February 2022 Newsletter

Greetings.  I cannot speak for others but I am becoming excited about getting back out on the water.  We had some friends visiting us on their way to HI from MN this past week.  Barb and I took them up to Anacortes thinking that there might be a possibility to go for a little afternoon spin in the boat.  But dang, while the water was calm, it was in the 30’s and foggy.  So hopes dashed, but fun times lay ahead.

EVENT & PROGRAM PLANS
We are one month in to 2022 and already we are seeing energetic discussions about future SWYC activities.  Be sure to read on as there is much news with many opportunities for you to participate in the fun.    As a reminder, the various group activity leaders are:

Please reach out to one or more of the leaders if you wish to hear what is in store for 2022. If it sounds like an area you’re interested in, get aboard!

MONTHLY PROGRAM MEETING
I hope you had the opportunity to tune in to Stephanie Campbell’s presentation this last month about her adventures in the Fastnet Race.  Wild seas and a leaky sailboat made for an exhilarating, adrenaline fueled adventure.
We intend to be back to a hybrid meeting in February – Join us if you can at the Progressive Club in Greenbank, but if you cannot, join us electronically.

MEMBER OUTREACH
This month and next, the members of the SWYC board will be reaching out to all of our club membership to check in and seek your thoughts on programs or events that would make our collective experiences richer.  The pandemic disruptions to our programming over the past few years has at times made me/us feel like we are living in a bubble.   So let us know what you are thinking, when this call comes or any other time.

MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
Last, our thanks to those of you who have already renewed your SWYC membership for 2022.  Based on all of the news I hear coming from the various groups, it is going to be a VERY EXCITING year.

Calm seas, fair winds and clear skies to you,
Pete Grimlund
Commodore
South Whidbey Yacht Club

Brad Edwards worked in the maritime industry at Foss Maritime for almost 30 years.  He began his career there as a deckhand and worked his way up to Captain.   Working on tugboats was a natural choice for Brad as his father Captained the Peggy Foss out of Bellingham for many years.  Brad will be speaking to us about his experience operating tugs throughout the San Juan Islands and the Salish Sea.

Brad and his wife now split time between their home in Bellingham and farm on Sinclair Island.  They have two children and two grandchildren and twin granddaughters on the way this year (there must be a future tugboat Captain somewhere among them.)  Brad enjoys fishing (as you can see by the impressive photo), hunting, gardening, cooking and just spending time in the great outdoors.

This is an In-Person/Zoom Hybrid Meeting
In Person at the Greenbank Progressive Club
and Zoom:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83924036754?pwd=eWNSRk1QVlpaVjBJWnpNenR1RHBSUT09

Meeting ID: 839 2403 6754
Passcode: 224674

Watch our website for upcoming programs:

Meetings

We’d like to hold a Zoom meeting at 5:00 on Friday, February 4th  to discuss ideas and potential schedules.

Please plan to join us and let’s chat!  

Or contact Jill Brown.

 

** If you’d like to be on the Cruising email list, please let us know. We’ll be sending out more information as Spring gets closer. Also, think about volunteering to be Cruise Captains for a rendezvous or two. It’s easy and you can plan the itinerary!

Jill & Bill Brown

 

SWYC Youth Sailing Association

After a successful mid-pandemic season of youth and adult sailing lessons in 2021, the YSA is ready to go again in the spring and summer of 2022.  Do you have children or grandchildren between the ages of 10 and 16 who want some on the water adventure?  Are you an adult who has always wanted to try sailing a small boat?  Are you an experienced small boat sailor looking to help train the next generation of sailors?  Maybe you’d just like to help working with a good group of people messing around in small boats.  The YSA is the place for you.

In cooperation with the South Whidbey Parks and Recreation Department, we will be offering classes for beginning and intermediate youth sailors on Deer Lake.

Youth Dates

Beginners:  July 11-15, July 18-22,  July 25-29

Intermediates:  July 11-15, July 18-22

Adults Class

June 4&5, June 6-10  on Lone Lake

If you are interested in the Youth Sailing Association or learning more about the classes, contact Bob Rodgers .

Adult classes start the summer off right!

Small Boat Sailing & Racing

The yacht club has some avid small boat sailors and racers.  Mike Scott has been the spark plug for Laserracing on Holmes Harbor.  They had an active racing season last summer and are primed to race again when the weather warms up.  Mike has been through the Tide Tables and figured the best dates for the 2022 series:

May 18
June 1, 15, 29
July 13, 27
Aug 10, 24

Sept 7

That makes for 9 race meetings; all on Wednesday evenings.  First race start 4:30 p.m.

