Regatta Point Marina is the Area’s Prime Place to Celebrate Summer Sailstice

Regatta Point will be hosting a Summer Sailstice event on June 18, 2011. Summer Sailstice is a world-wide event bringing together sailors on the Saturday closest to Summer Solstice.

PALMETTO— This year marks the 10th anniversary of Summer Sailstice, a national holiday that brings sailors all over the world together to celebrate and demonstrate a life under sail.

The international event was founded in 2001, and is held annually on the Saturday closest to the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. Summer Sailstice connects over 17,000 sailors all over the world—cruisers, racers and recreational.  It has expanded to include participants from Asia, Americas and Europe. In 2010 sailors in 50 US states and 47 countries connected in a global celebration of sailing.

The River Regatta on June 18, 2011 will serve as the area’s local link to the world-wide event. Organized by the Regatta Point Marina, any vessel can participate for a fee of $45. (A $10 late fee will be applied to any registrations after June 3)

Every year, www.summersailtice.com gives away thousands of dollars in prizes to any boat participating – regardless of location all one has to do is sign up.

Sailing advocate and California resident John Arndt founded the holiday. The first year, in 2001, the event consisted of some friends and family on San Francisco Bay. After 6 years of increasing participation, John formed a partnership with the renowned environmental group Ocean Conservancy.

The aim is to conduct a "virtual circumnavigation": if 2,600 boats complete a ten-mile sail, they'll have covered a collective 26,000 miles, the length of a round-the-world voyage. If each boat raises or donates just a dollar a mile, they'll donate over $25,000 into the Conservancy. 

Last year, Adam Lansdown and family took a 10-meter westerly voyage over to the Isle of Arran, Scotland.  Upon arrival, they spent the evening at the Glenisle Hotel, in the town of Lamlash, where they shared a delicious supper with other Summer Sailstice participants.

“We joke in our family that we had a highly adventurous ‘overseas trip’ when we cross from the mainland to the inner islands on the Clyde; nearly as good our more prosperous friends who travel to exotic locations in the Mediterranean and beyond,” Lansdown logged on the website.

Not every participant has a plan; Rick Galbreath came out to Treasure Island on San Francisco Bay to scope-out the sailing scene. As a relative newbie to the sailstice scene, he hoped to hitch a ride on a sailboat and discovered something he wanted to continue.

“I had such a good time at Treasure Island Sailstice-- watching the boats prepare was really great and the entertainment was so fun. However, I arrived too late to get signed up for a sailboat ride. Undaunted, I just hung out on the dock in hopes of a no-show (because I really love being on the water) and lo-and-behold, I got a ride on a sweet Catalina 36MkII,” he wrote.

Kevin Mulligan from Crystal River in Florida said his sails stay furled for most of the summer due to the hot temperatures. Occasionally an afternoon sea breeze or a special reason will prompt him to take out his sailboat. Summer Sailstice provided such a reason.

“My son Chris and his son Colin were on hand for Father's Day and I had wanted to introduce my grandson to sailing. He's only 13 months but is already proven to be a true water baby. My Cape Dory 28 is a bit of a dog in light air but with three generations of Mulligans on hand there was nothing to complain about,” he said.

Time is running out, so partakers are urged to register as soon as possible. Interested parties should contact Nana Bosma 941-306-7776 or email peterv@RegattaPointeMarina.com for more information.