Anne T. Converse Photography

Camie Ford & Anne Converse

WOOD, WIND and WATER, A Story of the Opera House Cup Race of Nantucket, is a photographic essay, which tells a story of the fabled Opera House Cup Race of Nantucket, Massachusetts, the first classic, wooden sailboat, handicap race in the Northeast United States. Started in 1973 by Gwen Gaillard, owner of the Opera House Restaurant in Nantucket, the race was initiated to give wooden sailboat owners a chance to race their restored yachts at a time when fiberglass ruled the waves. Today, the Race takes place on the third Sunday every August and features at least 75 yachts, ranging in size from the Nathanael Herreshoff design - the 26-foot Alerion - to the 120-foot J-boat, Shamrock V.

This 132 page book consists of 85 photographs taken by Anne from 1983 and 2001. Camie Ford has written a text, including an introduction, a brief maritime history of Nantucket and a history of the Race, plus the stories of some of the yachts and their owners. The salty yet glamorous event attracts everyone from the swellest of celebrities to the most unassuming, making for a rich and appealing mixture. The book is a visual tribute to those with a passionate commitment who strive to preserve a piece of our yachting aesthetic, which transcends economic, political, cultural, sexual and age barriers. This one of a kind book will truly become a collectable well worth savoring for years.

© Anne T. Converse Photography, 2001 - 2009

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