Growing up in Vancouver, British Columbia, September was the beginning of the new school year; therefore, to me, September will always mean the beginning of new adventures and opportunities.
If you would like to start a fulfilling new adventure and get even more out of your WSA-OC Membership, we encourage you to consider throwing your hat in the ring for one of our upcoming open Board of Directors positions for 2026: Rear Commodore, Treasurer, and Ship Store Director. Members will vote at the November General Membership Meeting. If any of these positions pique your interest, please contact me or any Board members to discuss.
Serving on the WSA-OC Board offers numerous benefits, including contributing to the organizational growth and development, expanding your community, strengthening valuable leadership skills, networking opportunities, and the satisfaction of knowing that your efforts are helping to support and promote the mission of WSA-OC. Don’t hesitate to take this step forward and apply for a Board position. Your unique skills and perspectives can truly make an impact within a community that shares your passion for sailing and boating. Plus, it is a pleasure and a joy to serve!
On that note, I am happy to announce our newly nominated Philanthropy Director, Greta Boye. Greta was inducted into the WSA-OC Board of Directors at our August Membership Meeting at BCYC. Welcome Greta!
Thank you, Linda McCrerey and Greta Boye, for organizing another successful AdventureSail. This year, you worked even harder and smarter. Your visit to the San Clemente Boys & Girls Club to teach them boat etiquette and knot tying with Cherie Faulds, created more interest and connection with the girls. Working more closely with the National Women’s Sailing Association, you received additional signage and a grant of $300. This year, you also implemented, with the help of Jane Frisz, an Amazon Gift Registry that made donating and shipping easier for everyone. And a special thanks to our Skippers, Brenda Highley, Marie March, Michelle McReynolds, and to all of you who volunteered your time and donated gifts. Job well done!
In the past, it was a faux pas to wear white after Labor Day, but in Southern California, you can wear white year-round, and the Southern California Yachting Association does not require the Board of Directors to wear their winter uniforms until November.
Have a great September, and I hope to see you on the water.
Commodore@wsaoc.org
On a perfect summer evening in Newport Beach, 31 of our WSA-OC members set sail on our Full Moon Sail, and what a night it was! Laughter drifted across the water as crews shared stories, snacks, and the sheer joy of being together under the evening sky.
Each boat sparkled with camaraderie–whether you were at the helm, trimming sails, or simply soaking in the view, there was a sense of shared magic in the air. It’s nights like this that remind us why we sail: for friendship, for beauty, and for the moments that can’t be replicated on shore.
A huge thank you to our generous skippers for welcoming members aboard, and to everyone who made the evening so special. Here’s to many more adventures together!
Our next on-the-water event will be a swashbuckling Pirate Party in Dana Point on Sept. 13th (NEW DATE). Join in the fun as we gather in our boats for a floating celebration filled with costumes, camaraderie, and maybe even a little bit of nautical mischief. Mark your calendars, you won’t want to miss this!
Upcoming Events:
Sunday, September 13 - Pirate Party Event Saturday, October 4 - Airshow
Sunday, October 26 - Witchy Women pop-up event Saturday, November 22 - Friendsgiving (Duffy) Saturday, December 13 - End of the Year Sail
Please note that OTW dates and locations are subject to change, based on boat availability and weather conditions.
vicecommodore@wsaoc.org
September 1 - Labor Day
September 10 -General Membership Meeting - Wind N Sea (Dana Point) 7:00
September 13 - Pirate Party OTW event (Dana Point)
September 20 - Stand Up To Trash, Dana Point
September 20 - Women in the Wind Philanthropy
Event, Newport Beach
September 22 - Fall Equinox
September 25 - World Maritime Day
Please join us on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, for our WSA-OC September General Meeting and hear from Alli Bell, a San Diego woman who recently won the Transpac Overall (corrected time according to handicap) on her Cal 40, Restless. “Taking a Winch Handle to the Fiberglass Ceiling – How Restless won the 2025 Transpac”
We’re excited to welcome Alli Bell, the Vice Commodore of San Diego Yacht Club, and Rear Commodore of the Transpacific Yacht Club.
Alli Bell grew up in San Diego. She first learned to sail on her grandparents’ Lapworth 50, Westward, mostly going back and forth from the Los Angeles Yacht Club to Catalina. When she was seven, she did her first summer in the San Diego Yacht Club Junior Program and has been racing sailboats ever since. She completed her first Transpac in 2013 and now has five under her belt, including the most recent, in which she skippered Restless, a Cal40. The Cal40 has long been her dream boat, having wanted to own and skipper one as long as she can remember. In April, she married her other dreamboat, Stephen Driscoll. Along with him, her cousin, and two childhood friends, she skippered Restless in the 2025 Transpac.
