Sunday morning at Lake Harriet, a number of sailboats could be seen from the shore gliding across the water in the sun.

Only small splashes were heard as the boats cut across the lake. From the dock that extends before the Lake Harriet Yacht Club, people taking a morning walk painted a tranquil scene in front of the motion of the sailboats.

“You get out there and you don’t even realize you’re in the city,” said Rob Edman, mathematics graduate student and racing coordinator of the Sailing Club at the University. “There are trees everywhere you can see, you can’t hear the roads, you can’t hear the people, so it’s like an escape in the middle of the city.”

Three times a week, the group takes to the water at Lake Harriet to practice.

While the race seemed peaceful from the shoreline, Edman painted a different picture of the scene following the race.

“Everyone is trying to go around exactly the same point and they’re all trying to cut in as close as they can,” Edman said. “You sometimes get a few collisions. I took a ding out of someone’s boat today; I feel a little bad about that.”

Although the group gathers to sail, University alumna and social coordinator for the group Kristin Digivlio said the relaxed atmosphere and the people are what keep her interested in sailing.

“There’s a certain mindset of people that like to sail; we’re kind of laid back,” Digivlio said.