Head of the Charles Regatta, Cambridge, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Since 1965, The Head Of The Charles Regatta (HOCR) has attracted hundreds of thousands of rowers and spectators to the banks of the Charles River in Boston and Cambridge. The last few years have featured perfect fall weather in my opinion - not so much today. HOCR is the largest 2-day regatta in the world, with about 11,000 athletes rowing in over 1,900 boats in 61 events.



I usually take public transportation on the Red Line to the Harvard Square station and walk to the river from there.



Yep, it pretty much rained the whole afternoon.



Race headquarters at the Cambridge Boat Club.



View downriver from the Weld Boathouse. The buildings in the distance, modern and otherwise, are on the Harvard campus.



An eight-person crew (plus the coxswain) row past the race headquarters in Cambridge.

A four-person crew heads down-river.

This crew is readying their boat to put in the water - river water that is, there was already plenty of rainwater.



A photo station for the public to fantasize about being a rower.



A fat tire beach bike.

These machines were riverside under a tent for the rowers to warm-up and exercise.



There were hundreds of boats from places near and far in the staging area.



This one was from San Diego.



Oars were piled in many places waiting to either be used or put away.



The rain made it a challenge for the vendors and the spectators.



But who cares if they are wearing their tiger suit!



I probably should have come back the next day when it was sunny and cold and windy........instead of just rain but, I didn't - ah, New England - if you don't like the weather, just wait a few hours - it will change. Here's hoping for next year. My previous year's posts are at this link and the images are much better to my eye.