Sailors will swarm the Caloosahatchee River during three nearly consecutive events next month on the Caloosahatchee River – and blueway kayakers and canoeists can nab front-row-style views.

All the action will be hosted by the Edison Sailing Center, which is based out of North Shore Park, a popular launch and stopping point on the Phase 3 blueway map.

First up: More than 250 youth sailors from around the country will compete Oct. 17-18 in the annual River Romp Sailing Regatta. The multi-class regatta is a Junior Olympic competition sanctioned by the U.S. Sailing Association.

About 20 members of the Edison Sailing Center in Fort Myers will represent Lee County in the competition, which begins at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17 from the shores of North Shore Park, which some locals call Yankee Beach. Others call it by its newer name, Howard & Biddy Lang Sunset Point. Either way, it’s still on the river’s north side at the foot of the Caloosahatchee Bridge. The two-day competition will continue at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 18.

And for those of you who speak “sailor” talk, here’s more:

Sailors ranging in age from 8 to 18 will compete in International Optimist, Sunfish, Club 420, Laser Full, Laser Radial and Laser 4.7 classes. U.S. Sailing officials will attend the event to watch up-and-coming young sailors. Some Optimist National Team members will compete.

Even if you don’t speak “sailor,” remember this: The River Romp Sailing Regatta is the second largest youth regatta in Florida and one of 22 Junior Olympic sanctioned events during 2009.

“The Florida sailing community looks forward to visiting Lee County each year for this regatta,” says Steve Olive, event organizer and head coach of the Edison Sailing Center Racing Team. “Lee County is a fantastic host, and we offer excellent competition in a fun environment.”

Most sailors will bring two family members with them to the regatta, which means about 750 visitors will be staying in Lee County hotels and frequenting area businesses.

Who knows, maybe some of those family members will pick up paddles and do a little kayaking on the blueway while they’re here.

The regatta is hosted by the Edison Sailing Center and supported by the Lee County Sports Authority and Lee County Parks and Recreation, which is the coordinator of the Calusa Blueway Paddling Festival that launches the following weekend on Oct. 23.

The regatta is free and open to spectators. For more information about the regatta, visit www.edisonsailingcenter.org.

But wait.

I’m not finished yet.

That was just the first event.

The Diversified Yacht Services 2.4mR World Championships will be in Fort Myers right on the blueway as well. The seven-day World Championships are scheduled for Oct. 31 to Nov. 6. And the three-day National Championships will happen just before it on Oct. 26-28.

The world-class competition will draw an experienced fleet of sailors including Paralympic medalists and America’s Cup competitors.

Although the first regatta is a national competition, sailors from outside the United States can compete as well. Sailors will compete in the nationals as a “warm-up” to the Worlds to become acquainted with the race course and sailing conditions. Between 300 and 500 travelers are expected to visit Fort Myers for these two events, which are expected to attract as many as 100 elite competitors from as many as 17 nations.

Again, here’s some “sailor speak” for you: The 2.4mR fleet is an international fleet of sailboats governed by the International 2.4mR Class Association and the International Sailing Federation. The 2.4mR boat originated in Stockholm in 1983. In 1992, the 2.4mR class attained international status, and official World Championships have been hosted annually since then. The biggest fleets are found in the Scandinavian countries, Italy, England and Australia.

“The sailing experience will be outstanding, and we intend to ensure participants have a good time while visiting Fort Myers,” Olive says.

Sponsors of the event include Diversified Yacht Services, the City of Fort Myers, the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau and the Lee County Sports Authority.

You can learn more about all these events at the same Web site -- www.EdisonSailingCenter.org. Anyone interested in volunteering or getting involved can call (239) 340-2345.

By the way, Edison Sailing Center is not just for sailors.

Its summer campers get powerboat safety and kayaking instruction, too.