Saturday June 22 was Summer Sailstice and sailors and new-comers around the world celebrated summer and sailing for the 19th consecutive year. Each June we encourage sailing clubs, assocations, schools and individual sailors to untie their docklines and hoist their sails in celebration of sailing. And to ensure they get the maximum sailing time, Summer Sailstice takes place on the Saturday closest to the northern hemisphere's summer solstice.
This year's celebrations took place throughout the USA and in global locations such as the Netherlands, Japan, French Polynesia, Mexico, Canada, Hungary, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Croatia, Spain... the list goes on! Though it's been just over 48 hours since the 2019 Summer Sailstice celebrations officially kicked off, we've already received great photos and feedback from sailors who took to the waters over the Sailstice weekend.
Here's a sampler of the celebrations...
Patricia sent us this photo of boats assembling for the 7pm start in the 48th Scotch Bonnet Light Race. 'Despite the flooding on Lake Ontario, torrential rains with flash floods the day before, and most of our docks being under water, GYC's "can do" spirit came through to host our event, including accommodating guest boats from neighboring yacht clubs.'
What is the Scotch Bonnet Light Race? Each June sailors embark from the Port of Rochester on a race across Lake Ontario. "They make passage across an offshore expanse of clear water and into sight of Canadian shores. These hearty sailors then round the legendary lighthouse on Scotch Bonnet Island at the north central shore of the lake - and return to Rochester non-stop." The SBLR is one of the oldest and longest invitational regattas on Lake Ontario and is a rite of passage for south-shore sailors.
West Marine encouraged all their associates to get on a boat and "go sailing" for Summer Sailstice — and many of them did!
Photo: @westmarineinc
UK Sails' Adam Loory and crew celebrated their way to Block Island Race Week.
In San Francisco's Bay Area, sailstice sailors were everywhere:
Call of the Sea hosted free two-hour sails aboard schooner Seaward:
ASA-affiliated Modern Sailing School and Club, and Afterguard Sailing Academy each brought new-comers aboard for introductory sails, and cruising classes; and Q+M Travels offered a leisurely Bay Charter.
Photo: @qmtravels
In Folsom Lake, CA Mark and his friends enjoyed "a spectacular 3 boat raft up. "The kids swam all evening and the dogs got in on the swim action too. Two Santana 20's and a Santana 23 made for tight living quarters but great fun."
Jody Horner and the crew from Point Yacht Club, Josephine, AL celebrated with their annual sail to the beach, party and overnight anchoring event. Here's their yearly Sailstice group-shot;
This is only a small sample of the fantastice events that took place over the weekend, but we can't fit all the photos on this one page, so we'll post more tomorrow.
Thanks everyone for sailing and being a part of the 19th annual Summer Sailstice celebration, keep sending photos!
Mark your calendars for the 20th annual Summer Sailstice celebration of sailing when the solstice actually falls on the weekend of June 20th.
So the 20th annual will be on June 20th, 2020!
