PAGE 18 • AUTUMN 2007 THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SAILING ASSOCIATION
FEATURE STORY
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“It was the bluest water I’d ever sailed in,” Witt said as
she ticked off the many wonders of Antigua sailing.
Steady winds of 20-25 knots every day in warm
temperatures made comfortable by those very same
winds. And despite sailing every day, Cecilie couldn’t get
enough; but you have to eat and sleep sometime!
“If you’re into sailing, you’d be into Club Colonna
anytime and especially during American Sailing Week,”
said Witt. “The beachfront is littered with small boats,
and for American Sailing Week they have the larger boats
for perfect, thrilling half-day sails. Without a lot of small
boat experience, I steered away from them in the fresh,
tradewind breezes, sticking instead to the keelboats; but
FEATURE STORY
beach-launched sailors always returned with a grin.”
continued from previous page
“Outside the resort, we also enjoyed a trip to St. John, As ASA member Earl Morrow wrote, “Imagine being on a
where we enjoyed some shopping and some of the tropical isle, drink in hand, pleasant breezes and
fabulous, authentic West Indian cuisine. Later, we traveled company of your choice and dreams. Well jump that up
the island for a sunset from Shirley Heights – one of the two steps! Our ASA Antigua getaway was more: much,
most spectacular views possible looking west over English much more. ASA staff had planned and provisioned for
Harbor with local music livening up the evening. Now, I’m us so well, it was as if we each had our own concierge
back with some great memories but will maintain the for the entire stay. Our voyage was navigated in advance,
Between the parties and the sailing, it’s a wonder ASA members
Antigua sailing spirit while sailing the Virginia coast.”
With trips to neighboring harbors, ASA members got the chance
artistically and expertly provisioned, and we were
had time to sleep.
to sail for longer stretches.
pampered … free to pursue relationships, fun, ease,
Sailstice Around the World
sailing, exercise … paradise.” winnings, there is room for doubt. Now, weeks later,
Over the past seven years, literally thousands of sailors
Dufour 30 and three Beneteau 473s, which you try not
Cecilie says she still has to pinch her tanned self to
have signed up and started their own Summer Sailstice
to sail onto the beach. Naturally, a Caribbean beach Setting out under sail anywhere is pretty magical but
remember that it really all came true!
celebrations in their home sailing waters. Sailors have
resort comes with all the other attractions dreamers and Antigua certainly has the potential to spoil you!
participated from 49 states – all except North Dakota.
doers can imagine – a lush garden, luxurious pool,
For other American Sailing Week sailors, Summer
Does anyone know a sailor from North Dakota? Beyond
beautiful sandy beach and tropical snorkeling. Not unheard of, the romance of island sailing captured
Sailstice in Antigua was a perfect way to celebrate the
the States, sailors have been joining in from Europe, the
more than a few hearts while in Antigua. Susan sailing life and to kick off the summer sailing season.
Caribbean and Asia. While the summer solstice is ideal
Despite all these beachfront toys, the rum drinks might Williamson, who arrived from Raleigh, N.C., wrote us to
for the Northern Hemisphere, it happens to be the
have compensated for it all if they’d just happened to go say, “I felt safe, secure and supported as I started a love
As Anna Bell Chandler said, “By near the end of the
shortest day of the year in the Southern Hemisphere.
missing. The solstice party was on the 21st and, since affair with sailing. As with all wonderful loves, if I had
week, we had dozens of new friends from Virginia Beach
it’s the longest day of the year and the sun sets late, only known it would be this good, I would have started
on the East Coast to San Francisco on the West Coast
That didn’t stop one Australian from signing up and
you’ve got to party late as well. This year, it was with the sooner. Thanks ASA, I’ll be back next year!”
and many points in between. As we said our goodbyes,
commenting, “down here we’ll be celebrating on the
island’s best band, Dread and the Bald Head. While
we knew it was only until the next great sailing trip.
shortest day to sail, but it’s the longest night to party!”
sounding a bit like the feeling you might get as you Susan, who had previously completed her basic
Thank you, American Sailing Association, for these many
round the bald shoreline of Cape Horn, they kept keelboat certification, had serendipitously connected in
great gifts.”
So it goes, more Summer Sailstice parties springing up
people’s tired and sun-stroked bodies jumping late into the spring with a friend who mentioned an Antigua
across the planet on reservoirs, lakes, rivers and up and
the evening. Fortunately, those who began faltering on sailing vacation and about three seconds later, she’d
American Sailing Week 2008 is being planned for some
down the coasts. It’s not a national holiday anywhere yet;
the dance floor could have their vitality restored by the agreed. As she relayed it was “an adventure that
time in the month of June at Club Colonna in Antigua.
but, every year, sailors are getting a step closer.
ancient Caribbean, pre-Red-Bull-era energy drink – rum changed my life!” More proof that quick decisions are
For more information on dates, log on to the ASA
punch. Many found it helped fire up the night but also often the best ones!
website. Also, be sure to bookmark both
Of course, not many of the Summer Sailstice
slowed down the morning.
www.summersailstice.com and www.asa.com to keep up
celebrations rivaled the quantity or quality of sailing and
It was similar for Sailstice winner Cecilie Ann Witt. She to date with plans for the 2008 events.
celebrating going on at Sunsail’s Club Colonna – the host
Depending on where you sail, you might own and received an email notification of her winning and,
site of ASA’s sailing holiday week. Club Colonna is one of
frequently use, an offshore set of heavy foul weather gear despite the normal doubt (have you won the UK lottery
Bon Voyage!
the Sunsail charter company’s dedicated sailing resorts
you wear over layers of long johns, fleece and other or had money transferred to you from Nigeria lately?),
or, as ASA instructor Jean Levine stated, a “sailing camp
weather protection. Sailing at Club Colonna couldn’t put she waited a few nanoseconds to respond to the ASA
John Arndt, lifelong sailor and ad rep for Latitude 38 sailing
for grown ups.” The sailing “toy box” included 75 small
those memories further from your mind. offices saying she’d accept a free sailing trip to Antigua.
magazine, founded Summer Sailstice to unite and showcase the
sail boats such as Lasers, Topazes, Hobie Cats and Sport
Now, it’s hard to imagine why anyone would ever say no, best of sailing community. You can reach him at
16s sailed off the beach, while anchored out there was a
continued on next page
but in this modern era of ‘a-prize-a-second’ online john@summersailstice.com.
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