Alternative weeks will be mostly suitable for practice, but not for launching safety boat (mostly 2ft tides).

Meantime the San Francisco Bay Pelican sailors (not in San Francisco; it’s the name of the boat) are planning to have a race season in the spring before Lone Lake becomes uncomfortably toxic.  Dates and times are to be determined.  Bob Rodgers is your contact for the Pelican racing/sailing.

***All racing dates will be posted on the SWYC website once they are known.***

 

Not a fan of racing, but want to get out for a day on the water in any kind of a small boat?  We are reviving the “Gotta Regatta”.  Currently penciled onto the calendar for May 14, this is a gathering for any kind of small boat, preferably wind, human, electric, or small outboard powered.  It will be held at Lone Lake, where there is plenty of parking, a good launching ramp and adequate shoreline to accommodate practically any sort of small boat. Mark your calendars!

Here’s a link to a YouTube video from this gathering way back in 2014:

https://youtu.be/Iac4kCfBqGs.

Stay tuned for more information as our plans congeal.

 

Kayaking News

KAYAKING 2022

The SWYC kayaking group has gotten off to a good start with planning both paddles and kayaking trips for the coming season. Our first social/meeting of the year was Saturday, January 8 via Zoom when we discussed when, where and how often we want to paddle the waters of both Whidbey and beyond.

Our 2022 season will start in April and run through September with organized paddles and kayaking trips led by members of the kayaking group. Six kayakers volunteered to organize and lead paddles for each of those months. They will be scheduling paddles, choosing when and where. These dates will be included in both the monthly newsletter and on the SWYC website. In addition, they will be sent to the email list of kayakers who have expressed an interest in kayaking with the club. If you are interested in kayaking with the club and receiving those email announcements, please contact Katy Shaner.

Since kayak safety skills has always been of importance with the group, two one day safety/refresher classes are being planned with Whidbey Island Kayaking. Having had a safety class learning wet exit, self-rescue and assisted rescue is part of expectations of kayaking with SWYC.

SNUG HARBOR RESORT KAYAKING TRIP

This September 8 -11 has been scheduled for our kayaking overnight trip. This year, the trip will be to Snug Harbor Resort on San Juan Island. Recently, Katy Shaner and Susan Herzberg visited the resort and were pleased with the accommodations and kayaking opportunities both on Mitchell Bay at the Resort and other put-ins on San Juan. If you are interested in this trip, please contact Snug Harbor Resort directly, mention that you are with the SWYC and then let Katy know.

 

Explore the Snug Harbor Resort website and make your reservations

https://www.snugresort.com/
“Located on San Juan Island’s west side, on peaceful Mitchell Bay, Snug Harbor Resort offers year-round waterfront accommodations.”

Please join the next social/meeting February 8 Zoom at 6:00. If you are interested in participating email Katy and the Zoom link will be sent to you.

Snug Harbor Resort, San Juan Island – September 8-11, 2022.
Come join the group!  Make your reservations now!

The next Windward Women gathering will be on Tuesday, March 1.  Watch for more information about the March meeting from Patty Maxfield later in February. The Windward Women gather bi-monthly, the first Tuesday of the month.  Email Bilgerat@swyachtclub.org to get on the mailing list!

SAVE THE DATES!

May 7 – Opening Day Celebration at Honeymoon Bay Clubhouse
July 10 – Crab Fest at Honeymoon Bay Clubhouse

Keep track of all the club events and updates at:
https://swyachtclub.org/events/#!calendar

For those of you who haven’t renewed your membership and are planning to do so, it’s easy.  We encourage you to renew on line by going to www.swyachtclub.org.  Then click on ‘Current Members’ and then on ‘Manage My Account.’ Scroll to the lower part of the page.  You’ll see a blue box that says ‘RENEW, UPGRADE OR UPDATE BILLING.’  Click on the box and it will give you easy instructions for renewing.

If you are unable to renew on line, a check made out to South Whidbey Yacht Club may be mailed to:

Treasurer, SWYC
PO Box 316
Greenbank, WA 98253
Please enclose a note indicating that the check is for 2022 renewal.

As you can tell from this newsletter, there will be many ways to share the fun – safely – this year.  We hope you will join us!  

*** If you know of any club member who is not receiving these newsletters or other club communications, please email bilgerat@swyachtclub.org. *** We’ll help them get connected.

Looking for SWYC clothing, hats or gifts?  Click here:  Land’s End Store