The Rendezvous of the John Smith Shallops held this past weekend at the Fishing Bay Yacht Club in Deltaville exceeded the expectations of event participants and organizers.  A steady stream of enthusiastic visitors over the two-day event yielded attendance estimates of between 2,500 and 3,000 people. 

  Most popular among young and old alike were the rides aboard Deltaville’s shallop, Explorer.  Many signed on not only as passengers but oarsmen as well.  In spite of the varying proficiency levels of the novice crews, all were pulling the heavy sweeps in synchronized fashion by the end of their round-trip passage between the yacht club pier and Ruark’s Marina on Fishing Bay.  One thing is certain, everyone experiencing the manual effort to propel a 17th century barge in the heat and humidity of the summer had a true appreciation for the crew of the Sultana shallop who have been at it long and hard for over 100 days and 1,700 miles.

On Sunday afternoon, following a gala reception for event participants and guests on Saturday evening, Chief Anne Richardson of the Rappahannock Indian Tribe delivered the welcoming address to attendees in which she described the Native American perspective of John Smith’s arrival in the new world.  Then, after remarks by former governor Linwood Holton, Larry Chowning of Urbanna, a journalist, author, and historian, related the story of Captain John Smith’s painful encounter with the barb of a stingray on the point of land between the Rappahannock and Piankatank Rivers that has ever since borne the name of Stingray Point.

Coming next was the featured highlight of the weekend signaled by a blast of cannon fire from the Dove.  The three shallops with their competitive crews aboard sprinted around a closed course on Fishing Bay waters to demonstrate their seamanship skills and vie for bragging rights as the world’s fastest 21st century shallop.  In the end, it was a mixed decision.  The Deltaville Explorer finished first, but the Sultana shallop navigated the proper course, coming in a close second.  However, since no protests were allowed, officials ruled that neither can yet claim to be the swiftest vessel. 

The journal written by Andrew Bystrom, one of the Sultana crew, has been posted on the John Smith 400 Project website and provides insight into what was billed as “The Great Shallop Race” from the viewpoint of one of the participating crewmembers:

“Today was history's first Chesapeake Bay Shallop Race. Deltaville's Explorer took on Reedville's Spirit of 1608 and Sultana's John Smith Shallop (that's our boat). They're all different reproductions of what Smith's boat might have looked like. Dying to know which boat won? Actually, I think everyone took the event a little too seriously and in true sailing style the finish was shrouded in controversy. But the fastidious shallop racer's role in the weekend's festivities was only a small part of a very well run event that included more historical Chesapeake Bay boats than I have ever seen tied to one dock.”

And not all of the attractions were on the water.  Interactive displays, historical exhibits, and other participants, including 17th century re-enactors, on the yacht club grounds included National Geographic Magazine, the Rappahannock Indian Tribe, Calvert Museum, Jamestown Foundation, Ullman Sails, Middlesex County Museum, Mathews Maritime Museum, Gwynns Island Museum, the Deltaville Maritime Museum, and the Fishing Bay Yacht Club.  Last, but not least, was the contribution of Coffee Creations of Deltaville which kept participants and visitors alike well fed and well hydrated in the fierce August heat that dominated the two-day event.

Bob Kates, the event organizer, would like to thank everyone in the community for supporting this important historical commemoration and the many participants and volunteers who made it all possible.  Building on this success, rumor has it that Kates is already planning an encore event for the year 2107.

Full press release attached.