Head of the Des Moines Regatta
It happens at Prospect Park every last Saturday in September
HP Community Action Association
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Day before the Regatta. Here we see a one-man boat/ship/scull/shell or whatever they call these speedy little row boats. This was the day before the 23rd Annual Head of the Des Moines Regatta. The sculls are twice as long as a car and not much wider than a pair of hips.
Sculling/Rowing. Here's a two-man racing shell rowing past the Des Moines Power Boat Club just below the Sixth Avenue bridge. We spotted them about 8:15 on Saturday, September 29.
Parking. In spite of the arrows advertising "Regatta Parking," it was a good long hike to the Prospect Park boat ramp. Luckily, it was excellent weather for a walk or a boat ride.
Large Racing Shells. This gives you some perspective on the size of of the multiple-member racing shells -- still not much wider than a pair of hips.
Skinny Hips. Coincidence? I don't think so. All the rowers (male and female) had skinny hips. Looks like excellent exercise.
Lotsa Shells. Different sized racing shells were all over the place -- waiting to be put to use.
Volunteer Tent. If you wanted to help the participants or just buy a racing t-shirt, this is the place.
The Quicker Picker-Upper. We've seen Dave pick up around the Principal Financial Group. Now that he's retired, he has an entire park to keep spiffy.
Big Red. The Nebraska crew and their supporters were there. By the way, that "N" on their football helmets stands for "nowledge."
The Other Big Red. Just because someone wears red, doesn't mean they're from Nebraska. Some are from Illinois.
Colors. Each rowing team had distinctive colors.
Males and Females. It seemed as if there were more female than male rowers.
Nutrition. You can't field a troop of hard-working athletes without barbecue power.
Is there a doctor in the ... You never know ...
Personal Tents. The temp was a comfortable 55. Still, it looks like the guy in the middle is wearing a sleeping bag.
Is there a dock in the .... Meanwhile, back at the dock, we're watching some of the one-man teams near the finish line.
Cool Crafts. Watching several of these shells swiftly slide across the water's surface is an impressive sight. They compete on a timed basis.
At the Ramp. As the shells glide across the other side of the river, here's a new competitor hoisting his shell into the water.
Timed Events. Since the guy behind is catching up to the lead, he looks like a potential leader.
Back to Work. As we head to work at 9 am, we see some of their other rowing paraphernalia.
Boat Toter. The college teams had very large trailers to haul their shells. This could belong to the Drake Rowing Club.
Power Boats. Meanwhile, back in the mainstream, slow-moving power boats slowly patrolled in case of emergencies.
Official Starting Point. This is their communication HQ. Just across the street from the Des Moines Botanical Center, the racers began at this point and headed upstream like two-armed salmon. Some events were three miles long
Nice Scenery. It was an excellent day and an excellent river for the Regatta. Our Des Moines River is rated the third best competitive regatta river in the country.
Happy Competitors. Everyone competing looked like they were enjoying themselves.
Most of the time.
2007. Mark your next year's calendar for the last Saturday in September. Start working the 24th Annual Head of Des Moines Regatta into your busy schedule. This has to be one of Highland Park's best kept secrets. LA
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