There was never much doubt by midday. Weather systems had been building across the Bay of Islands since morning, visibility was dropping steadily, and the call was made to abandon racing on the opening day of the 2026 Bay of Islands Sailing Week. It is a first in the event's history. Two years ago the final day was lost to conditions, but the regatta had never before surrendered its very first day on the water. Disappointment rippled through crews, organisers, and sponsors alike, yet the response was measured and consistent: safety before competition, without argument.
Among those watching conditions worsen from shore was Cees Romeyn, a man with the rare distinction of having sailed every Sailing Week since the event began. His view was unambiguous. Today was simply not a day to go sailing. His Whiting 29, Nexus, would stay tied up, and Romeyn accepted that without hesitation. He was equally clear that he expected to be back on the water tomorrow or later in the week. His record alone demonstrates he is no quitter. But he is also a realist, and he spoke quietly about the people aboard, his daughter and granddaughter among them, who needed to be comfortable out there. Today would not have delivered that. And, as he acknowledged with some candour, he is not getting any younger.
Sailing Week founders Nina and Tony Kiff were also ashore, and they joined the steady drift of crews gathering in the refreshment tent as the morning wore on. Their perspective on the cancellation was considered. The regatta has changed over the years, they noted. Boats are faster, loads are higher, and the margins have tightened. What remains constant is the obligation to look after people and equipment, even when that means the week gets off to a delayed start. Bay Week has always required competition to be weighed against judgement, and the opening day of 2026 demonstrated that balance as clearly as any race could.
Vixen Racing skipper Sharon Ferris Choat arrived at the same conclusion with little deliberation. She was keen to race, but the decision to stand down sat comfortably with her. Safety is not a policy for Ferris Choat so much as a conviction, shaped by years of offshore sailing and tested most recently during Vixen Racing's 2025 Sydney to Hobart campaign.
Before withdrawing from that race, Vixen Racing had been sailing strongly and was well placed within its division. The retirement came inside the first 30 hours, after a sudden and violent wave drove a crew member hard into carbon gear. The result was multiple broken ribs. The injured sailor was an emergency department nurse and recognised immediately how serious the situation was. Ferris Choat assessed the damage and made the call without delay: turn the boat around and return to Sydney. Crew safety comes first. It is a line she has drawn before and would draw again without a second thought. Offshore leadership, in her view, is defined by responsibility, not bravado.
The same philosophy shapes how she approaches Bay of Islands Sailing Week. The reasoning, as she puts it, is straightforward: you can always come back and race tomorrow. You cannot undo an injury. That sentiment found plenty of agreement across the fleet, particularly given the heavy weather sitting outside the bay and the added complexity of holiday boat traffic on the water.
With racing set aside for the day, the regatta's social life continued without interruption. As evening arrived the atmosphere in the Cruising Club settled into something relaxed and unhurried. A vinyl record specialist worked through requests, pulling tracks directly from the shelves, before a DJ took over and carried the night forward.
Racing is set to resume in the morning, with the first warning signal scheduled for 10:25am, subject to conditions. The opening day went to the weather, but Bay of Islands Sailing Week has spent more than two decades learning to adapt, and that is exactly what it has done.
