and way down at the boat end and were 10+ boat lengths behind immediately. The weather eventually cleared and they had a nice sail though I was long done and ashore by the time the fleet finished.

PICTURES | RESULTS

Day one of the Stingray Point Regatta was a breezy one. This was my first time taking sailing pictures with a new-to-me Nikon D300s and it’s great to have a camera again to take pictures with. We watched the finish of the first race and the start of the 2nd race and got some great shots.

PICTURES

We visited friends sailing Albacore’s at Ware River Yacht Club’s Governor’s Cup regatta and got to see an absolutely beautiful sunset. There was a pretty Blue Jay sailboat anchored in front of the club that made for a great subject. This was my first time really using a new to me Nikon D300s that I had picked up a few weeks ago.

PHOTOS

Having gone without an SLR for a few years I finally picked up a used Nikon D300s. It’s 10 years old and doesn’t do video well or have many fancy features, but is just enough to capture some sailing shots and some sunset shots that the iphone just can’t quite do justice. I paired it with a used 18-200 (not pictured).

Another year of adventures. Here are my favorite photos from 2018:

Jimmy Buffet Concert in Charlottesville

Jimmy Buffett Concert in Charlottesville

Model Sailboat racing on Lake Rooty

Model Sailboat racing on Lake Rooty

4/23 Day 2: Athens city tour

The Parthenon during a VCU class trip to Greece & Cyprus

Old boats on the shore at sunset

Old boats in front of the sunset during the Laser D10 Championship

Kitty Hawk Beach

Beach scene in Kitty Hawk during a week trip in June.

Jackson Creek Sunset

Jackson Creek Sunset from the dock at FBYC after the Smith Point Race

Raven at its mooring during the US Laser Masters in Brant Beach NJ

FBYC Laser Frostbite Regatta

Snowman

Snowman in front of the house during a December snow storm.

Here are the 2017, 2016, 20152014, 2013, 2012, 2011 and 2010 photos.