Summer may be in the rear-view mirror, but we are fortunate to live in a location where the weather remains perfect for enjoying the outdoors and water activities! 
 
I hope that you take advantage of your WSA-OC membership and enjoy all that WSA-OC offers, whether that is by attending our general meetings, learning something from our guest speakers, participating in one of the many opportunities to get out on the water, volunteering for one of our philanthropic events, or simply expanding your circle of friends and acquaintances to include other WSA members in neighboring chapters, or maybe you’ve even been introduced to other clubs/boating opportunities through a WSA-OC connection. I hope you see the value.
 
If you would like to get even more out of your membership, we encourage you to consider throwing your hat in the ring for one of our upcoming open Board of Director positions for next year: Communications Director or Membership Director. Members will vote and elect an individual to fulfill each of these Director roles at our November general membership meeting. If either of these positions pique your interest, please contact me or anyone on the Board to learn more!
 
Serving on the 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/or boating!
 
Lastly, I want to remind all members to be diligent when online, especially while on social media including our public WSA-OC Facebook page. As you may have seen, our Communications Director Lindsay Steinmetz recently posted a public service announcement on WSA-OC’s Public Facebook Page and Members-Only Group to alert followers that we are aware of an increase in scammers who are offering to sell sailing related t-shirts/apparel on the social media pages of several sailing organizations, including on WSA-OC’s Public Facebook Page. **DO NOT CLICK ON SUSPICIOUS LINKS THAT ASK FOR YOUR CREDIT CARD INFO** If it looks suspicious, it probably is!
 
Fairwinds & following seas!

September 2 - Labor Day  

September 21 - Women in the Wind Philanthropy Event, Newport Beach

September  21 - Stand Up to Trash: California Coastal Cleanup Day - DP

September 11- General Membership Meeting – NBYC

Time: 7:00 pm

September 22 - Fall Equinox

September 30 - World Maritime Day

SEPTEMBER RACING CALENDAR

BCYC

September 21 - Around The Islands #2

DPYC

September 7, 8 - Richard Henry Dana Charity Regatta

LMVYC

September 15 - Fall Regatta (Series Race)

SSYC

September 8 - Sunday Sailing Series

On-The-Water Event participation is not only an opportunity to get out on the water, but to connect with fellow boaters. We are social creatures yearning for human connection. Sailing provides an unbelievable environment to build lifetime meaningful bonds based on this shared experience. 
 
The best ways to connect with another person are through travel, shared challenges and physical exercise, learning new things, helping and supporting one another, sharing a meal or personal story, sharing art (think of the beautiful natural moment of being surrounded by dolphins), and volunteering for a cause. We do ALL these things when boating together.
 
Step out of your comfort zone and sign-up for an OTW Event. You will build a community and strengthen your WSA-OC connections!
 
Remaining OTW Opportunities for 2024:
 
October 5th OTW Event: is being planned for the Long Beach area during the Huntington Beach Airshow, so mark your calendars. I am determined to make our final sail/motorboat event of 2024 a success. As always, marinas and dates are subject to change based upon our ability to garner boat participation.
 
October 26th Pop-Up: Annual Witchy Women Paddle in Dana Point
 
November 23rd OTW Event: Friendsgiving Duffy Tour

What a treat it was to have last month’s speaker, Marie Rogers, spreading her love of sailing! This month, one of our members, Sandra Reichle, will talk about her sailing tales and “Why What I Didn’t Know Didn’t Kill Me”.  

Sandra is a skilled sailor with 30 years’ experience. Her offshore and near coastal experience includes the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean, the Bermuda Triangle, the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and San Diego Bay. She has also raced extensively on lakes in Texas.
 
Her 50-ton USCG Captains License with Sail and Tow Auxiliary was obtained through multiple days at sea, racing, delivering, and chartering. Her abilities include advanced navigation, sailboat handling, weather forecasting, and crew management. She has worked on day charters, helmed through treacherous storms, survived the Bermuda Triangle, and even broaching incidents in fierce conditions.
 
I hope you will join your sea-sters at the Newport Beach Yacht Club to hear Sandra’s fascinating tales! 

Happy September!!

It’s almost time for our annual philanthropy event, Women in the Wind, which will take place on September 21st in Newport Beach. 
 
During this special event, WSA-OC will partner with another local non-profit organization, Soroptimist, to provide a special day for the women in their organization to experience the healing powers of the sea. The women served by Soroptimist are overcoming significant life challenges such as intimate partner violence, homelessness, and health issues. They are in the process of healing and growth, and most have never experienced the rejuvenation that comes from being on the water. Women who have participated in this event in the past have shared how empowered they felt by our women skippers and crew, mastering a sailboat and taming the wind. 
 
The more boats confirmed in advance, the more girls and women we can serve. Thank you for considering sharing your blessings by volunteering at this event. Please reach out to Jane Frisz at philanthropy@wsaoc.org with any questions or to express interest in volunteering for this special day.

I hope you have enjoyed this month’s edition of The Whistle.

You can remain informed about all WSA-OC happenings and events by visiting our website, which includes our calendar of events and meetings. I update this calendar regularly when event/meeting organizers solidify details of dates, times, and locations. I also email all members at the address we have on file with the details of meetings and events (including links to sign up). If you miss an email, I post those details in our Facebook Members-Only Group and Public Facebook Page as well, so be sure to keep an eye out for opportunities to get involved. You can also find our past editions of The Whistle on our website if you miss the email I send on the 1st of every month.  

Get Your WSA-OC On!!

 If you haven’t visited our Ship Store website recently, it has been revamped and it is now easier than ever to shop for all your WSA-OC swag online! Visit the Ship Store website here to discover a treasure trove of new merchandise carefully curated by our Ship Store Director. The store is brimming with goods, apparel, and more to meet all your nautical and seafaring needs.You can also purchase inventory at our next General Membership Meeting!