June 2026 Newsletter
Commodore's Message
Dan Mooney
Julia and I are happy to be back on Whidbey Island and look forward to participating in the remainder of the year’s Club events and activities in person. The Ya Gotta Regatta is coming right up and planning for the Crab Fest is well underway. So make sure to stop by the Langley Marina sometime next weekend (6/19-6/21) to check out the Club’s Cruiser fleet, enjoy the sips and dips potlucks or join the kayak group paddle. The event will culminate in the Cruisers shoving off on Sunday for a cruise to Everett and Port Ludlow. We’ll also be dedicating the beautiful new South Whidbey Yacht Club sign marking Langley Marina as our Club’s “home port” at 1:30 on Saturday followed by some fun games. See the newsletter article for more detailed information and the schedule of events.
We’re hoping for another good crabbing season as we prepare for our annual Crab Fest on Sunday July 12th. The Club’s crabbing fleet is lined up and ready to start hauling up those delicious Dungys. Freeland Hall proved to be great venue for the Crab Fest last year and we’ll be holding it there again. It will also an opportunity for the Club to support this year’s non-profit partner South Whidbey at Home. All proceeds from the sale of left over crabs will go towards the organization and several of their Board Members will be on hand to talk about South Whidbey at Home’s mission and opportunities to become a member or serve as a volunteer.
Now let’s get our there on the water!
Vice-Commodore's Report
"A Sign of the Times"
John Porter
Just returned from the 2026 R2AK Ruckus over in Port Townsend. What a great time touring and meeting the competitors. The energy of the teams is always contagious and the engineering on the human propulsion units is always entertaining. Each boat has a custom installation, but some look like the first wave could take them out. The eternal conflict between efficiency and durability. The one constant seems to be duct tape.
I then took the short drive to Langley Marina, to see our new Club sign. It’s official unveiling is during YaGotta Regatta, but it looks really nice up there now. Our Club has seen amazing progress during a short period but we continue to move ahead. I see parallels to the race. There’s a lot of work behind the scenes, lots of planning, and a dedicated group of mariners putting it all together. There are risks involved, and challenges to be met. But aren’t those all the things that make boating fun?
– John
PS: I’ve been asked about my police encounter on the boat ramp at Ocean Shores during the kayak trip. Gentlemen don’t speak of such things … but I’m working the movie rights with Spielberg, and Ryan Reynold is tentatively on board. Haha.
Coming Events
June General Meeting
Speaker: Bruce Morris
Topic: Reciprocity
Freeland Hall Community Center
Wednesday, June 17
6:30 pm – Sips ‘n Dips, Socializing
7:00 pm – Meeting and Speaker
Former Commodore Bruce Morris will be our speaker at the June 17th General Meeting. Bruce has been an active SWYC cruising member for years. In more recent years, he has initiated and developed an extensive reciprocal moorage program with other yacht clubs in the Puget Sound, Canadian Gulf Islands and a few other more remote clubs. Currently, there are 76 reciprocal clubs that SWYC yacht club members can use while cruising or visiting these locations. This includes participating in dinners and social events as well as guest moorage. Even if you aren’t boating, you might still enjoy stopping in to enjoy the camaraderie and learn about other clubs.
At our June 17th meeting Bruce will provide an overview of our program, updates to the participating locations, activities offered by some of the clubs and what changes we’ve seen since we moved our reciprocal slip from Orcas Island to Langley Marina last year with Phil Simon’s collaboration.
Note: We have a few members who need to use the accessible parking directly in front of Freeland Hall. There is now improved signage along that side.
Crab Fest
Credit / Debit Cards Accepted
We expect to be able to accept credit and debit cards for this event.
Leftover Crab Sales
We always have extra crab after the event. A suggested donation of $5 gets you half a crab. $10 (doing the math here …) gets you a WHOLE crab.
We Never Waste Crab!
But we do waste paper and plastics. We want to reduce waste at all our events but in particular the crab feed!
