With this year's annual Mile River Regatta in August, MRYC enters a sixth decade of hosting FD sailing. In 1958 the North American Championship was hosted here, as have several US Nationals Championships in the years since. The club is located at the mouth of the Miles River on the East side of the Chesapeake bay. The racing area is in a broad area of water a short distance down river from the club.
 
 

These two views (click on pictures for enlargements) were taken from almost exactly the same vantage point 43 years apart. The early photo on the left is by Nelson Pusey, then of Easton, MD,and the recent picture is by Doug Heckrotte of Philadelphia. The headlands visible in the distance are unmistakable. The view is looking approximately northwest toward the outlet to the Chesapeake.
The sailors in the old picture are an interesting pair. The helmsman with his leg over the rail is certainly showing his era if not his age, and I have not been able to identify him. It is difficult to imagine anyone using this practice today, even in the Star boats. It's understandable, the girl in the trapeze appears to be about under 5 feet tall, and probably weighs less than 100 pounds. It's working too, there is a fine southerly wind blowing, and they are well ahead of several boats!
The more recent picture is less interesting if more familiar to contemporary FD sailors at Miles River. The boats are waiting for wind, and the Star boats out number the FDs by a factor of five.

For more information you can view the MRYC web site (try it a again if the link doesn't work the first time), and please consult the various St Micheals features in the Venues page of this web site.