'BIGGER AND BETTER EACH YEAR'

ALEXANDRIA BAY — Just one day after pirates attacked the shores of the bay as part of Bill Johnston's Pirate Days, the waters at Scenic View Park Beach were safe again and calm enough to host the annual raft races.

The raft races are just one of the activities held during the event, which runs through Aug. 17. Contestants build their own rafts and then compete in five different events based on their age and the number of teammates. Contestants are required to wear lifejackets and are allowed to use paddles if they want to.

The race course has competitors run from the beach to the water, paddle the raft out to a set of buoys, then paddle back and run on shore to the finish line.

"I knew that if I could be close at the halfway point, I could win it in the final stretch," said Paul M. Hutchinson, Alexandria Bay.

Mr. Hutchinson and his nephew Quinton J. Gilbert, 5, who is visiting with his family from North Carolina, came from about 20 feet behind to win the adult/kid team event against two other teams. Mr. Hutchinson is a native of the area and has competed in the raft races since he was a kid.

The raft he used this year, Dead Man's Float, made of Styrofoam, duct tape and wood, is a few years old but was modified to make sure it would still float.

"It's kind of a tradition now," he said. "Everybody comes and tries to beat us."

Corey W. Lawrence, 19, Clayton, and Daegan A. Jeffers, 9, Alexandria Bay, teamed up to try to beat Mr. Hutchinson and his nephew but lost their lead on the return lap and ended up placing second. Their raft, which looks silver because the Styrofoam base is covered in duct tape, was similar in shape to a rocket ship.

"My legs were beat," said Corey, who found out he was going to compete just three hours before start time.

Daegan, on the other hand, is a three-year veteran.

"I've done better this year than past years," he said.

Daegan also placed first in the individual kid event and second in the kid team event.

"It's tougher than it looks," said his mother, Tasha H.

Mrs. Jeffers and her husband, Joey J., have competed in the past few years, but they chose not to this year.

"Our focus was more on Daegan," Mrs. Jeffers said. "It was the first time we made our own raft."

The Jeffers' usually borrow them, but made their own out of Styrofoam and duct tape. Because most of the contestants are returnees who know how to build a good raft, all the rafts stayed intact.

"He loves it so much we just wanted to be here for him," Mrs. Jeffers said.

All the contestants said they also take in the other events held throughout the week. About 10 years ago, Bill Johnston's Pirates Weekend became Bill Johnston's Pirate Days, a 10-day event.

"One weekend wasn't enough," said B.J. Mosher, who helps coordinate the event. "It's made it into an incredible festival."

Mrs. Mosher and her husband, Alex C., who own Treasure Island jewelry store on James Street, have been involved with the event for nearly 30 years.

"We try to make the event bigger and better each year," Mr. Mosher said.

One of the ways they did that this year was by adding the 122-ton, 115-foot-tall ship, The Fair Jeanne, to the pirate invasion. The boat was alongside The Royaliste and The Lotus during Saturday's pirate invasion, which will happen again at 2 p.m. Aug. 16.

Bill Johnston, once a patriot, became a renegade and pirate in the 1830s. He blew up the British steamer Sir Robert Peel near Collins Landing, hid among the Thousand Islands and ultimately was wanted by U.S. and Canadian authorities. Pirate Days commemorates some of his exploits.

For a complete schedule of this week's events, go to www.alexbay.org or call the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce at 482-9531.