Please bring your own utensils, crab crackers, plates, and beverage vessels. There will be limited water, beer, and wine glasses available and when they are gone, they are gone and we hope never to buy more. Crab bibs? Bring your own or use the plastic ones we have left over from last year….Same as above, not buying them again. All the décor for this year’s event is recycled from last year and can be used over again. Let’s work towards making this a zero-waste event. The crabs will thank us!
Shout out to Judy Hucka and Lance Porter our waste management team for the event.
Volunteers Welcome
If you have wondered how all of those tasty crustaceans manage to skitter over to Freeland Hall and onto our plates, it was with the help of SWYC members with crab boats and those additional members who volunteered to provide extra crew and licenses. Catching the crabs is a fun adventure in and of itself and available to members without the means to go crabbing themselves, but who can help crew on someone else’s boat.
There is still room for a few more volunteers who wish to dance with the crabs as they try to avoid being plucked out of the crab pot. If interested, we will be harvesting crabs beginning on Saturday July 4th. Continuing on July 5th, 6th, 9th and 10th. We have crew opportunities on each of those days.
For more information, reach out to either Al Fitts or Pete Grimlund with questions or to sign up. Contact information available in the SWYC member directory. Or send a note to Bilgerat to forward to one of us.
Kayaking by Co-Fleet Captains Nina Fitts and Diane Lagerstedt
SWYC paddlers had a busy May and are looking forward to a summer full of planned and pop-up paddles.
Big thanks to Vivian Stembridge who organized a fun and relaxing Cinco De Mayo outing on Goss Lake for about 15 paddlers. We had a mix of inflatable vessels, paddle boards, kayaks and canoes. The day was complete with fine weather and a fiesta afterwards, including music and snacks. There were sombreros, decorations, and tres leches cake. Gracias Vivian -una gran fiesta para los kayakistas!
Thanks to Judy Hucka who is contributing a review of our Ocean Shores Paddle to this newsletter! Hearing about a trip from a participant’s view is always welcome and encouraged. Thanks, Judy, for contributing.
Four paddlers, Nina Fitts, Ken and Phoebe Price and Diane Lagerstedt joined the safety team supporting the Whidbey Adventure Swim on Sunday June 7th in Langley. About 18 paddlers from across the island helped to define the course for the swim. It was our job to keep swimmers headed in the right direction and keep them from veering off course. Watch for this event next year, it’s a great way to get out on the water and make a difference in our community. Added interest…. SWYC member and fellow paddler Al Fitts completed the 1.2 mile race. Way to go Al!
Trip Report
Almost 30 kayakers made the May 28-31 trip to Ocean City State Park, near Ocean Shores in Grays Harbor County, with most camping in the group site and few others staying in condos and airbnb’s in Ocean Shores. The Friday Copalis River paddle was followed by a fun lunch at the nearby and iconic Green Lantern Pub, and Saturday’s canal paddle ended with a picnic near the put-in/take-out spot. And of course, in SWYC tradition, there was more than enough food at Friday’s night’s tacos and all the fixins potluck.
Kayak fleet captains Diane Lagerstedt and Nina Fitts convinced former ghost forest guide Buck to come out of guiding retirement for our trip and he was outstanding. In addition to sharing the geology and ecology of the ghost forest, he provided interesting commentary on the logging, fishing and cultural history of the area.
We lucked out with good weather, though stronger-than-preferred wind on Friday created a bit of concern for the start of the ghost forest paddle. But everyone made it through the one exposed upwind section without any issues. Evening campfires (with smores provided by Diane) were fun and helped take the chill off.
The trip logistics were a bit complex, and at the last minute, Diane was unable to join us in person due to a back injury. But she kept in regular communication and helped from afar, and Nina did an outstanding job of orchestrating all the details on the ground and on the water. Assistance from campfire builder Al Fitts, “kayak boy” Peter Grimlund and “hipster” John Porter was much appreciated, particularly with launching kayaks in the steep and slippery shoreline of the Copalis River at low tide.
The trip earned rave reviews and many shared photos from participants on our GroupMe communications app.
