How do traditions get started? Way back in 2001 we floated the idea of a global sailing celebration and about 200 people signed up for what was the very first Summer Sailstice. This mostly included 'friends and family' who just liked the idea of a virtual sailing get-together. This spawned one of the first group gatherings when friends at the Encinal Yacht Club in Alameda gathered in the Oakland estuary to toast sailing in their inflatable tenders. John and Gilly Foy, now in Banderas Bay, Mexico, recently came across an early photo of their first Sailstice and sent it in with the comments below:
'Below is a photo of some Encinal YC members enjoying the 1st Summer Saltice in June, 2001 on the Oakland Estuary. In honor of your event we decided to take our dinks out for a raft up and had great fun.'
Pictured are:
Rob & Teri Moore (Can't remember the name of their boat!)
George Escueda & Maxine Bolf MY "This is it"
Rod & Peggy Kidd Catalina 38 "Flying Bear"
John & Gilly Foy Catalina 38 "Chanteuse"
Thanks fror making great memories!
John & Gilly Foy
S/V Destiny, Punta de Mita
Now there are people participating in all 50 states and a total of 47 countries have participated. Last year participants hailed from all over including Bornao, South Africa, El Salvador, the Marshall Islands and Israel. As always, you never know how these things will turn out and it's hard to find some of those early photos so it's great to have this one to pass on.
John & Gilly Foy have gone on to sail thousands of miles doing Latitude 38's Baja Ha-Ha and cruising Mexico resulting in them becomging full-time residents of Punta Mita on Banderas Bay. Nice move!
14 years later Encinal Yacht Club continues the tradition by hosting the San Francisco Bay' celebration with over 1,000 people attending the 2013 event. RSVP on the event page here.
EYC members rafted up at Angel Island for Summer Sailstice in 2003.
One of the first Summer Sailstice t-shirts on the back of an EYC member on Angel Island.
