#OptOutside and #OptSailing for Blue Friday

We give credit to outdoor retail coop REI for daring to make the bold move, starting in 2015, to close all their stores nationwide on Black Friday. Crazy, right? On their website, they say, “On Black Friday we want to recognize the value of time spent outside and the impacts it has on our well-being.” For sailors, that means sailing. While the malls will be full on Friday, the Bay will likely remain one of the least crowded and most pleasant places to spend the day.

Brian Kline, who sails his Pacific Seacraft Dana 24 Maris out of Berkeley Marina, wrote a story in our January 2022 issue about the amazing fall and winter sailing available in the Bay Area. Brian reminds us that winter sailing means you can catch a great sunset and be back at the dock in time for dinner. Winter officially starts on the solstice on December 21, but winter sailing (and Midwinter Racing) all start in November. LaDonna Bubak also wrote about why winter sailing is one of the best-kept secrets on the Bay.

The weather for the weekend looks about as good as it can get. Though we’re still praying for rain, we should enjoy the sunshine while it’s here.

Have a great Thanksgiving, and be grateful you live in a state where you can go sailing 12 months a year. We hope to see you #optsailing on Blue Friday. The “off season” is now on.