Commodore's Blog

Congratulations BCA Member Nicky Arnoldus!!

Mon, 5 May 2014 17:59:42 GMT

Take a look at this great action shot of BCA member Nicky Arnoldus and daughter Serena Peck dinghy sailing in the Bay of Naples on the February/March cover of the Italian magazine Arte Navale Motor Yachting and Sailing!!

Originally from the Netherlands, Nicky is passionate about the 12 ft International dinghy (http://www.12footdinghy.org/). She does the European racing circuit every summer, is the only competitor representing Canada and now ranks in 5th place. She was Dutch National Champion at the age of 22 in 1986, beating out all the old pros! Congratulations Nicky and all the best this year!!

Check out http://www.12footdinghy.org/ for race results (under Cockshott Trophy) and some photos of her & Serena under News… "Team Canada: Nicky & Serena" at West Kirby, "Classique de Sciez" France 10.08.2012 & "the next generation" in Lucerne Switzerland 08.08.2012.

Nicky and her husband Larry Peck are bluewater members from Saturna Island (SV Meriah).

"What Was I Thinking?" Pamela Bendall, Solo Sailor, Author, Motivational Speaker

Thu, 24 Apr 2014 00:47:38 GMT

"What Was I Thinking? Adventures of a Solo Female Sailor"

Solo offshore sailing is not common, a female solo offshore sailor with 100,000nm under her keel, is very rare indeed!

Many people dream of sailing off into the sunset; however, few ever find their sea legs. When Pamela Bendall releases the lines of her sailboat, she embarks on the adventure of a lifetime – offshore cruising as a single woman.

With her precious dog Riley in tow, she has navigated high seas and perfect storms, and endured engine fires and lightening strikes. Pamela is the first to admit ocean sailing is not always the idyllic solitude one might imagine. Things don’t always go as planned.

Blending humour, suspense, romance, strength and vulnerability in equal measure, Pamela’s newest book “What Was I Thinking?” takes the reader on an engaging and inspiring voyage that navigates far beyond the scope of sailing. Set sail with Pamela as she experiences limitless life lessons relating to fear, ocean ecology, living in numerous Third World societies, and management of her 50,000 pound sailing vessel Precious Metal.

Pamela will be speaking at the Calgary Club Night on May 6 and also at the Victoria Club Night on May 20. In addition to sharing her experiences as a sailor, Pamela will also give a brief presentation entitled "If Fish Could Talk".

Additional speaking engagements open to BCA members and the general public:
Summerland Yacht Club: May 2, 7pm
Maple Bay Yacht Club: May 22, 7pm

BC Marine Parks Forever Society

Sat, 19 Apr 2014 19:53:27 GMT

The Marine Parks Forever Society (MPFS)was formed some 24 years ago by The Council of BC Yacht Clubs (http://www.cbcyachtclubs.ca/) as a registered charity for the sole purpose of raising funds for the acquisition of property and foreshores by BC Parks for the creation of Marine Parks in BC coastal waters. In recent years the society's mandate was amended to include the enhancement and development of existing parks in cooperation with BC Parks. And as many of us who have cruised the BC coast know, the BC Marine Park system is unique in the world and attracts many thousands of visitors each year, including hundreds of boaters from the United States.

Back in 1962, the Council raised and contributed $13,000 of the $75,000 required to purchase what is known as the first marine park in BC, Pirates Cove. In 50+ years since then, CBCYC and the Marine Parks Forever Society have raised approximately $1,235,000. These funds have contributed to the acquisition or expansion of Pirates, Smugglers, and Wakes coves, Allison Harbour, Squitty Bay, Wallace, Jedediah, Musket, Hardy, and Octopus islands. In March 2014, the society contributed $433,000 to the extension of the marine park on Quadra Island, including Small Inlet.

This year (2014), the society is also working with BC Parks to install / improve a standardized shore pin and chain system in some selected Marine Parks (Conover, Princess, Pirates and Jedidiah).

In October 2011, BCA was received 50 copies of the BC Marine Parks Guide; in return for a $10 donation to the society, a copy of the BC Marine Park Guide is yours to enjoy - ask your Chapter bosun for a copy at your next club night!

