| Commodore’s Message |
May is looking like it will be packed solid with all sorts of fun activities. Enjoy reading through all of the groups and the events that are being planned. I look forward to meeting and visiting with everyone at the Opening Day ceremony on the 7th. If we have not met, please make a point to introduce yourselves. Or stop by the club table to speak with one of your SWYC board members to get an insider view of all that is being planned for the remainder of the year.
One last piece of wisdom as we rush around trying to enjoy all things that make living in the Pacific Northwest so special. The old adage, don’t forget to stop and smell the roses, has a corollary for those of us who love all things water – savor the moments sitting on a piece of driftwood, listening to the lapping of waves on the beach as the sun goes down. It’s my way of meditation.
EVENTS & PROGRAMS
I picked up several useful tidbits from our April speaker, Stephanie Raymond. I hope you did too. It was reassuring to know that when you suddenly find yourself near a pod of Orca’s the best thing to do is shut down and float. We have had that experience while motoring about in the San Juan’s.
MONTHLY PROGRAM MEETING
Be sure to join us at our next general meeting – May 18th at the Progressive Club in Greenbank for those who wish to attend in person or via live stream for those who prefer to attend electronically.
Calm seas, fair winds and clear skies to you,
Pete Grimlund
Commodore
South Whidbey Yacht Club
| Welcome New Members!! |
Please welcome this month’s newest members to the yacht club. We look forward to meeting them at our upcoming events.
Mandy Johnson
Memo Gonzalez
We moved to Whidbey Island 3 years ago, looking for the peace, quiet and contact with nature that the island brings. After a couple of years here we got the sailing bug and we have been researching how can we get our feet wet and start getting more and more in the water! My work is remote so I stay 100% on Island and my wife Claudia works for the Ebey’s reserve as the preservation coordinator. Our daughter Cecilia is in first grade at the Waldorf school and is currently playing Minor League Softball (Go Rays!)
May Membership MeetingWednesday, May 18
Guest Speakers – Bruce Morris & Barbara Bergmann*Remember to bring your own plates, silverware and glassware as part of SWYC’s goal to a cleaner environment by reducing waste. |
Bruce Morris & Barbara Bergmann
Rafting the John Day River
Vice Commodore Bruce and Barbara have been rafting the John Day River in north-central Oregon for over 15 years. This wild and scenic river is a mix of calm scenic stretches interspersed with rapids. Come listen to their stories about the incredible scenery, unusual wildlife encounters and the excitement of whitewater rapids along high rock cliffs.
This is an In-Person/Zoom Hybrid Meeting
In Person at the Greenbank Progressive Club
and Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81503857123?pwd=ZERsSC9yUGFHb1dIb2NRc2lhYzFHdz09
Meeting ID: 815 0385 7123
Passcode: 071489
Check our website for the May and June program speakers:
https://swyachtclub.org/meetings/#!event-list
| Opening Day Celebration |
HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN!
South Whidbey Yacht Club Opening Day
Saturday, May 7th, 3:00 PM – Rain or Shine
Honeymoon Lake Community Clubhouse
4343 Honeymoon Bay Road, Greenbank
It’s been two long years since the club has been able to offer a full schedule of summer activities. It’s time to celebrate and get back together and do stuff in person!
Beginning at 3:00, club members representing our various interest groups will be available to share information about their plans for the summer and answer your questions about joining the fun! There are many member volunteer opportunities to help sustain and expand our on-water and land-based programs. Find out more and sign up!
Next, we’ll officially open the boating season with the world-famous Sword Ceremony and general announcements.
A buffet will follow, with the main dishes (variations of chili) provided by the interest groups. The Club will provide wine, water and an IPA tap. Please bring a dish to share (appetizer, side, salad or dessert) and your own alternative beverages if desired. In the interest of recycling and trash disposal, don’t forget to bring your own tableware, and plan to carry out what remains of what you bring. We will be outdoors, so bring something to sit on.
