Happy May Day. In Hawaii, it is celebrated as Lei Day. Floral leis are worn and given.
This fits perfectly with the ‘May OTW Duffy Luau’ Karen has planned for us on Sunday, May 18th. Duffy events are an opportunity to get as many members on the water as possible.
At our April meeting, Barbara and Michael Lawler once again honored us with a presentation. They shared their latest adventures on Traveler in the Sea of Cortez. We can also thank the Lawlers for generously donating a ‘Traveler Cruise,’ which raised $500 for WSA-OC. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Our April meeting was held at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club. Thank you, Debby Platt and KT Reiter, for securing this beautiful space for us. Please plan to join us at BCYC on June 11th.
Register this weekend for May Luau and I will see you On-the-Water!
I hope you’re enjoying our spring weather here in Orange County and embracing every opportunity to get on the water!
Last month, we had the privilege of hosting our biggest OTW event so far this year, the Spring Fling. We were thrilled to have 37 members on 5 boats, with everyone dressed in their spring colors. Some even wore an Easter bonnet, butterflies, or bunny ears. So cute!
It was wonderful to see boats from different harbors come together, giving us even more to celebrate afterwards.
Get ready for a fun-filled OTW event this month!
On Sunday, May 18th, from 10:00 a.m. until noonish, we’ll embark on our first Duffy event of the year, featuring a Tropical Luau theme. So far, we have 4 Duffys signed up to participate, but we always welcome more! So wear your favorite Hawaiian attire and indulge in a charcuterie board as we cruise around Newport Harbor.
Mark your calendars for May 4th, when the signup will be emailed to all members in good standing.
We look forward to seeing you at our next meeting and next OTW event!
Upcoming Events:
Sunday, May 18 - Tropical Luau Duffy Event (Newport Harbor) Saturday, June 21 - Summer SAILstice Thursday-Sunday, July 24-27 - Catalina Extravaganza (Two Harbors)
Saturday, August 9 - Full Moon Sail Saturday, September 20 - Pirate Party Saturday, October 4 - Air Show Sunday, October 26 - Witchy Woman pop-up event Saturday, November 22 - Friendsgiving Duffy event (Newport Harbor) Saturday, December 13 - End of the Year Sail
Please note: OTW dates and locations are subject to change, based on boat availability and weather.
vicecommodore@wsaoc.org
May 5 - Cinco de Mayo
May 11 - Mother’s Day
May 14 - WSA-OC General Meeting
May 18 - Tropical Luau Duffy OTW event (Newport Harbor)
May 26 - Memorial Day
Please join us on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, for our WSA-OC May General Meeting. We’re excited to welcome Captain Maureen Vild, a 100-ton Master Captain with a lifetime of sailing experience.
As a professional charter captain and certified instructor for sailing and powerboating, she brings a deep knowledge of what makes boats and crews run smoothly. In her talk, “The Art of Communication on the Water,” we’ll dive into the many ways skippers and crew stay connected: VHF radio calls, silent hand signals, pre-departure briefings, anchoring coordination, and those all important docking conversations.
Whether you’re brand new or a salty racer, you’ll leave with practical tools and maybe a few laughs. Ever yelled “I said port!” and heard, “I thought you meant my port!”? Join us in untangling the miscommunications and mastering the language of the sea.
We look forward to hearing from Captain Maureen about “The Art of Communication on the Water”.
Date: May 14, 2025 Time: 6:30 pm Happy Hour, 7:00 pm Meeting Location: Wind & Sea Restaurant (Meeting Room Upstairs) 34699 Golden Lantern Dana Point, CA Parking: The brand-new parking structure is expected to open on May 15, the day after our meeting.
It may be possible to park in the structure that evening. However, if a construction fence is still up at the Golden Lantern entrance, enter further north on Casitas and come back to Golden Lantern to park near the entrance of the restaurant.
No reservations are necessary. *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!
Buoyed by our successful booth presence and boat sponsorship at the March 8 Cardboard Classic Dinghy Dash at Festival of the Whales, Dana Point Harbor, the WSA-OC Philanthropy team promptly got to work planning our next charity events.
We are conferring with directors of our partner non-profit organizations to refine our gift bags for the two annual charity sails, and to make the guests' sailing experience as fantastic as possible.
AdventureSail is scheduled for August 9 at Dana Point Harbor. This event draws "tween-age" girls from a partner non-profit organization, the Boys and Girls Club of San Clemente. WSA-OC members offer boats, skippers, first mates, gift bag goodies, lunches, and a greeting committee at the harbor. The Women's Sailing Foundation will provide daypacks for the girls. WSA-OC members have been extremely generous in the past with providing items that the kids love, such as visors, sunscreen, lip balm, keychains, whistles, sunglasses, and slippers.
Women in the Wind will be held on September 27 at Newport Beach Harbor. It will invite women who work with Soroptimists International Huntington Beach (SIHB). SIHB helps women overcome life challenges and pursue educational and job training programs that empower them financially. This year, the Philanthropy team hopes to gift the women with made-in-America personal care luxuries, such as scented candles, body lotion, bath soap, and journals. Retail and gas gift cards are also practical items that women need and appreciate.
WSA-OC members can sign up to donate gift bag goodies as the dates draw closer.
Suggestions are welcome!
philanthropy@wsaoc.org
Please join us in welcoming our new members:
Penny King
Bailey Kruse
Andrea Mander
Michelle Markstrom
Happy Birthday to the following members:
5/1 Leah Shubin
5/7 Stephanie Gray
5/8 Genille Lauren
5/10 Steve Baker
5/15 Susan Campbell
5/15 Penny King
5/20 Russ Brown
5/21 Sarah Judd
5/22 Amber Ajluni
5/22 Barbra Kelly
5/25 Michele Lucero
5/25 Robin Marshall
5/28 Judy Myton
5/30 Susanne Burk
May has arrived, and the waterways are becoming busier. I wanted to share a few boating safety reminders for all our members.
Personal Floating Device (PFD)
For our on-the-water events, boat owners do have the required personal flotation devices (PFD). Regardless, it is best practice for members to bring their own PFD marked with their name and have it ready.
Radio Channel 16
Channel 16 is the international distress, safety, and calling frequency for boaters for maritime communication. All vessels must monitor this channel, which is used for making distress calls and initiating communication with other vessels or the Coast Guard.
If you're not familiar with how to use a boating radio, please don’t hesitate to ask for a brief overview when you're a guest.
Do you have your California Boater Card?
As of January 1, 2025, the California Boater Card is required for all motorized vessel operators, regardless of age.
The card shows that its holder has successfully taken and passed a NASBLA/state-approved boater safety education course (National Association of State Boating Law Administrators).
CaliforniaBoaterCard.com is one of many online options to learn more about the requirements and how you can complete the course.
Women's Sailing Association 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