More information about BC Marine Parks Forever can be found on the society website: http://www.marineparksforever.ca/

Recreation Boating Safety Campaign from New Zealand

Sat, 19 Apr 2014 19:04:17 GMT

On Sat Apr 5, a group of 11 VI Chapter members young and old, jumped fully clad (complete with foulies and boots) into Victoria's Crystal Pool to practice PFD deployment and life raft deployment. We quickly learned how difficult it is to swim when weighed down by all our gear and how challenging it is to get into a life raft from the water. Without exception, everyone of us committed once again to doing everything we can to stay safe and stay onboard our vessels when underway.

It was also at about the same time that I saw Maritime New Zealand's (MNZ's) summer advertising campaign. It harks back to the glory days of 1980s cop shows (think Starsky and Hutch) to show that, like bulletproof vests, lifejackets don't save people's lives unless they're worn. Police officers Brandon Reynolds & Joe Lyons head to the docks for a bust. Things don't go as planned... http://www.maritimenz.govt.nz/Recreational-Boating/Safety-campaign/

The campaign draws on MNZ's latest research, which shows that men aged 40 plus are the least likely to zip up on the water. Black humour and '80s TV show nostalgia are used to deliver the deadly message that having a lifejacket on board won't save boaties or their mates if things go wrong. Being close to your lifejacket is like being close to your bulletproof vest -- it's just not close enough. People think if they have an accident, they'll have time to put their lifejacket on, but boating tragedies tell a different story.

Can You Deploy & Board Your Life Raft??

Tue, 8 Apr 2014 07:27:01 GMT

I have been watching with interest the rescue of SV Rebel Heart, approx 900nm off Mexico. SV Rebel Heart left Mexico approx 2 weeks ago and was headed to the South Pacific when their 13-month-old daughter became very ill. That, compounded with engine troubles, resulted in the call for help. Thanks to California Air National Guard's 129th Rescue Wing, the family is now safe, but they unfortunately have had to scuttle their boat (their home).

Closer to home, a sail boat sank off Texada Island this past weekend, leaving 6 people in the cold, hypothermic waters of the Strait of Georgia, all of whom were safely rescued.

These incidents bring into sharp focus the "what if" scenario that we face whenever we set sail. If you had to deploy your life raft, would you be able to board it? Will your PFD right you if you are unconscious and face down? Is your crew able to lift you out of the water using your boat’s MOB gear?

BCA members have the opportunity to learn the essentials regarding use of Life rafts, PFDs and MOB recovery systems on Sat Apr 12. Are you registered? If not, register today; the cost is $75 per person. Additional details and registration: http://www.bluewatercruising.org/events/event_details.asp?id=417615&group=

BCA Founding Member David Lucas (1943 - 2014)

Sun, 6 Apr 2014 04:02:54 GMT

I am sorry to report the death of one of BCA's founding members, David Lucas, who drowned last month in rough conditions while swimming at the ocean beach off the small town of Brunswick Heads, NSW, Australia.

David and his first wife, Teresa, were very active in BCA at it's inception (1978) and they designed the burgee we use to this day. Teresa tragically died of ciguatera poisoning while cruising offshore in New Hebrides (now Vanuatu) and her grave there is marked with a plaque bearing the BCA logo.

News of David's death was forwarded to me by BCA member David Johnston who wrote that he was "a very respected and accomplished seaman throughout his life and he made his living on and associated with the sea for the over 45 years that I knew him."

"Between the ages of 65 and 70 David embarked as a crew member on an Australian yacht for voyages to the Antipodes and other Islands 1000 kms south of Australia and New Zealand then across the Southern Ocean to explore the waters in Southern Chile and around Cape Horn. This voyage continued up the East Coast of South America and when David last stayed with us for a few days in Vancouver two years ago he was returning to Australia from a voyage around the coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador."

Not only did David Lucas rub shoulders with many bluewater sailors during his years in BC, but according to John Vallentine, his friends also included such luminaries as Bernard Moitessier, the Smeetons and the Hiscocks, to name but a few: http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?client=1-10061-0-0-0&sID=300755&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=28700670.

