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Rick Klein from Jackson, MS, planned to celebrate Summer Sailstice 2002 on his Catalina 22, Mary Ann and with other Catalina members of Fleet 29. Stated Rick, "We sail out of the Jackson Yacht Club on the Ross Barnett Reservoir... it sounds like a lot of fun."
Encinal Yacht Club, Alameda, California, delivered the following Summer Sailstice invitation to its members: "Members & friends will meet in front of Encinal Yacht Club clubhouse at 6:30pm. Bring your dinghy, an appetizer and BYOB. We'll share some tidbits, toodle around the Estuary and have some fun on the water! How many dinghies does it take to fill the Marina Village (Gate 9) Lagoon? Perhaps we'll find out June 21st. Then, back to EYC clubhouse for JUKEBOX FRIDAY NIGHT. Come join us!
Richard Armstrong from Virden, Manitoba, sailed Clear Lake in Riding Mountain National Park on his McGregor 25, Dragonfly. According to Richard, "The first national park in Canada, this is a beautiful lake surrounded with boreal forests and teeming with wildlife including free range bison, elk, moose and bear. We feel blessed to be able to sail such a beautiful lake."
Mark Wiltz and his family from Hood River, Oregon, sailed their NewSport-33, Casiera, in the Columbia Gorge Scenic Area between Wind Mountain and Mosier, "with the lovely and majestic peaks of Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams as giant white-capped bookends."
Jeff Carlile from Memphis, Tennessee, is already getting set for sailing his JY15 Valkyrie for Summer Sailstice 2003. "We just heard about the event this weekend in San Francisco so we're a bit late this year but we'll do it next year - we have a big public park in the middle of Memphis - a dinghy lake called Patriot Park, and a lake 120 miles east, Pickwick, where there are active big boats and cruisers."
Max and Lynnie Fletcher were under sail in the mid-Atlantic on their Norseman 400, Juanona, from the Eastern seaboard to the Azores…almost our most farthest Sailstice celebrant.
Karen and Tim Crowe of Alameda, California, sailing their Pearson 422 Sogno d'Oro, invited all at Marina Village Gate 11 burgee flyers and friends to join them late afternoon for a sail around Treasure Island to Clipper Cove for a pot-luck barbeque.
Summer Sailstice 2002 noted the launch of Doug Coughlan's new boat, a Pearson 31, Pu'uhonua. Hailing from the Rockland Yacht Club, Doug said, "As it turns out, 6/21 will be my first launch on a new boat (to me) after a series of disasters leading up to a 6:30am launch. I am hoping to be under full sail in John's Bay by noon, if all goes well, celebrating as the sun sets behind Witch Island." Doug - we want to know how the launch went!
Bill Marsh celebrated sailing on Sailstice while sailing from Bermuda back to Cape Cod after the Bermuda Race. Bill sails a Tartan 40, Asolare, and is based out of Stage Harbor Yacht Club, MA.
It really is a lot of fun to hear the colorful names of sailing locations, the names of people's boats, and race names. Peter Sauer of North Flathead Yacht Club, Somers, MT, and sailing on his J24 Jungle Love, told us, "Sailors will meet at North Flathead Lake YC at 10pm, following the POETS Race (Piss on Everything - Tomorrow Is Saturday), and sail to Wildhorse Island on Flathead Lake, MT.
From the Santa Barbara Yacht Club sails Joseph Launie on his Catalina 38, Macavity. We were a little confused, even concerned about Macavity's whereabouts on June 21 as Joseph stated they would be "…on the sand on the beautiful Santa Barbara Channel." Joseph, we'd love confirmation of what you were actually doing on the sand on Sailstsice.
Arron L. Smith celebrated Sailstice with his grandparents, David and Janet Smith (Pequot YC, Southport, CT), on their Ideal 18…David & Janet were hoping another grandson, David L. Smith, would be able to join the fun.
Check out the sunset shots in our photo gallery of Bob Jones aboard Drumbeat. According to his illustrious crew, Deb Castellana of KKMI (Richmond, Calif), the pictures were taken between June 21 and June 24.
Said Deb, "The sunset pic with Bob in the foreground was actually taken on the solstice - just as the sun was setting on the longest day of the year. The pix of Bob are better than the pix of me because I'm the photographer in the family."
