---
title: "Fall Breezes & Fresh Horizons: )!  WSA-OC  September  2026 Newsletter"
---

| View in browser Ahoy WSA-OC Members!   Fall is here, and I have to say, it’s hard to believe how quickly this year is flying by!   I’m very happy to welcome Bailey Kruse as our new Membership Director. Bailey is taking on an important role at a great time for WSA-OC, as we continue focusing on growing and strengthening our membership.   Our summer membership contest brought us 9 new members, which was fantastic! Let’s keep that momentum going this fall. If you have a friend, neighbor, co-worker or sailing buddy who might enjoy WSA-OC, invite her to a meeting and introduce her to the club. You never know when one invitation might turn into a new friendship, or a new sailor!   We’re also looking ahead to next year’s Board, and we still need nominations for Secretary and Communications Director. If you’ve ever thought about getting more involved, this is a great opportunity. You don’t need to have all the answers or be an expert. What matters most is being willing to participate, share your ideas, and help make WSA-OC the best club it can be.   One of my favorite things about WSA-OC is that we really make this club what it is. It takes members willing to step up, volunteer, welcome someone new, and occasionally say, “Sure, I can help with that!”   Thank you to everyone who has volunteered, attended an event, brought a friend, joined the Board, helped behind the scenes, or simply showed up and supported WSA-OC this year. It all matters, and it’s what keeps our club strong.   Let’s finish the year strong and keep growing together!   Fair winds,    Karen Cooper Commodore, WSA-OC   commodore@wsaoc.org   Pirate/Wenches OTW Event in September: What a day to be a pirate! On Sept. 20th, under sunny skies and perfect weather, our crew set out from Dana Point aboard three fine sailboats and one trusty powerboat for our Pirate/Wenches On-the-Water event! We had a swashbuckling adventure and were reminded of why we love to sail these waters. The fun didn’t end there; our after-party at Aventura kept the merriment going with food, drinks, and plenty more laughter. A rousing cheer and heartfelt thank-you to our boat owners-without your generosity, this event wouldn’t have happened- and a hearty thanks to all who came out and joined the adventure!   Upcoming Pop-up Event Opportunity: Next month, we will not host our usual OTW event; instead, Westwind Sailing will host a pop-up event that members can join. They will hold an annual Halloween Witches Paddle at Baby Beach on Saturday, October 31, 2026, at 9:00 am (Arrive early to pick up a reserved kayak or stand-up paddleboard and make parking easier!) You’ll dress up in witch costumes and join others on either kayaks or paddleboards. (If you don’t have one, you can plan to rent one when you sign up online.)  Please register at: Westwindsailing.com.   Sign up quickly, as spaces and rental equipment are rented on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note: This event is not organized or hosted by WSA-OC. Other groups will be there as well. Be sure to take lots of photos and share them with me. Happy Halloween!!🎃👻   Next WSA-OC On the Water Event: Our next and last On-The-Water event this calendar year will be a Friendsgiving Duffy boat event in Newport Beach on November 21, 2026. Be sure to sign up approximately 2 weeks before the event.   REMEMBER for Future OTW events: 1. Sign-up will be announced approx. 2 weeks before the event, except for Catalina, which will be just over a month in advance. 2. Sign-up is sent to emails as well as posted on the WSA-OC Members Only Facebook page 3. Events sell out quickly. 4. PLEASE sign up for the Wait List, as we can regularly find additional boats and get members onto a boat. 5. Arrive on time for photos before boat launch. 6. Cancellations within 48 hours of the event will not be refunded.   Please note: OTW dates and locations are subject to change, based on boat availability and weather. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone on the water!!    vicecommodore@wsaoc.org       As the days grow shorter, I hope you are enjoying the cooler weather and, of course, some fabulous sunsets on the water!   It was great seeing so many of you at our September meeting. We’re looking forward to another wonderful evening in October.   Our guest speaker will be Vicki Patterson, who will be sharing an inspiring presentation on “Stewardship Starts with Connection.” Join us as we explore the importance of connecting with our waterways and the role we can all play in caring for the places we love to sail.   Meeting Details: Date: October 14, 2026 Time: 7:00 p.m. Come early and enjoy the happy  hour menu, 4- 6 p.m   Location: Dana Point Yacht Club 24399 Dana Point Drive Dana Point, CA 92629 Free parking available   Upcoming meeting: October 14, 2026 Dana Point Yacht Club  November 11, 2026 Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club   Mark your calendars Holiday Party December 9, 2026 Dana Point Yacht Club      Come join your fellow sailors, catch up with friends, and welcome our newest members. We look forward to seeing you there!   