Let’s Make Juneteenth a California Sailing Holiday
As we take this day to celebrate Juneteenth and all that it stands for — the end of United States’ slavery after the Civil War — we looked online to see what California sailing events had put their hands up to join the party and organize a Juneteenth sailing celebration. There are some to be found, but we were wondering if we could help encourage the creation of more.
During our search for West Coast Juneteenth sailing events, we found a story about Ferene Paris Meyer (Ferene Paris), a Black woman in Burlington, VT, who in early 2020 (remember that year?) had launched her own business, All Heart Inspirations. In July that year, Paris happened to accept an invitation to go sailing. The experience sparked a determination to make sailing accessible to Black and brown people in Vermont. Thus she set about creating Juneteenth Sails on Lake Champlain with the Whistling Man Schooner Co. as the hosting vessel.
Our next finding was a little closer to home — Sail on a Tall Ship, hosted by the Los Angeles Maritime Institute. This event took place on June 19, 2023. We’ve missed that boat!
We’re aware of sailing’s perceived reputation as being “male, pale and stale,” and we can’t completely disagree. There are statistics that back this up. Which is why we try to keep this discussion open in the hopes of expanding sailing’s reach and creating more diversity.
Local sailing organizations such as Call of the Sea, Spaulding Marine Center, Blue Water Foundation, Pegasus Sailing, Treasure Island Sailing Center, Afterguard Sailing, and others are invested in bringing diversity into sailing, all year round. In February we shared the story of Marie Rogers, US Sailing vice president and past commodore of Los Angeles Yacht Club, and her nonprofit program Offshore Racing Outreach (ORO). Through ORO, Rogers put together a nine-person crew, mostly people of color, for the 2023 Transpac Race to Hawaii aboard the ORO’s Andrews 56 Good Trouble.
So how about it, California? Can we make Juneteenth a California sailing holiday next year, and all the years after?
Good Jibes #147: Sea of Cortez, ‘Stad Amsterdam’, and 30th Baja Ha-Ha (Latitude 38 Verbatim)
This week’s host, Ryan Foland, reads three more articles from the June issue of Latitude 38 sailing magazine. Hear “From Sea to Shining Sea, Part 2” by Noreen Light, “Stad Amsterdam — 28 Days Before the Mast” by Pat Broderick, and “The 30th Annual Baja Ha-Ha Has Launched” by John Arndt.
This episode covers everything from a Flicka 20 to a clipper ship. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear:
- What’s great about the Flicka 20?
- Who is Sensa Nova?
- What is CRRIFS?
- How big is Stad Amsterdam?
- Where is the International Date Line?
- How do you celebrate King’s Day?
- When is this year’s Baja Ha-Ha?
- What are some quotes from the Grand Poobah Richard Spindler?
Follow along and read the articles at https://www.latitude38.com/issues/june-2024/#84, https://www.latitude38.com/issues/june-2024/#68, and https://www.latitude38.com/issues/june-2024/#44.
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and your other favorite podcast spots — follow and leave a 5-star review if you’re feeling the Good Jibes!
Club Nautique Charter Yacht Ownership Seminar
Club Nautique – Charter Ownership Seminar. Join us on Saturday, June 22 in Alameda for a seminar on Charter Ownership. Learn how charter income and tax savings can help you pay for your new boat.
Last Chance! Sign Up for the US Sailing Summer Sailstice Safety Dance
This is it. The final week to post your sailing plans to be entered in this year’s Summer Sailstice. Starting with a Friday full moon, the forecast looks ideal for you to take friends and family sailing or join one of the many races and other opportunities happening this weekend. Suggestions include signing up if you are racing or crewing on the Westpoint Regatta, racing or crewing in the fourth annual South Beach Yacht Club’s J-Stop Regatta, daysailing with friends like the Catalina 42 Neener3 sailing out of the Richmond Yacht Club, or signing up to sail with the Matthew Turner. You can sign up if you plan to be at the Corinthian Yacht Club on Sunday for the Master Mariners Wooden Boat Show, if you’re visiting the San Diego Boat Show or, if you’re in New York, sign up if you’re attending SailGP.
The worldwide celebration of sailing invites everyone to sign up and sail — on their own or as part of an event. Just put a pin on the map above. You can post an event or join an event here, or file your own individual sailing plans here. Don’t let your boat sit idle on the first weekend of summer. It’s time to shake out the sails, #raiseyoursails and get out on your favorite lake, bay, estuary or ocean!
By signing up you’ll commit to sailing, and have a chance to win prizes donated by Summer Sailstice’s sailing supporters. Prizes include Latitude 38 swag, sunglasses from Malizia, a solar panel from Sun Powered Yachts and much more. Your day or weekend sailing is the real prize and winning something is a bonus. You can see the full prize list here.
There’s lots more happening on the West Coast, and if you don’t find an event near you, just go sailing. If you don’t have a boat, try a free sail at a community sailing program like Cal Sailing Club in Berkeley (Sunday Open House) or Alameda Community Sailing Program in, you guessed it, Alameda. Or, add to your name to one of the Crew Lists listed here.
You can read the most recent Summer Sailstice newsletter here.
Don’t miss sailing on the first weekend of summer. We look forward to seeing the photos of your cruise, club, race, raft-up, and however and wherever you choose to sail on Summer Sailstice. Sign up now.
Discovering West Coast Circumnavigators
On Monday, we ran a story on the declining number of people circumnavigating the planet, along with the photo below, requesting more information to help us discover more West Coast circumnavigators.
We heard from Brian McGarry, whose picture is above. Brian wrote, “Ahoy Latitude! Imagine my surprise when I opened ‘Lectronic Latitude as usual on Monday and saw a photo of me and my cockatoo taken in Singapore 45 years ago!! My name is Brian McGarry (I am on the Circumnavigators’ List in the article) and the boat is the British Yacht Fiona — photo taken during the 1986 Master Mariners Regatta.
“Here’s a very abridged recap of Fiona’s voyages: Left England in the fall of 1972 and went through the Panama Canal in 1973; then around the world and through the Straits of Magellan (east to west) in the Southern winter of 1975/6 (only one summer snow squall!).
“Round again and through the Canal in 1984, out to Hawaii and then San Francisco, arriving October 1985.”
“I was fortunate to meet a lovely lady who cleaned up my act, married me, and presented me with a daughter named, of course, Fiona!”
“I still live in San Francisco but the fate of Fiona (she was built in 1912) is alas unknown.” — Cheers, Brian.
It was great to hear from Brian and identify who was in the photo way back on March 21, 2008. At present we list “only” 388 circumnavigators from the West Coast. We haven’t tracked how many have done it via Cape Horn, but that number is likely much smaller.
We also heard from Bill Belmont, who added the Saarman family who did two separate circumnavigations aboard their Columbia 50 Rapture. You can find their listing, Saarman, Irma, Paul, Jim and Jeff / San Francisco / 1973-1975 / 1980-1982 / Columbia 50 / Rapture on the West Coast circumnavigators’ list here. Anyone else?
P.S. The world of publishing has changed. We’re offering readers numerous ways to contribute to Latitude 38 here.
Catch a Sail or Shade the Sun With Zepp Sticks