Bob and Drumbeat will be returning to Mexico November 1st. Deb wins a prize for her photo submission of the only sunset shots we received of Sailstice. We think photography could be your calling, Deb.
Another race on Sailstice, the Gulfport (MS) to Pensacola, (FL) Race, a 100 mile coastal race held annually for the past fifty + years, saw participation from Pam Bierre of New Orleans aboard Whistling Wind, a Redline (C&C), 41 from the Southern YC.
Across the border in Canadian waters, the Brittania Yacht Club in Ottawa also hosted a race, the "Happy Hours JAM race to Pinhey's Point. The race started at 1800 hours at "C" mark on Lac Deschens, and finished at Pinhey's Point. Konrad Lewinski aboard Abracadabra III, a C&C 27 Mk 2, describes Pinhey's Point as located approximately 8nm upstream from Britannia YC on the Ottawa River, and a very well protected anchorage. Konrad, we're curious - what happened to Abracadabra I and II?
All the Greenwich, CT area yacht clubs launched into Summer Sailstice celebrations by hosting an area-wide vespers regatta (non-spinnaker), followed by a barbeque at Riverside YC. Said John Glynn of the Belle Haven YC, CT, sailing on his Melges 24, Touch of Grey, "Everyone who sails/races in the area is invited". Do it again John! We LOVE this kind of participation to kick off the summer sailing season!
Dan Aflerbach of Kingston, WA, on his Erickson, Puerto Guardo, sent us his sailing instructions for Sailstice, "We'll be leaving Kingston for a relaxing sail north up the Puget Sound to Port Townsend where, after a full day of sailing in what promises to be a beautiful day, we will anchor and enjoy the sunset over this historic town."
Steve in NC was in the breeze on Sailstice with the Annie Allen windsurfing crowd - see our photo gallery for shots. Said Steve, "Of course it was about the sailing! and friends! and babies! and good food and hey if we win a prize all the better, yes? Oh, by the way I'm the buff one in the camo hat. Great idea, it was fun and is now a tradition. Thanks. Steve, anything with a sail on counts!
And it sounds like Brooke Perkins aboard the 37' Hunter Cutter, Passages, and from the Eastport Yacht Club, Annapolis, MD, spent the weekend celebrating Sailstice "…for a short weekend West River, Galesville, 10 miles south of Annapolis, with a good anchorage and friendly places to eat out if you so desire."
Back across the border to beautiful Victoria, BC, Rick Townshend of the Royal Victoria Yacht Club celebrated Summer Sailstice aboard his Star, Aquila, on the Cadboro Bay.
And, while he thought he kind of missed Sailstice, Jim Torian aboard Crusader, was sailing anyway…Said Jim, "...I wish I had read about this event sooner. I just finished reading about it in Scuttlebutt (#1097 20Jun02 edition). Unfortunately I had left for La Paz to start my voyage to San Diego on the 21st of June. Fortunately, it was relatively uneventful, full of wind and waves on the nose, but successful never-the-less. My crew of 3 including myself are ready to do it again. The 21st saw a beautiful day down the inside Baja coast...flat, hot, sunny, but lacked much wind. It was still a really outstanding day as we toasted the noonday sun.
Thanks for organizing this event. Jim - just remember it's the same date each year - June 21, where ever you are! Thanks for your story!
Far out! Why didn't I think of this? What a great idea. Sailing in the Gulf of Mexico is great this time of year. I'll go out Pass-a-grill channel (North Channel) and out about 5 miles to the c buoy to Tampa Bay. South to South West Channel around Egmont Island where Roosevelt started the Rough Riders and into the channel heading towards St. Petersburg in under the Skyway bridge and ver north. After the sail I'll head back toward home in the channel along the south side of South St. Petersburg (Pinellas Point) under the Dick Misner bridge and anchor outside of my friend/ crews house for a bar-b-que of cold beer and brocks while watching the sunset over Ft. DeSoto State Park and the Gulf beyond. Thanks for the suggestion...Far Out! Bob Kiernan. Where are you from Bob and what's a brock?
We'd love to see your stories and photos so send 'em in to info@summersailstice.com.
Thanks for joining us in 2002!