Hope to See You All There!
Hosts: Jill and Bill Brown and Tina and Glen Quinton
| Gotta Regatta |
YOU GOTTA REGATTA
Saturday, May 14th – Lone Lake, Noon to 4 PM
Do you have a boat like this one or another on the side of your house? Don’t make it stay there unused for yet another year. Take the tarp off, get it down to Lone Lake and get it on the water during the SWYC Gotta Regatta! Find out if it still floats. All sail and paddled boats are invited, including canoes, kayaks, paddle boards and row boats. No power boats please, but anything else that can be towed, carried or dragged is welcome for a party on the lake. No boat? Come anyway and enjoy a day at the park. Don’t forget your life jacket (we will have a few to loan) and bring your own water, beverage and food and maybe a chair.
Broken boat? Need advice on how to get it repaired? Some of our club members have been fixing their boats for years. Most are very likely to offer advice whether you want it or not. Bring your boat down. Photos of the problem might work too.
Pelican Sailboat Rides
Pelican owners will be offering rides for members and guests that would just like a little sample of what this sailing thing is all about.
Location
Lone Lake County Park, 5075 Lone Lake Rd, Langley
We will be getting started about noon. Come early or late. We’ll probably be winding down by 4 PM. This event is early in the year. Weather can still be unpredictable so be sure to check your email or the SWYC website for any last-minute updates to time or possible cancellation before venturing out. Could be the best day of the year!
Contact Bob Rodgers
| Crabfest – July 10 |
Calling All Crabbers (and wannabes)
Crabbing season opens July 1st, and the SWYC is forming our crabbing team for Crabfest. We need you if:
- You are an experienced crabber, or
- You have a boat suitable for crabbing, or
- You have crabbing gear that you will not be using, or
- You want to learn a little about crabbing from an experienced crabber, or
- You just want to help the crabbers and watch the crab wrestling!
The only requirement is a shellfish license with a crab endorsement. If you don’t have a suitable boat, we will pair you up with a crabber who needs assistance.
Please join the team and help us catch a ton of crab for our Crabfest!
Contact Vice Commodore Bruce Morris to sign up or for more information:
vice.commodore.swyc@gmail.com
| SWYC Youth Sailing Association |
2022 Adult Sailing Program
3 Classes starting in early June
Signups available now!
You know you’ve always wanted to learn to sail. Now’s the time! This program emphasizes how to sail, while being safe and having fun. Sailing classes are offered at Lone Lake County Park. Classes are taught in an open-air classroom setting and on the water at Lone Lake. As a SWYC Club member, your discounted fee for the class is $150 per student.
Adult Beginning Sailing: Each student will sail in a 12-ft. SF Pelican with one other student and an experienced teacher. After the students feeling comfortable and safe, they may sail without the instructor. This is a perfect class for someone with no sailing knowledge at all but who has a desire to get on the water and learn how to sail. It’s a great class for others who might have some sailing experience but want to gain more confidence or learn about the joy of small boat sailing.
Full class description and class detail on our website. https://swyachtclub.org/adultprogram-moreinfo/
Registration and sign up. https://swparks.activityreg.com/selectactivity_t2.wcs
More questions, worries, concerns??
Contact Bob Rodgers
| Kayaking News |
Kayaking with the SWYC
The Merry Month of May is upon us! With our first paddle on Saturday, April 16 at Deer Lake (chilly but no rain), four kayakers got the season started.
May is full of kayaking activities.
- Opening Day – May 7 at Honeymoon Bay Club House. The kayaking group will have a table set up to share information about kayaking with the club.
- Sail-What-You-Gotta Regatta – May 14 at Lone Lake noon-4. Join in on the fun and kayak what-you-gotta. Paddle boards also welcomed!
