Mackinac finish line up for auction
By Peggy Walsh-Sarnecki
August 21, 2014 at 3:04 pm Straits of Mackinac
Yep, the Round Island Passage Light is up for auction. This is not just any light. This is a light at the finish line of the Bell’s Beer Bayview Mackinac Race.
The sailing instructions say boats must leave this light to starboard. That’s not usually a problem but occasionally there’s a boat that thinks they can get a last minute advantage by cutting inside the light, leaving it to port.
That’s what happened to three boats in the 2014 race, including Challwa, a boat sailed by a Peruvian crew that traveled 6,000 miles, sailed more than 200 miles, only to be protested at the finish for not obeying the sailing instructions. All three boats ended up withdrawing from the race.
The online joke for the last couple of days has been about buying the lighthouse and then somehow using ownership to end the race instruction that you have to leave this light to starboard.
Okay, that’s not gonna happen, even if you buy it.
But still….the bid is just $20,000…..makes you wonder….