Upcoming Events
Ya Gotta Regatta Paddle, Saturday, June 20 9:00 till 11:30 : Join Barb Grimlund for a paddle, the Pride Parade in Langley and some games on the dock in the Langley Marina where our SWYC burgee flies! Sign up on Group Me App
Sun Lakes/Dry Falls State Park June 22 – 25 : There are several lakes in the area for kayaking, sailing, boating, canoeing, paddle boarding or just floating around. The area boasts acres of unique geological history and formations plus miles of hiking and biking trails throughout the area. Group shared dinners and great company, whatever activity you choose. Most of us will be camping at the state park campground, but several are staying in nearby B&Bs or other rentals. RSVP on the Kayaking Group Me chat or let Barb Grimlund know you’re coming to receive additional trip communications. Click on this link to learn more about this event.
West Beach Orcas Island, Sep 17 – 20 : Enjoy daily kayaking paddles from West Beach Resort or other locations on or around Orcas Island, hiking, biking, potluck dinner, golden hour sips and dips, beach fires with S’mores, group dinner at a local restaurant, shopping and more! There is so much to do on Orcas Island. Be sure to book your reservation at West Beach quickly if you haven’t already reserved it. There are cabins, glamping tents, camping facilities and moorage for boats. There are also alternative accommodations in the area if West Beach is full. Others have stayed at neighboring Beach Haven or rented Air BnB’s and joined the group for group activities. And don’t forget to make your roundtrip ferry reservations. Reservations for the trip from Anacortes to Orcas Island (September 17) open on Tuesday, April 14 at 10:00 am. RSVP for the trip on the Kayaking Group Me chat or let Diane Lagerstedt or Nina Fitts know you’re coming to receive additional trip communications.
Windward Women by Fleet Captains Ann Christensen, Gayle Austin and Mary Stewart
On May 26, a group of us enjoyed a cooking class with Leslie Flohr, who has an impressive history of attending cooking schools in France, Italy, Spain and the Northwest. She supervised our joint effort to prepare 2 appetizers including hot, charred cherry tomatoes with yogurt and burnt eggplant with tahini sauce. We feasted on these delicious dishes after our efforts which made this event a very special evening.
We are grateful to Leslie for sharing her talents and enthusiasm for cooking to make this happen.
On June 11, our group used public transportation to the Seattle waterfront to visit the “Exquisite Creatures” exhibit by the artist Christopher Marley. We were in awe of the thousands of specimens of brilliantly colored exotic insects, fish, birds, reptiles,
and sea creatures that had been preserved and artistically displayed by the artist. A lunch break at Ivars was enjoyed by all.
Remember, you can always go on the SWYC website for the calendar of WW activities.
All women of the SWYC are invited to participate in Windward Women activities.
Sailing / Racing
Pelican Fleet
The ranks of the Pelicaneers of SWYC have been expanded, so far, by five racers from the Pelican III Fleet. We have organized our schedule of races.
- June 27, Saturday, 12:00, Big Lake
- August 8, Saturday, 12:00, Oak Harbor
- August 22, Saturday, 12:00, TBD
Laser Fleet
Registration is open for Introduction to Laser Sailing Class. Register at South Whidbey Parks & Recreation.
Summer Racing Season
All Laser races are held at Freeland Park on Holmes Harbor. Race start time is 5:30 pm on most Tuesdays mid-May through mid-September.
| Series I | Series II |
|---|---|
| July 21 | |
| July 28 | |
| August 4 | |
| August 11 | |
| June 16 | August 18 |
| June 23 | August 25 |
| June 30 | September 1 |
| Week off July 7 – No sailing | September 8 |
| July 14 | September 15 |
Cruising by Fleet Captains Jim and Kathy Rogers
Upcoming Cruises
June Cruise
Dates: Friday, June 19 – Tuesday, June 23
Destinations:
- June 19 & 20 Langley Marina (Ya Gotta Regatta Event)
- June 21 Port of Everett
- June 22 Port Ludlow Marina and Resort
- June 23 Home
Leaders: Barbara Bergmann & Bruce Morris
We’re starting out this cruise with two days in the Langley Marina as part of the annual SWYC Ya Gotta Regatta event. This has been an exciting event bringing together SWYC members from the cruising, kayaking and sailing groups, as well as those members who just want to stop down to the marina for socializing, shared food and legendary games on the dock. All boaters must register for moorage with the Port of South Whidbey. Boaters should add under Special Request that they are with the “South Whidbey YC – approved by Bruce Morris.”
