The summer has finally warmed up, both in spirit and in weather. Our July has been unseasonably chilly, but the inconsistencies that Mother Nature has thrown against us have only fuelled a profound resiliency against the cold and sparked a sailing passion that the most ferocious storm could never pummel. Let us turn toward the week to come with our sunshades on.
Week 3 Highlights: Regattas and Raccoons
This past weekend marked the first regattas of the year for the SLSC Race Team. Port Credit Yacht Club hosted both Steerers and Four Sisters and the Sturgeon sailors did not let their attendance go unnoticed. At Steerers, Sophie Heldman and Raeha Rix Wilson dumped on their first race, and believe me; a swim in Lake Ontario is cold enough to freeze anyone’s determination dead in its tracks. However, the girls hung on to secure fourth place by the end of the regatta. Jack DesBrisay and Elliot Ollerhead raced around the course with ease, snagging three thirds and a fourth to grab the bronze medal and a seat on the podium. Matthew Day and Lewis Crighton had a miraculous final race this Friday and got the first bullet ever for a SLSC Feva crew, and that propelled them into 2nd place. Silver, bronze, and fourth isn’t too bad at all for the first regatta of the summer, congratulations to these six brilliant sailors!
Four Sisters Regatta played out in a similar fashion that the Four Sisters regattas of my own childhood played out. The first day was windless and wavy while the second day was windless and foggy. Our four Sturgeoners had to watch as featherweight twelve year olds thrived in these conditions. Adele DesBrisay and John Gilchrist came in the top third of the fleet at 27th while the big and heavy Cameron Riegel and Graeme Shea had to settle with 40th. Weather aside, the four sailors had a blast in the big city and were thrilled to be back in the big leagues.
Now, there’s a moment in every young instructor’s first summer when they feel like they’ve contributed something more than just an extra pair of hands. They feel like they’ve passed the role of casual supervisor. They suddenly feel as though they have truly donated their own personal expertise to push the club into fulfilling its season’s potential. This past movie night, a family of three raccoons was discovered scrounging for leftovers in the kitchen of the clubhouse. Having just watched M. Night Shyamalan’s one and only masterpiece “The Sixth Sense”, I can admit that we were all a little jumpy and in no mood to deal with beasts of any size, alive or dead. The young Graeme Shea, however, rose to the occasion. His Albertan instincts kicked in and before we could come up with any proper plan, he was duct-taping Archie comics to his arms, throwing on the thickest work gloves he could find, and grabbing the pests by their limbs to be humanely discarded back into the wilderness. There was magic in the air that night, and we could all sense that this spasm of heroics was the first of many for Graeme.
Tuesday Fun Day – Verulam
This Tuesday, we warmly welcome the greatest day of the year with wide-open, sunscreen-protected arms. Verulam is a park located at the end of Concession IV, donated by Colonel Cyril Douglas Hughes MacAlpine in 1928 for the enjoyment of the local residents year-round, as well as the enjoyment the Sturgeon sailors once (sometimes twice) every summer. There’s a strict and demanding schedule we tend to follow upon reaching the Verulam shores; ultimate Frisbee, West Wind Blows, chicken wars, sandcastles, leaping off the pier, Leslie and Christina’s famous pizza lunch, and, of course, sailing to and from the park. Pick-up for sailors is at 2PM, and we ask you all to bring sunblock, closed-toe shoes, an extra change of clothes, a bathing suit, and a towel. Pizza will be provided, naturally, and the afternoon race program usually scheduled for 1:30 will start at 2PM.
Tuesday Fun Night
We have our fingers crossed for a raccoonless Tuesday evening, but they may have already learned our club’s longstanding weekly routine, in which case resistance is futile. In any event, come down to the club at 6:30PM for the first Fun Night of 2014. Gear up with your bathing suit and towel; the Silvers are planning a water-park of activities. The event charges one dollar and of course there will be candy and goodies for sale.
Wednesday Night Races
This Wednesday we’ll be hosting another evening of sailing racing, beginning at 6:30PM and lasting until 8:30PM. All are welcome, unless you hate smores, in which case stay home because we don’t want you or your type anyway.
Friday Night Dance – ABC
Earlier this past week a parent approached me in the morning with hopes to get the theme of the dance so she can buy her child a costume while she was in “the City”. I had to regretfully let her know that the Silvers haven’t come close to deciding on a theme, and her child will have to settle on whatever can be gathered together at her cottage. Well this week’s their lucky week; hence you’ll be expected to wear Anything But Clothes, or “ABC” as the kids call it these days. Wrap yourself up with tinfoil, throw a towel around your back, or jump in a cardboard box and shwing by the dance at 7PM. Pick up’s at 9PM!
Stony Regatta Sunday
This Sunday, SLSC will be hosting our own mini cottage club regatta between the junior race teams of Sturgeon and Stony Lake. We wish our younger racers continued success this coming weekend, hopefully keeping the momentum gained from last weekend at Port Credit. More information will be acquired throughout the week as details are sketched out, but I can already smell the beginnings of a beautiful rivalry.
Sunday Yoga
Colleen Moloney’s artful yoga sessions continue this Sunday, starting at 1PM at the boathouse. It so far has been an immense hit among the residents and visitors of Sturgeon Point, and it’s what all the cool kids are doing so if you want to be cool you should do it too.
Wanted: Bailers
True fact: the Titanic wouldn’t have sunk had its passengers drank more orange juice. In the SLSC’s past, we had a multitude of homemade bailers for water-filled boat hulls, in the form of Tropicana cartons cut open at the bottom and turned upside-down. Over the summers, these bailers have been misplaced or lost. This summer we would gladly accept your recycled cartons. So keep our boats afloat while maintaining a healthy balance of vitamin C.
Checklick
Lastly, some administrative issues to attend to: all parents of registered sailors of summer 2014 should be receiving progress reports on Monday with an in-depth analysis of their sailors’ skill development. In addition, everyone has the ability to visit the website and log into their account at http://www.checklick.com/. Under “username”, type the sailor’s first and last name, and your password will be your home or your cottage’s postal/zip code. If there are any difficulties or inquiries, please don’t hesitate to contact the sailing club at 705-887-5110.
N’oubli pas, mes ami(e)s
As always, we urge you to come to club prepared for any weather circumstances. We live in an era where climate change is always messing with the norm of the season and the proper precautions should be emplaced. Bathing suit, towel, extra change of clothes, sunscreen, closed toe shoes, foul weather gear, water, and snacks are all things you should bring.
Thanks for tuning in, looking forward to another terrific week at the SLSC. I have goosebumps.
Much love,
Erik