Opening Day on the Bay & Delta

For some ice-bound souls around the world, Opening Day marks the first day they’re actually able to take their boats out for a spin. Thankfully, we live in a wonderful climate that allows us to sail year round, so Opening Day is really more symbolic — not to mention a great excuse for a parade. Opening Day on the Bay is this Sunday, April 26, and will feature the customary PICYA yacht parade with the promising theme of ‘Legends of the Sea’. We’re envisioning scantily clad hordes of studly Neptunes and seductive Nereids decorating dozens of bows — but with cooler temps forecast for the weekend, they’ll probably be wearing more modest sailing gear. Regardless, the parade will undoubtedly be as entertaining as ever as it makes its way from Crissy Field to Pier 39 starting around noon.

On Saturday, head on over to the Bay Model in Sausalito, where Paul Cayard will join the Call of the Sea in hosting a benefit to fund their hands-on sailing programs for underserved Bay Area kids. The festivities will run from 3-6 p.m. and include live music, food, dancing, wine and terrific prizes. Tickets start at $50 to help support this great program. For more on Call of the Sea or the event, go to www.callofthesea.org.

Stockton Sailing Club will be hosting their own Opening Day parade on Saturday, starting around 11 a.m., after their annual swap meet wraps up. Stick around for sloppy joes, free sailboat rides and tons of other activities. For more, go to www.stocktonsc.org or call (209) 951-5600.

To celebrate the official opening of the sailing season, yacht clubs all over the Bay are hosting open houses throughout the weekend. This is a great time to check out what various clubs have to offer their members. Check out our list of  Yacht Club Links and contact any you’re interested in.

Whether you join the crowds on the Bay on Sunday or just go out for a quick sail on Saturday, do yourself a favor and leave the booze in the cooler till you get back to the dock. With so many boats on the Bay, the Coasties are sure to be out in full force and a BUI will spoil anyone’s day.