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Was this group of bright, articulate women from “The View?”… or maybe a conference of engineers exploring weather patterns and the physics of wind? Or perhaps they were attendees at a medical workshop, getting reoriented to the latest CPR mechanics?. No, this was the agenda enjoyed by 18 Lady Mariners at the annual Women’s Weekend Capable onshore instruction by Wendy O’Toole, Karin Getschow, and Connie Sheets was stimulating and informative… Ken Irwin presented a comprehensive introduction to the club’s service boats and motors with special insight into starting cold engines. No Viagra needed here! Alice Shoemaker was so excited by the engine expose’, that she performed her signature acrobatic maneuver, toe-balancing on the gunnel of It was wonderful to welcome Betty Duncan, our sailor- emeritus, who responded to the query,” Would you like to take the helm?” with: “If you insist!” Now an octogenarian, she had to be forcibly pulled off the boat…her energy and love of sailing knew no limits of time or weather! Stephanie Buckley-Waugh brought 2 guests, charming 7 month old daughter, Mac, and her co-worker, Wei Escala, both of whom were so happy to be with us. But Wei’s normally infectious grin widened perceptibly after her first experience at the helm….Another newcomer, Debbie Creek, had responded to a notice on the bulletin board at the gym she and Cindy Fisher work out at. She arrived in a black velour leisure suit, expecting a lazy, calm day of floating around on the water. Little did she realize that winds at 7-10 turned that dream into a tryout for the America’s Cup…but I think Karen McGee brought a 200lb concrete pig (doesn’t everyone?), which she converted into the 2009 version of Tom Sawyer’s fence painting project. Several of us found ourselves releasing our creative urges on that unsuspecting critter. It’s been a while since I’ve thought of Pigskin as being Pink! Kathleen Neumann volunteered to help paint the pig. Her CV listed past artistic expressions on walls, ceilings, landscapes and stick figures. The pig was her masterpiece! Without prior preparation, Sharon Petko-Bunney was asked to race and teach at the same time—a heavy task! She claimed that crew, Julie Powers, maintained total shipboard calm, because she was much experienced in crewing for a skipper, who was also “intensely competitive.” Our Sharon, Intensely Competitive? NO! Can’t be!. Their crew Stephanie was an Beverly Haase decided to take a very early morning sail. It turned into an early morning swim, as her boat accidently drifted off the lift into the lake, where she was forced to swim to retrieve it. Is this an example of “Double your pleasure, double your fun?”….Wendy o”Toole recommended that bare skin was the best indicator of wind direction and velocity. Did she mean to imply that the lower the wind wind the less clothing needed? That suggestion on a 0-2 day could Judy Hearn echoed all our sentiments about the weekend: It was great! Congenial, educational, entertaining and so much pleasure in witnessing the newbie’s feel so much excitement about sailing……Cindy Fisher ordered the 7-10 wind on Saturday and 0-2 on Sunday, just to give us a variety of sailing experiences. She was the planner, provisioner, time, coach, problem solver, hotelier, shopper, orderer, and kitchen supervisor. She did a fabulous job, and we are all grateful to her for providing a spectacular week-end….Good thing she gave me the task of writing this blurb,’ cause she would never have given all those well-deserved kudos to herself! Thanks, Cindy….and Thanks to Alice Shoemaker and Chris Getschow for helping with the on the water instruction.

Source: http://www.clsa.us/A%20Good%20Time%20to%20Remember.pdf