Bell and Driscoll live in Point Loma with their dog and cat. In her free time, Bell consults on strategic planning and project management.
We look forward to hearing from Alli Bell as she recaps her Transpac Overall win on Restless, her Cal 40.
Date: September 10, 2025 Time: 6:30 pm Happy Hour, 7:00 pm Meeting Location: Wind & Sea Restaurant 34699 Golden Lantern Dana Point, CA Dinner: Please feel free to join several members prior to the meeting for dinner at the restaurant. Then, join us in the upstairs conference room for the meeting.
*Non-members are welcome and encouraged to attend the General Membership Meetings. Guests may attend up to two meetings to evaluate the club and decide if they would like to join. If you’re not a current member and would like to join, you can do so here: http://www.wsa-oc.org/
If you have questions, please contact Debby Platt, Rear Commodore, at: Rearcommodore@wsaoc.org
Ahoy, mates!
BE PART OF CREATING A BETTER WORLD FOR WOMEN: DONATE A GIFT FOR WOMEN IN THE WIND!
Use the above QR code to access the Women in the Wind gift registry on Amazon.com. Placing your order is simple. Items will be shipped to one address, packed into tote bags, and presented to about 12 women at the Women in the Wind outing on September 20 at Newport Harbor. Every year, WSA-OC collaborates closely with Soroptomist International of Huntington Beach to invite beneficiaries of their programs to experience the joy of boating. Our guests typically are financial heads of their household who are pursuing an education to improve their lives and those of their dependents. Some also face many obstacles to success in both their careers and personal lives. For many, Women in the Wind is their first time on a boat and can even help them overcome a fear of water, as one guest reported a couple of years ago. We know that they will love their tote bags filled with body lotions, soap, candles, and other goodies, all gifts from you. A greeting committee of WSA-OC members will bring lunches and join the participants for a brief orientation before cast-off. Thanks to all who are contributing gift items, boats, and their time – you are making a difference!
And last month, you made a BIG difference to eight girls and their chaperone at the Boys & Girls Club of San Clemente. On August 9, WSA-OC organized AdventureSail, organized by WSA chapters across the country in coordination with Women’s Sailing Foundation, to foster the next generation of female sailors. Thanks are due to those who contributed gifts of baseball caps, sunglasses, sunscreen, bracelets, nautical charms, hair bands, candy and more through our Amazon AdventureSail gift registry, to our land-based volunteers who helped corral the girls and serve them lunch, to Westwind Sailing for use of their PFDs, and to our Captains and First Mates for taking the girls on a memorable sail out of Dana Point Harbor! For photos of this event, especially the girls in action, see the WSA-OC Facebook page!
If you have questions or would like to make a difference by volunteering at an upcoming event, please get in touch with Greta Boye at philanthropy@wsaoc.org
Please join me in welcoming our new members:
Michelle Bleeker
Mindy Crist
Rozie McCarter
Caro Muscato
Maureen Reynosa
Claudia Rodriguez
Happy Birthday to the following members:
Barbara Lawler September 4th
Laura DeSoto September 10th
Marie March September 16th
Colleen Clay September 20th
Lisa Pegan September 21st
Melinda Dixon September 24th
Elba Berrelleza September 25th
Corey Howard September 28th
Michele Silver September 29th
The Women's Sailing Association of OC has some great upcoming on-water events. Let’s all be safe out there.
membership@wsaoc.org
I hope you have enjoyed this month’s edition of The Whistle.
As the year progresses and our Board of Directors plans events and meetings, you can keep up with the events by visiting our website or Facebook account.
Our website includes our calendar of events and meetings, which I update regularly when event/meeting organizers solidify details.
WSA-OC Mission Statement Women's Sailing Association-Orange County is dedicated to enriching the lives of women through expanded access to sailing-related activities and educational opportunities. WSA-OC is committed to preserving and protecting our oceans and contributing to our local community through on-the-water philanthropic activities. WSA-OC is committed to providing reasonable accommodation in its programs and activities for individuals with disabilities. Those who require a reasonable accommodation should contact commodore@wsaoc.org at least one week in advance, where possible, to make a request
Women's Sailing Association - Orange County, PO Box 11041, Costa Mesa, CA 92627, United States