After the weekend in Langley, the cruisers will move on to a night at the Everett Marina. All of guest dock #5 is reserved for SWYC. Boaters must register for moorage with the Port of Everett. Reservations are accepted up to 60 days in advance of the last of the reservation date. All boaters should add under Special Request that they are with the South Whidbey YC. Should participants submit a reservation prior to the 60 days, they will be added to a waitlist. If it is noted, under special request the the boater is “cruising with South Whidbey YC”. Bruce will be able to confirm the reservation.
On Monday, the group will cruise over to Port Ludlow. Boaters must register for moorage with the Port Ludlow Marina. All boaters should add under Special Request that they are “Cruising with South Whidbey YC.”
When you have made reservations for this cruise, be sure to notify Bruce and Barbara so they can update the plans for the cruise, including dining reservations. More specific plans will follow once they know who will be joining at which ports.
July Cruise
Dates: Monday, July 13 – Thursday, July 16
Destinations:
- July 13 Blaine Harbour, Washington
- July 14, 15 False Creek Harbour, Vancouver B.C.
- July 16 Home or ports beyond
Leaders: Pete and Barb Grimlund
Reach out to Pete or Barb for all the details and to join the July Cruise.
Come join Barb & Pete Grimlund for a mid-summer cruise to Vancouver, British Columbia with a stop in Blaine, Washington. On Monday, July 13th, travel to the Port of Bellingham’s Blaine Harbor for the first night out. On Tuesday, July 14th the group will head up to Vancouver, BC, staying at False Creek Harbor, adjacent to Granville Island in the heart of Vancouver for two nights. Cruise leaders Pete and Barb need to head home after Vancouver, but for those of you who want a longer cruise, Vancouver is a great jumping off spot to continue up the west coast of BC or cross over to the Gulf Islands for more exploration.
August Cruise
Dates: Friday, August 7 – Saturday, August 15
Destinations:
- August 7 Friday Harbor, San Juan Island
- August 8/9 Sidney, BC
- August 10 Ganges Marina, Saltspring Island
- August 11/12 Bedwell Harbour Marina and Poet’s Cove Resort
- August 13 Port Browning Marina
- August 14 Fisherman’s Bay, Lopez Island
- August 15 Home
Leaders: Kat and George Bivoino
Reach out to Kat or George for all the details and to join the August Cruise
Come join the cruisers for all or part of this tour of beautiful ports in the Gulf Islands and British Columbia. This is the summary of our stops and itineraries. Reach out to Kat and George Bivoino for a more detailed description of each day, the plans, and where to make reservations. It’s always a fun time cruising with the SWYC cruisers!
September Cruise
Dates: Tuesday, September 8 – Friday, September 11
Leaders: Jim and Kathy Rogers
Tuesday, Sept. 8- Elliott Bay Seattle: You can make your reservation on their website which will redirect you to DOCKWA or you can go directly to DOCKWA. In the comments section you can request your mooring preference, and I would also recommend that you add that you are cruising with the SWYC.
Wednesday, Sept. 9- Gig Harbor Marina and Boatyard: You can make you reservation on their website which will redirect you to DOCKWA or you can go directly to DOCKWA. In the comments section you can request your mooring preference, and I would also recommend that you add that you are cruising with the SWYC.
Thursday, Sept. 10- Port of Poulsbo: It’s best to call the marina directly at (360) 779-9905 to request transient moorage, but also let them know that you are cruising with the SWYC.
Friday, Sept. 11- Port of Kingston: It’s best to call the marina directly at (360) 297-3545 (option 2) to request transient moorage, but also let them know that you are cruising with the SWYC.
Note: None the marinas can guarantee that we will be moored next to each other, but they will attempt to put us a close together as possible. I would recommend making your reservations as soon as possible, and please let Jim and Kathy know if you will be joining them.
