
Sailing Celebrations Ahead
Summer officially begins with next weekend’s summer solstice and, on San Francisco Bay and around the world, sailors will use the occasion to participate in the 15th annual Summer Sailstice.
Who’s participating? Latitude 38 managing editor, Andy Turpin, drew the ‘short straw’ and will be suffering through celebrations at the Tahiti-Moorea Sailing Rendez-vous with Sausalito-based cruisers Barry and Sylvia Stompe on the Hughes 48 yawl Iolani and other Pacific Puddle Jump participants. That’s just one of more than 200 group events globally.

Locally, a host of Bay Area organizations have created a wide variety of events from the Opti Heavy Weather Regatta hosted by St. Francis Yacht Club to community sailing center open houses, a come-one, come-all sail-in celebration at Encinal YC, schooner sails aboard Seaward and Freda B, and many other activities. Many of the Bay Area plans are coordinated by SailSFBay.org, which is asking everyone sailing the Bay to post a photo tagged with #sailsfbay for a chance to win prizes, including a sail for two aboard the America’s Cup yacht USA76.

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Delta Doo Dah sailors are invited to Tiki Lagun Resort on Turner Cut (south of Lost Isle on the San Joaquin River), where the guests will join the marina’s tenants for a potluck supper. For details, see www.deltadoodah.com.

Farther afield, Team Alvimedica has signed up as they sail the final leg of the Volvo Ocean Race from The Hague to Gothenburg, Sweden. Also on the Summer Saisltice events map are the Superyacht Cup in Palma, Mallorca; Sunfish racing in Kentucky; dry lake bed land sailing in Nevada; and cruising on Lake Sakakawea in North Dakota.
Sailstice was created as a way to unite and demonstrate the eclectic world of sailing by showcasing who sails what, where and how. As the list above shows, sailing is an incredibly a diverse sport.
If you want your sailing to be represented, sign up at www.summersailstice.com and post your plans. You’ll be entered to win a prize from an extensive list including a one-week BVI charter from Sunsail. Hoist your sails and we’ll see you out there.