A BCA founding member to be proud of indeed!

David is survived by his second wife, Jeanette, and other family in England.

Alberta Connection to Clipper Around the World Yacht Race

Sun, 6 Apr 2014 02:59:20 GMT

Like sailing? Don't like cancer? That's the way it is for Fiona Garforth-Bles who works at the Tom Baker cancer clinic in Calgary. Fiona has signed up for two legs of the Clipper Round the World Yacht race and is raising money for the Alberta Cancer Foundation Clinical Trials Research Unit. You can read more here http://www.rockyviewweekly.com/article/20140217/RVW1101/302179978/-1/RVW/bragg-creek-resident-takes-the-helm-for-race and donate to her cause. Details about where to donate are in the article. (With thanks to Calgary Vice Commodore, Alastair Handley, for drawing attention to this opportunity to support a great cause.)

Vancouver Island Cruising Experience 2014

Sat, 22 Mar 2014 01:12:57 GMT

Thanks to Vancouver Chapter members Carole & Ken Downes who are coordinating VICE 2014!

VICE is a multi-day opportunity for Dreamers to get some offshore experience before actually becoming Doers. A fleet of BCA boats waits for a weather window on the West Coast before sailing out to sea. The idea is to leave in reasonable weather that is similar to what would be experienced during an offshore voyage. The boats head out into the Pacific for two or three days before turning back. This cruise provides a chance to test your boats and yourselves - learning to cook, eat, sleep, test offshore systems, communicate and keep watch at sea.

If you are interested (no commitment necessary) in taking your own boat or crewing on another boat, please e-mail the VICE coordinators through the BCA website (www.bluewatercruising.org). They will help you get in touch with the VICE Fleet so that you can join in the planning. Register online today for this unique learning opportunity!

Still not sure? Read the articles about previous VICE experiences in the following editions of Currents (all of which can be found online):

December issues: 2007, 2008, 2009
November issues: 2010
October issues: 2011, 2012

Jennifer

Invitation to BCA Members from Martin 242 Fleet

Thu, 20 Mar 2014 06:41:57 GMT

The Vancouver M242 Fleet is actively looking for keen sailors who want to tune up their racing skills with the largest and most active One Design Keel boat fleet in the the Pacific Northwest. BCA members who are interested in racing are invited to an Open House on Sun April 6 2014 at Royal Vancouver Yacht Club (see poster attached at bottom of this post).

M242 Fleet One sailors race from April to October, every Wednesday night in One Design races run by RVYC. They also race in monthly Round the Buoys regattas as well as some long distance races.

The April 6 Open House is free and offers a great opportunity for sailors to meet the M242 skippers in the fleet who are looking for crew for the upcoming season.

Questions about the Open House can be directed to Alan Sturgess, Fleet Captain M242 Fleet One (Sturgess@m242fleetone.org). For more information about the M242 fleet and its racing schedule: www.m242fleetone.org.

Jennifer Handley

Commodore, BCA

The First Woman to Circumnavigate

Sun, 9 Mar 2014 06:34:57 GMT

Today, March 8, is International Women's Day and I happened to stumble upon a blog posted by the UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research that is not just appropriate to the day, but also has a connection to those of us who set sail for distant shores. The blogger celebrates a species (Solanum baretiae) whose namesake is French botanist Jeanne Baret (1740-1807). According to the blog, Jeanne was the first woman to circumnavigate the world, albeit disguised as a man. In the pursuit of her passion for botany and in order to accompany her lover, Philibert Commerson, (also a botanist), she sailed on the ship, L'Étoile, under the command of Louis Antoine de Bougainville. To read the full blog, go to http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/potd/2014/03/solanum-baretiae.php.

Further investigation led to a book by Glynis Ridley that I am tempted to read now that I have apparently will have more time on my hands as a "retiree" - The Discovery of Jeanne Baret: A Story of Science, the High Seas, and the First Woman to Circumnavigate the Globe.

