Squash put on pumpkin regatta

No giant pumpkins available for event

MOSES LAKE — Dennis Parr blames it on the evil curse put on his pumpkin patch by Captain Richard Teals.

Parr, also known as Blue Nose the pirate, is the reigning champion of the annual pumpkin regatta on Moses Lake, and a lack of pumpkins in his patch might force him to hold onto the title for another year.

"Word is Captain Teals put a curse on my pumpkin patch," Parr said jokingly.

For the last five years, the pirates have taken over Moses Lake on the last Saturday in October, with giant pumpkins covered with mast and sail. But not his year.

Pirate Blue Nose will not captain his giant pumpkin ship next weekend, for his patch has not produced the giant pumpkins he and Teals usually convert into their racing crafts.

Parr said that with a lack of the extra large pumpkins in the area, organizers didn't know how they could have the event this year. Parr had grown a few large pumpkins in his patch, but he said they all succumbed to the evil curse.

The lack of pumpkins, and, Parr said, the fact that some regatta participants from previous years have other commitments, led organizers to cancel the race this year.

"I just don't see how we can do it without any pumpkins," Parr said, "Maybe we can revive it next year. I hope so."

Teals and Parr had both made their regatta rigs out of pumpkins from Parr's patch.

"Unfortunately, I think we'll have to have a hiatus," said fellow organizer Captain Teals.

Some pumpkin-eers have in the past made their boats from smaller pumpkins, but building such a craft is more intensive than using the larger pumpkins. In the regatta's previous years, the larger pumpkins have been gutted leaving the 4-6 inch walls of the squash with deep cycle batteries and trolling motors attached leading racers to victory.

The race itself has sent giant pumpkins from the irrigation dock behind the former Mighty Quinn to the Alder Street bridge and back. Teals said the weather has been great for pumpkins, it's just the pumpkins themselves that weren't able to come out for the occasion.

"It's a great event," Teals said, "but unfortunately Mother Nature didn't cooperate with us this year."