From the Boathouse: Sailing requires more than sight
Ahoy!
The Women’s Ocean Racing and Sailing Assn. (WORSA) and the Newport Harbor American Legion Post 291 are hosting the 25th annual Sail for the Blind and Visually Impaired on Saturday.
More than 200 guests will be invited to help steer the boats and adjust sheet lines while feeling all the sensations of wind and motion.
WORSA began this sailing program about 24 years ago with only a couple of boats. Now the day of sailing has become so popular that organizers had to find more boats, and the American Legion began to host the event at its post on Newport Harbor to make use of the ample docks.
Annually, more than 40 volunteer sailboat owners provide their vessels and skipper for the day. The crews and guests will sail throughout Newport Harbor, and some boats’ skippers might take the vessels past the harbor’s line of demarcation and into the Pacific Ocean. The good news is that the sea and wind conditions should permit a safe ocean voyage.
The winds look favorable for Saturday with light variable winds in the morning and between 10 to 15 knots in the afternoon from the northwest. The ocean swells will be from the west at 2 feet combined with a 2-foot south-southwest pushing up the coast. However, I suspect that most boats will stay inside the harbor for protected sailing, and so everyone can enjoy the cruises.
This event would not happen without the numerous volunteers from WORSA and the American Legion, who are assisted by many other volunteers from various yacht clubs, the Seal Beach Lions Club, Sea Scouts and the Harbor Patrol Cadets. Let’s not forget the accompanying guide dogs, who will have a play yard while their owners are on the water.
The onshore volunteers will help provide breakfast, lunch and entertainment and serve as escorts to and from the sailboats. This is a high point of the year for many of the visually impaired guests, and many will sign up immediately for the next year’s event.
I have taught blind students in my college sailing classes, and I have noticed that they can really sense the motions of the boat and any changes in the boat’s energy or the wind when sailing.
The Newport Beach American Legion Post 291 is located bayside at 15th Street on the Balboa Peninsula. It is the only post that has an associated yacht club along with a small marina for its members and visitors.
Remember, Sail for the Blind and Visually Impaired can use your help as a volunteer or with a tax-deductible donation.
For more detailed information, contact either WORSA Commodore Annette Cook at (949) 632-9565 or captcookrn@aol.com or ALYC Vice Commodore Dan O’Sullivan at (949) 922-1926 or 4dano@cox.net.
News of the week: Have you heard about Larry the Lobster? Brendan Dirks was free-diving off Dana Point when he wrestled and caught Larry for a potential dinner. However, the lobster weighed in at 15 pounds, 9 ounces, just shy of the state’s record.
Dirks had a change of heart and decided after a few days to release Larry back into the ocean. I tip my captain’s hat to Dirks, since Larry can now help produce more lobsters for my dinner plate. However, I do wonder if that size and age would be tasty.
As always, just keep an eye to the weather for any changes. Please be boat smart and boat safe. Lastly, please boat responsibly and look behind you before you turn the wheel at the helm.
Tune in to the No. 1 boating radio talk show in the nation, “Boathouse Radio Show,” broadcasting live coast-to-coast on a syndicated network. See times at https://www.boathousetv.com, https://www.facebook.com/boathouseradio and https://www.twitter.com/boathouseradio.
Safe voyages!
MIKE WHITEHEAD is a boating columnist for the Daily Pilot. Send marine-related thoughts and story suggestions to mike@boathousetv.com or go to https://www.boathousetv.com.