Thank You from Mexico - John Spicher Update

Mon, 3 Mar 2014 05:50:35 GMT

We received the following email from Carolyn Daley (SV Shannon) in response to posting the blog about the unfortunate accident that should never have happened to cruiser, John Spicher, on Feb 18 2014:

John's family has asked that we thank the BCA very much for what you are doing. I'll keep in touch with Tom & Jeanne and give you timely updates as best as we can. Thanks again for all you are doing about getting John's story out. It's all about boaters helping boaters... and this is one good cause...

Plans in the La Paz cruising community are well underway for a "Let's Bring John Home to La Paz" benefit party to be held Wed afternoon at Marina Palmira.

While the emergency part of this story is over, the need for help is still great. The 'emergency' part was quite depleting financially. For the long run, John is looking at quite a bit of rehab, physical therapy and then getting fitted for his new foot. If you'd like to help out, donations can be made through the following ways:

PayPal using the account SVTimepiece@gmail.com
or
For direct deposit/wire transfer; please contact Tom at bigleftturn@hotmail.com for instructions
or
If you're in La Paz, come to the benefit party on Wed March 5, 4-6 PM.

An accident that should never have happened

Thu, 27 Feb 2014 21:32:43 GMT

On February 18, 2014 John Spicher on SV Time Piece was very badly injured, doing what John can usually be found doing... helping someone else. In this case another boater in the anchorage was operating his very large (15-17') dinghy with a large outboard (30-40 HP) but without wearing his safety kill switch lanyard. He, for whatever reason, was thrown from the boat. The aforementioned kill switch lanyard would have immediately turned off the motor (had it been engaged). Instead, the situation quickly became that of a run-away dinghy spinning wildly in circles, with the owner/operator in the water and no longer in control.

John quickly jumped into his dinghy and went to pull the man from the water, all the time watching the run-away dinghy carefully. John managed to get the swimmer into his dinghy and was making his way back to shore, when the run-away boat struck an anchored sailboat, and changed course... directly at John. The runaway dinghy ran right over the top of John, throwing him and his newly acquired passenger into the water. John was not immediately aware that his left foot, ankle, and lower left leg had been struck by the prop, leaving it very badly mangled.

Then, to add injury to insult, the run-away (still spinning in deadly circles) ran right back over John just as he got back into his dinghy. This time, it landed right on top of him and pinned him down. He was not hit by the prop this time, but in pushing the boat away and off of himself, he landed back in the water again. John was rescued by another local Mexican Captain who helped stop the bleeding (an artery had been severed), got him to the beach and arranged for an ambulance.

By 2 PM that afternoon, with Jeanne Walker (SV Eagle) accompanying him, John was on a medevac flight to UCSD (University of California, San Diego) trauma centre.

Today at the time of posting, we have learned that unfortunately John lost his foot and lower portion of his left leg in surgery yesterday. This is very sad news for such a brave young man. He has been released from hospital and will be going home with his brother. John now faces months of recovery time and equipment. The support of friends and the sailing community has been strong and will need to continue to help with the accumulating costs.

He has a long road ahead of him. As well, the cost for his care and recovery will be high.

A PayPal account has been established for those of us who wish to make a donation to help him cover the many expenses that are occurring.

www.paypal.com/us/webapps/send-money-online

and can also be reached via SVTimePiece@Gmail.com

Further information about John and his recovery is also available on

www.sailblogs.com/member/bigleftturn/

BCA will keep monitoring John's recovery and keep you informed.

Photos courtesy of Jeanne Walker.

Cruising Club of America Honours Jeanne Socrates with its Blue Water Medal

Sat, 15 Feb 2014 22:17:39 GMT

Bluewater Cruising Association extends heartfelt congratulations to Jeanne Socrates (www.svnereida.com) who has just been awarded the Blue Water Medal by the Cruising Club of America!!

Jeanne started her third attempt from Victoria in 2012 and completed a non-stop circumnavigation last year in 259 days.

She became the first woman to sail nonstop around the world from North America and the oldest woman to sail solo nonstop around the world. Jeanne was supported and encouraged by many BCA members including, in particular, Ian Grant and Shaun Peck.

More information about the award can be found here: https://cruisingclub.org/awards/awards_bluewater.htm