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Rubber Ducky FUN Sail Kicks Off FWSA Season
- Susan St. John
- Oct 15
- 5 min read
Updated: Oct 17
The Florida Women’s Sailing Association (FWSA) kicked off the sailing season on October 8th with a FUN Sail at their southernmost club, the Bitter Ends of Venice. Sailors, kayakers and paddleboarders took to the water to have fun participating in on-water games, followed by lunch at Nokomo’s on Dona Bay in Nokomis, FL.
FWSA members from the Tampa Mainsheet Mamas, the Davis Island Dinghy Dames and the Sarasota Luffing Lassies joined the Venice Bitter Ends to participate in the event. A 4-car accident on I75 significantly slowed travel for some, but everyone continued to trek on vs. turning around. The winds were just a bit higher than had been hoped for but that didn’t dissuade the ladies from taking to the waterways.
The boaters launched from Higel Park accompanied by two support boats. Once they reached Roberts Bay, a giant rubber ducky float was released. The goal was for sailors to grab the duck, tie it onto their boat in any manner possible, and then sail with the duck for five minutes. This task proved to be challenging. Grabbing the duck was the easy part. Tying the duck onto the boat and then tacking in high winds tended to be problematic. The duck created quite a drag and at times seemed like it would nosedive into the water.
Game two involved Skip Discs that are shaped like Frisbee’s but made from a rubbery
substance so they can be skipped across the water. The goal with this game was to pick up the disc skipped by the support boat and then skip it back. Everyone received points for their skill in retrieving the disc, and accuracy of skipping it back to the boat. Extra points were awarded for skip style.
After playing on Roberts Bay for 45 minutes, everyone headed over to Dona Bay. Once there, the support boats released one hundred little rubber ducks for the sailors, kayakers and paddleboarders to retrieve. Each duck had a point count printed on the bottom and prizes were awarded for high and low points. This task proved easier for the kayakers since they
could paddle to a spot and just start picking up ducks. The sailors had to tack back and forth often since once they picked up a duck, they sailed past all the other floating ducks due to the high winds.
Two capsizes occurred during this game. In a tandem kayak, Mainsheet Mamas Missy Weiner and Tiffany Demarcay leaned a little too far when picking up some ducks. Bitter Ends sailor, Ann Carroll, capsized when she picked up a duck and then was quickly upon the support boat that was still in the vicinity. She did a quick tack to avoid hitting the boat and then went over. Luckily the water is still nice and warm, and both support boats were close at hand to aid the kayakers and sailor to get back aboard.
Once all the little ducks were picked up, everyone headed to Nokomo’s Sunset Hut on Dona Bay to enjoy lunch. Some of the kayakers who chose not to go out on the water arrived early to help kayakers and sailors tie up and climb out of their boats. The event had been planned for a high tide day so the climb up to the dock wasn’t too arduous from the low boats.
Nokomo’s General Manager, Meghan Richards, arranged for the sailing group to have the entire downstairs of Nokomo’s and the staff did an amazing job serving food and drinks to all.
After everyone ordered, the group played one more game appropriately named “Sunfish Bingo” after the boats being sailed. Players were given regular bingo cards, but the markers were miniature 3D printed Sunfish logos. The game was a hit with everyone. Soap ducks were awarded as prizes, along with handmade clutch purses made by Bitter Ends sailor and seamstress extraordinaire, Jill Joos.
The bonus for the day was drone footage of the activities provided by local photographer, Jon Geegan from On The Fly. His videos captured the beauty of the day and the gorgeous setting of Roberts and Dona Bay against the backdrop of Venice Island and the Gulf. It was a treat to see how the sailboats looked from on high.
At the end of the day, sailor Diane Fairey from the Sarasota Luffing Lassies wrote thanking the Bitter Ends for a fantastic day on the water. “From helping launch boats early in the morning to docking smoothly at Nokomo’s Sunset Hut, the teamwork and support from the [Bitter Ends], Lassie sailors [and other FWSA members] made everything flow with ease. There’s nothing like the power of community and kindness to turn a day of sailing into something truly special.” She noted that “all moments were filled with laughter, friendly competition, and joy.” Many veteran FWSA members joined in just for lunch and they shared sailing stories that brought an extra layer of meaning to the day. Diane summed the day up
best when she said, “Being out there together reminded me why sailing with this crew is so much more than a sport — it’s a sisterhood, a celebration, and a place where every woman, new or experienced, is welcomed with open arms.”
After a difficult season last year when most of the FWSA club regattas were cancelled due to hurricane damage, the Florida Women’s Sailing Association is looking forward to a season of many fun, competitive events.
The Florida Women’s Sailing Association was founded in 1973 and the Bitter Ends, along with ten other member clubs, compete in Sunfish, Optis, Club 420’s and Ideal 18’s racing once a week at their respective clubs.
The Bitter Ends sail out of Higel Park and the facilities of the Venice Youth Boating Association at Venice Yacht Club. They race on Wednesday mornings from September through May. Membership is open to the public for women who have experience in sailing. Information about club requirements can be found at www.bitterendsvenice.com.
Written by;
Pam Miller, Bitter Ends, FWSA President
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