View the Cruising Photo Album
Safety Matters #32 : Boating Statistics
Safety Officer Clayton Canfield
Well, we are well into boating season! And with the onset of boating season comes seasonal fun along with drownings, sinkings, collisions, hypothermia and any number of other hazards. As an engineer, motorcyclist, sailor, and former pilot, I am fixated on statistics, as they can tell me what I should avoid the most to stay safe. For instance, a motorcycle rider who always wears a helmet, doesn’t consume alcohol before riding, and takes a riding course, has reduced the likelihood of an accident by almost 75%.
But what about boating? Well, a recent Coast Guard paper on recreational boating statistics for the 2024 season has some useful information about what we can avoid to minimize the risk of an accident. The number of accidents caused by the top five contributing factors, including deaths associated with each, are: 1) Operator inattention 602/45, 2) Operator inexperience 464/69, 3) Improper lookout 387/22, 4) Excessive speed 320/35 and 5) Alcohol use 215/88. Needless to say, the highest percentage of deaths per accident are associated with alcohol use. When I first got into sailing in the ‘90’s, I was appalled at the amount of alcohol use among boaters. It was as if they could hardly wait for the mooring lines to be off before they started drinking! I recommend having a designated skipper who does not imbibe, in order to minimize the risk of an alcohol associated accident.
So lack of situational awareness is the highest risk of an accident, followed by inexperience. No surprise there. This correlates well with Coast Guard Florida Youtube videos, which I highly recommend watching. Coast Guard Alaska and Coast Guard Cape Disappointment are also excellent viewing, but not as applicable to Puget Sound boating. I also recommend looking at the Coast Guard report.
One of my favorite expressions is “Be Good to Yourself,” which includes everything from eating healthy to exercising to boating safely and responsibly.
Wishing you a safe boating season.
– Clayton Canfield
Youth Sailing Association
Early this year YSA made the decision to sell all the El Toros due to the constant need for repair and the shortage of wood worker volunteers. Once the El Toros were out of the boat shed, eleven used Optimist Prams were purchased from the Oak Harbor Youth Sailing program. At the same time two nearly new RS Teras were purchased from West Coat Sailing in Portland. The Teras will be available for the more experienced Beginner sailors to assist them in transitioning into the intermediate Lasers.
Since acquiring the Optis, YSA has had work parties instead of sit-down meetings to fix issues in the aging Optis, fix any problems with safety boats, check out all the outboard motors, and ensure all the safety boats have the proper safety equipment.
Adult classes:
We had 8 beginning sailors the first weekend and 9 the second weekend. The weather was generally favorable except for an hour-long thundershower, fortunately sans thunder and lightning. Lone Lake served up the usual mix of shifty and sometimes sporty winds. One couple who had recently acquired a Pelican was grateful for the introduction to the boat. Another student joined the yacht club and is looking for a Pelican to purchase. His daughter will be a student in our kids’ classes
Many thanks to Julie Demaree, Lisa Irwin, Linda Johnson, Clay Canfield, Bill Brown, and Bob Rodgers for being the instructors and safety boat drivers. Peter Bunin generously let us park boats and trailers on his property at the Lake. It’s particularly gratifying to have the three women instructors. They connect very well with the women students and relieve the male instructors of annoying mansplaining duties
Youth Classes:
All three beginner sessions are full and have waiting lists. There are two openings in the first session (July 14-July 18) and three slots in the third session for intermediate students. Register here.
Staffing
Youth Classes, beginners: We currently have just enough youth staff lined up and need to figure out who will be where prior to classes. We may need additional adult help in the form of safety boat drivers.
Shore Support: Shore support help is always needed. Our Safety Protocol requires that there always be at least two adults present whenever there are youth present. In addition, if there are girls present, one of the adults must be a female. Every year we struggle to fill the shore support times, so any new help we can find is welcome. Please contact Sarah Dore if you would like to spend a pleasant morning or afternoon relaxing lake side during the kids’ classes. We expect to have an online signup mechanism soon.