If you have questions, don't hesitate to get in touch with Linda Kiernan, Rear Commodore, at Rearcommodore@wsaoc.org - Cell 949-201-9336         Wishing a Happy Birthday to the following members:     Mary Coleman                 10/1 Kathy Dimeo                    10/1 DJ Platt                            10/3 Laurie Jacques                10/4 Jill Ellis                             10/5 Lisa Woods                      10/5 Penny Scholey                 10/6 Christy Kaufman              10/7 Kris Flaig                          10/7 Julie Erickson                   10/11 Victoria Winters                10/13 Debra Osborne                10/16 Esperanza Canter            10/17 Matthew Hurlimann          10/20 Tammy Erb                       10/20 Theresa Stoller                 10/24 Shelley Furse                   10/26 Erica Anderson                 10/28 Jim Coleman                    10/28 Anita Wang                       10/29 Martha Gurwitz                 10/30 Tom Rafferty                     10/30 Cynthia Priddy                  10/31         The excitement is still building!   Our friendly competition with WSA-SMB runs through November 1st, which means there’s still time for WSA-OC to surge ahead.   Please keep inviting your friends, family, and fellow sailors to join our club. Every new member helps strengthen our community and brings us one step closer to the finish line. Let’s keep the momentum going, spread the word, and grow our membership through November 1st.   Thank you for being such an important part of our club’s growth.         For any membership questions, please reach out to Bailey Kruse; she can  be reached by email at Membership@wsaoc.org       Ahoy! We’re kicking off this last quarter with lots of fun Philanthropy activities. Please join us!    Hats for Sailors – Ongoing Dec. 1 is our deadline to complete 50 loomed, knitted, or crocheted hats for Hats for Sailors, a charity supporting U.S. Navy sailors. In September, we welcomed two members to our group; one had just joined WSA-OC! Who would like to host our final 2026 get-together? We’ll add tags to our beanies, show off our creations, take a group photo, and raise a toast to a great initiative! Girl Scouts of Orange County - Ongoing We’re starting to plan “learn to sail” workshops in Feb. and Apr. 2027 on Sabots based in Newport Dunes. First, Girl Scouts-OC has some repair work to do on their boats! Women in the Wind 2026 – October 10, Newport Harbor All systems go! Our annual event with 12 program beneficiaries from Soroptimist International of Huntington Beach is ready to set sail! Skippers and other volunteers are in place for a fun-filled Duffy outing focused on empowering women on the water. AdventureSail® 2026 – Canceled Unfortunately, the Boys & Girls Club of Capistrano Valley had to cancel this event due to a conflict with its annual gala. A big thank-you to our skippers, mates, and volunteers who were ready to make the day special: Brenda Highley, Valerie Rhodes, Michelle and Marty McReynolds, KT Reiter, Cherie Faulds, Rita Nep, Sarah Sepulveda, and Penny King. We truly appreciate your willingness to help and look forward to next year!   Holiday Party Silent Auction Gift Baskets – Dec 1   The annual Silent Auction will be WSA-OC’s only fundraiser for philanthropic activities in 2026. We need your generous donations of gift baskets, ribbon, empty baskets, and items to create baskets. Ideas include cooking and pet items, Happy Hour treats, gift certificates, boating gear, chocolate, cabin stays, boat outings, and more! Let’s beat last year’s $3,525 raised with 50 baskets! Bring donations to the November meeting or contact Greta at philanthropy@wsaoc.org or 336-706-5046.   Have a new philanthropy idea or a suggestion for ongoing activities? Email Philanthropy@wsaoc.org  or text Greta at 336-706-5046.            Get your WSA-OC Gear Direct! Shipping is direct to your home! Order WSA-OC clothing in the exact size and color you want, shipped directly to you at: https://stores.crsapparel.com/WSAOC/shop/home Thank you for showing your support and sharing your love of the club by wearing your WSA-OC gear on your many adventures on the water and about town.   shipstore@wsaoc.org   Ahoy, WSA-OC Family!   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 stay up to date by visiting our website or Facebook page.    Our website includes our calendar of events and meetings, which I update regularly when event/meeting organizers solidify details.   I also email and post event and meeting details in our Facebook Members-Only Group.    You can also find our past editions of The Whistle on our website. If you miss the email, I send it on the 1st of every month.    communications@wsaoc.org       Commodore  Karen Cooper  commodore@wsaoc.org   Vice Commodore Debby J Platt  vicecommodore@wsaoc.org   Rear Commodore  Linda Kiernan  rearcommodore@wsaoc.org   Treasurer Regine Smet  treasurer@wsaoc.org   Secretary Lindsay Steinmetz  secretary@wsaoc.org   Communications Director and Editor-in-Chief of The Whistle Elena Yuasa   communications@wsaoc.org   Membership Director  Bailey Kruse; Membership@WSAOC.org   Philanthropy Director Greta Boye  philanthropy@wsaoc.org   Ship Store  Cynthia Priddy  shipstore@wsaoc.org   Jr. Staff Commodore Candice Coleman jrstaffcommodore@wsaoc.org   Staff Commodore  Debra Osborne  staffcommodore@wsaoc.org   Systems Administrator  Shelley Furse systems@wsaoc.org        •••   October 2026    October 12 – Indigenous Peoples’ Day/Columbus Day   October 14 - WSA-OC General Meeting at Dana Point Yacht Club in Dana Point. Happy Half Hour – 6:30 pm. Meeting - 7:00 pm October 31 – Halloween Witches Paddle (Westwind Sailing) – Dana Point October 31 - Halloween     OCTOBER RACING CALENDAR    There are multiple opportunities to join a race in the Orange County area. If you are interested in Orange County sailboat racing, you can find a list of the monthly sailboat races on the Association of Orange Coast Yacht Clubs website under the Racing Calendar tab. 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 Unsubscribe Manage preferences |
| --- |