Saturday 30 June 2012

Dine and Dance for a Cure


What better way to kick off the summer than a dining and dancing at our local yacht club in Belleville! 

On July 21st, Sail for a Cure's first benefit dinner will be taking place in the main hall of the beautiful Bay of Quinte Yacht Club.


Cocktails @ 6:00 pm
Dinner @ 7:30 pm
Dance @ 9:00 pm

Silent and live auction!

Tax receiptable cash donations graciously accepted

Tickets are $40 per person +HST

Tickets and further information can be obtained through Kim Lander at 
613-922-7245 or
kimlander@bell.blackberry.net

Many thanks to Kim Lander, the Commodore of BQYC for organizing the event!

Friday 22 June 2012

Waupoos Wabbit Wace

With the big departure date just over two months away it feels like more and more people are catching wind of Sail for a Cure! (Pun intended) The various questions I'm asked like, "Aren't you sailing around the world or something?" or, "I heard you were swimming across Lake Ontario!" are all very pleasing in the fact that many people semi-know what Sail for a Cure is. Despite the fact that i'm not a very good swimmer, and my, "First Lake Ontario, THEN THE WORLD!!!" attitude is slowly taking over, my trip will be limited within the constraints of Lake Ontario, and if all goes well, no part of me will be completely immersed in water. Nevertheless, there is nothing more satisfying then the approving nod or handshake I get after fully explaining Sail for a Cure.

My first long distance training sail will be this saturday in conjunction with the Prince Edward Yacht Club's annual, "Waupoos Wabbit Wace". The 27 nautical mile race course begins in Picton just outside the harbour limits, travels past the Glenora Ferry, around Cressy Point, Southwest towards South Bay, around the Western side of Waupoos Island, and finishes just off the Waupoos Marina docks.  Winds are looking to be a fresh 10 knots which means the race won't be too strenuous on the newly commissioned Sail for a Cure boat. With an estimated 8-12 boats on the start line, this should prove to be a great start to my training season!



Last minute preparations are being made tonight which includes none other than a bowl of mum's finest spaghetti, tons of food and water being packed on the boat, and a good night's rest.

The race is scheduled to start around 10:15 Saturday morning so if you're in the area please feel free to snap a picture of the little white and red boat flying the Canadian Cancer Society flag!

Wish me luck!

Fair winds,

- Sandy

Thursday 14 June 2012

Launch the boat: Check!

Since I touched down at the inconveniently congested Pearson airport in Toronto three weeks ago tomorrow, I have been eating, sleeping, and breathing Sail for a Cure. (Literally and figuratively).

The first thing on the to-do list was simple: make a list. If you know me personally, you may know that my organizational skills are lacking. Climbing Mount Everest would be easier than locating a specific page in my high school english binder, and if my Sail for a Cure "to-do's" weren't written down and memorized, they would end up like my shakespeare notes.

Now to the point... the boat I will be using for Sail for a Cure has unfortunately been out of the water sitting on a trailer for a year and a half. No problem, I like a challenge! After clearing all the dead leaves, bees nests, pebbles, and a brave chipmunks off of the boat, a soon to be seaworthy vessel was uncovered. The first order of business was to sand all of the old paint off the hull and then put a fresh coat on. After what felt like an eternity of sanding and inhaling about a kilogram of paint dust, the hull was ready for a facelift. A trip to Pride Marine in Kingston, four hours of solid painting and whammo! Some minor cosmetic work to make her shiny and she was ready for launch.

She was launched in Waupoos due to water level concerns at the Picton boat launch which meant she needed to be sailed around to Picton that night in order to avoid the dockage fees. Im a student... anything to save a buck right? Nevertheless, myself and two crew members sailed her to Picton in minimal winds but what proved to be a successful voyage.

The boat now resides on a floating mooring in Picton Harbour almost directly across from the boat launch. Next step is to raise the Canadian Cancer Society flags and get training! My first long distance solo training run will be on June 23rd. More info to come.

Fair winds,

Sandy





Sunday 3 June 2012

Welcome!

Welcome to the digital home of Sail for a Cure!

I am an avid sailor who has seen too many people affected by cancer. It is our duty to put an end to the leading cause of pre-mature deaths in Canada.

My goal is simple: to raise at least $4500 for the Hasting and Prince Edward branch of the Canadian Cancer Society. The challenge I have created titled "Sail for a Cure" will be a summer long project ending with the longest non-stop single handed sailing voyage I have ever done.

This is where you will find updates to video logs, training information, and fund-raising events for Sail for a Cure.

Please come back and follow my adventure as together we can make Cancer history.

Fair winds,

- Sandy