Intermediate Classes: We have enough instructors and safety boat operators. Depending on who is available when the time arrives, we will be in good shape.
Deer Lake Facility: We will be setting up the docks and training areas on July 1st, “Bismarck Day”, named for the dock that is affectionally known as the Bismarck. (At 24 feet long and 6 feet wide it’s the largest vessel in our fleet.) There will be a Safety Day and instructor orientation day on the Friday before kids’ camp begins (July 10). We will check out all instructors in our safety/coach boats, discuss Youth Protection material, and make initial job assignments for the coming week. Saturday, July 11, is Boat Move Day, where we will transport all 11 Opti’s, 8 Lasers, and 2 RS Teras in addition to all the associated equipment to Deer Lake.
YSA meets every Wednesday at 10:00 am. Check the club calendar for meeting locations.
New Members
This week, our Board of Directors had multiple applications to review and approve. Please welcome the following new members:
Brian Bundy & Family
Brian got turned on to the club when he recently took our Pelican sailing class. He is looking for opportunities to do more sailing. Brian is hoping to buy a pelican to continue learning and honing his skills to eventually buy a bigger boat. Brian’s ten-year-old son is hoping to attend the upcoming youth sailing classes.
Sponsor: Judy Canfield
Kevin Haag
Kevin joins us from the Pelican III Fleet. He looks forward to meeting more small boat cruisers through the club.
Sponsor: Bill Brown
Maureen & John Horn
After attending one of our general meetings, Maureen and John decided to join us. They have a small crabbing boat and also kayaks.
Sponsors: Barb Hardman & Dave Davis
Perry Johnson
Also coming from Pelican III Fleet, Perry will joins our expanding fleet of Pelicaneers.
Sponsor: Bill Brown
Ya Gotta Regatta
Friday, June 19 – Sunday, June 21
Langley Marina
Come join fellow SWYC members for a weekend of play on the water at Langley Marina. Bring your cruising boats, dinghy sailboats, kayaks, paddle boards, and smaller power boats to enjoy activities on the waters around Langley. Interest groups can plan activities for their own groups and activities to share with other groups and members.
Saturday activities:
9:00 am: Kayak paddle
1:45 pm: Dedication of the SWYC sign at the Dock entrance
2:00 pm: Games on the Dock
5:00 pm: Drinks and Potluck on the Dock
Member Posts
Members Joel Shrut and Mary Knudsen are selling their MacGregor Venture Newport 23
Click, below, to learn all about this beauty.
2026 Calendar of Events
Check out our Calendar for the dates of all of our Annual Events. And be sure to get them on YOUR calendar!
All Annual Events
SWYC Merchandise
NEW!! SWYC BURGEE EARRINGS!!!
We now have SWYC burgee earrings for pierced ears. Each earring is 1.5 cm x 1 cm. The posts are hypoallergenic. Each pair is $10. See Barb Grimlund if you are interested in a pair for yourself or as a gift.
The summer boating season has arrived! Get outfitted in new SWYC logo’d apparel and accessories. Looking for a light-weight jacket? A new shirt or hoodie? A warm vest or hat? Maybe a beach towel or tote bag? You’ll have two different SWYC logos to choose from – the burgee or the nautical flags – plus there’s a Windward Women logo too.
Our local provider right here on South Whidbey is Washington Design Company, located in Clinton. Washington Design offers a broad range of SWYC-branded apparel and a quick turnaround.
There are three ways to shop at Washington Design Co:
- You can stop in at their store, see the apparel and hat assortments in store, choose an item and have the SWYC logo applied, or in some cases, order the item in a different color or size.
- You can bring in your own clean personal apparel or item and have the logo applied to it, or
- You can visit their website, choose an item and logo you prefer, then have it shipped to your address or pick it up at their shop across from Ken’s Corner.
Washington Design Company
Or visit the shop at : 11247 WA-525 in Clinton (Across from Ken’s Corner)
Land’s End Online Store
Copyright © 2026 South Whidbey Yacht Club, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website.
Our mailing address is:
South Whidbey Yacht Club
PO Box 316
Greenbank, WA 98253