Mutiny Bay Evening Paddle – May 16 is a planned evening paddle at Robinson Park starting at 5:30. Contact organizer and lead Barb Grimlund. Kayakers, watch for a separate email from Barb in early May with more details
Upcoming summer scheduled paddles:
- Saturday, June 11, 10:00 Bowman Bay/Deception Pass State Park
- Wednesday – Friday, June 22-24, Kayak/Camping at Lake Wenatchee State Park
- Monday, July 18, 2:00 Monroe Landing or Captain Coupe Park
- Monday, August 1, Lake Campbell, Depart South Whidbey 9:00
- Monday, August 29, 11:00 Mueller Park
- Saturday, September 17, 10:30 boat launch at Sandy Hook
If you are interested in and are not yet on the SWYC kayaking list, please contact Katy Shaner.
| Windward Women |
Admiralty Head Lighthouse Tour
Windward Women will be gathering on Tuesday, May 3 at 4:00 for a 1/2 hour tour of the lighthouse at Fort Casey, known officially as the Admiralty Head Lighthouse. There will be a social hour following the tour. Come join the fun! Tour size is limited so please let Patty Maxfield know if you plan to attend.
The Windward Women gather bi-monthly, the first Tuesday of the month. Email Bilgerat@swyachtclub.org to get on the mailing list!
| Cruising |
Shakedown Cruise 2022
DESTINATIONS ANNOUNCED
We are kicking off the cruising season this year with a short shakedown sandwiched between Memorial Day weekend and the start of adult sailing lessons. The tentative itinerary is:
May 30 and 31 in Port Townsend
June 1 in Port Ludlow and
June 2 in Everett
As always, cruisers are welcome to join all or just part of the schedule or to extend their cruise at either end. Note that all of the destinations have landside lodging within walking distance of the marinas, so members without cruising boats can still be part of the action. To facilitate the making of marina arrangements, all those planning to participate by boat are requested to advise the cruise captains of your intentions as soon as possible. More information will be available at the Opening Day Cruising Table.
Shakedown Cruise Captains – Jim & Kathy Rogers/Bill & Jill Brown
| Racing |
Pelican and Laser Racing Kicks off in May!
There will be a practice day at Lone Lake on May 4 starting at 4:30 for all dinghy racers. It will be an opportunity to tune up your boat and crew and practice some starts and maneuvers. See the SWYC website for more details. |
| Member Opportunity – USCG Auxiliary Boat Safety Checks |
One of our own, Patty Maxfield, belongs to the US Coast Guard Auxiliary and is qualified to provide boat safety checks. These safety checks are for all types of boats – sail, power, paddle – and are recommended to have completed annually. Contact Patty via email if you are interested. She will try to group the member safety checks together for fun and convenience!
There is no charge for this service.
Keep track of all the club events and updates at:
https://swyachtclub.org/events/#!calendar
| Socials |
Keep track of all the club events and updates at:
https://swyachtclub.org/events/#!calendar
| Members’ Tips and Training |
Website Tip for May
The SWYC website https://swyachtclub.org is an ever-changing but very important tool to our club. We need your help in making it vital and useful to each one of us and to those outside of the club.
Tip – Meet the Board of Directors
Who is on the SWYC Board of Directors and what do they do?
Members of the Board of Directors are elected annually in the fall. The board meets the second Wednesday of every month. All are volunteers. Club members may attend board meetings or reach out to any board member if they wish to offer thoughts and ideas, or want to have an item brought before the board. All ideas are welcome!
We encourage all SWYC members to consider taking a role as a board member at least once, if not more. The board represents our members – planning events, making decisions, listening to members’ ideas and providing financial oversight. With periodic rotation of board seats, we remain fresh and relevant to all of our members. And besides, it’s fun to get together and know what’s happening in the club.
To read our current board members’ bios (good reading!) and know who to reach out to if you have questions or ideas on a specific topic, click on this link:
https://swyachtclub.org/about/meet-the-board-of-directors/
| Where to find the Meet the Board link on the SWYC Home page. |
*** 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. *** |
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Click here: Land’s End Store |
