Gathering on the Bay!

The last week of March saw women from every state (and almost every territory) converge on Port Stephens for the Women Who Sail Australia Gathering on the Bay. Held annually, the previous event, planned for March 2020, was cancelled at the last minute due to lockdowns. COVID has led to a hiatus since then.

While the Gathering itself takes place over three days (Friday to Sunday) it is bookended by optional activities – this year eight women (three flying in from Victoria) signed on for a day of sail training with RYA instructor Annette Hesselmans from Paper Sailors Rock. Fresh westerly winds created some spirited sailing and a lot of practice in gybing and tacking aboard SV Fika.

The Gathering officially kicked off on Friday and included sessions on ropes and deck fittings with Mel Yeomans and diesel engine basics with Lily Barlow. The highlight for many on Saturday was a presentation by record breaking solo sailor Lisa Blair who is one of only three people (and the only woman) to have circumnavigated Antarctica, solo, non-stop, and unassisted. In 2022, Lisa smashed the existing speed record for the circumnavigation by ten days and carried out important citizen science during the voyage, collecting valuable data for scientific organisations and agencies, including microplastic samples and deploying weather buoys in remote areas not usually transited by vessels. Lisa presented a second session on Sunday on managing your boat during storm conditions including the use of drogues –with hands-on displays of several types.

Over the three days of the Gathering, Sydney to Hobart double-handed division sailors, Kathy Veel and Bridget Canham, enthralled us with their story, Annette Hesselmans explained sail trim, Laura Corà Macolino shared the Sassy Sailing Sisters program, Julie Porter took us back in time with a talk about SV Rhona (the smallest tall ship in Hobart), and Debi Thornton outlined how cruisers and the marine environment are impacted by climate.

Informative sessions on anchoring, by Fabien Vignes from Rocna Australia, and first aid for cruisers, with Wendy Sullivan from Marine Medical Solutions, were extremely popular. Two of our WWSA skippers who have experienced rescue situations on their vessels, Cherylle Stone and Deb Keeley, were joined by Port Stephens Marine Rescue skipper Sue Freeman to present a panel discussion on rescue at sea describing what can go wrong and how to prepare your vessel for a rescue situation.

A new format for 2023 Gathering was an interactive session guided by Sonia Robinson from Eziyacht. Breakaway groups discussed various boating scenarios before sharing their outcomes with the room. This was highly successful and will return for 2024.

Leanne Hembrow ensured our attendees started the day relaxed and stress-free with her morning Yoga4Yachties sessions.

Of course, the men were not forgotten, a group of BOBs (blokes on boats) met for coffee and a chat on Friday and joined the women at the official Gathering dinner (Saturday) and a sunset dinner cruise (Sunday).

During the Gathering dinner, founder of WWSA, Dr Shelley Wright, announced the creation of the inaugural WWSA Birch and Dorning Sands Environmental Award, created in memory of Jo Birch and Lynne Dorning Sands, two well-known international cruisers and WWSA members who sadly passed in 2022. The award was presented to Tasmanian WWSA member Sheenagh Neill for her work on the issue of marine debris from industrial salmon farming.

While the Gathering presentations wrapped up on Sunday afternoon, many attendees stayed on for optional events including a sunset dinner sail on the waters of beautiful Port Stephens, a breakfast on Monday morning, and sail training on Newcastle harbour with the Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club.

WWSA would like to thank the Down Under Rally and Ahoy Sailing Magazine for their sponsorship of the 2023 Gathering on the Bay. Also, thanks to Soldiers Point Marina, DeckHardware, Rocna Anchors Australia, Marine Medical Solutions, Eziyacht, The Boat Works, Coral Sea Marina, Paper Sailors Rock, Thwaites Marine, Marine Outlet, and Hawaiian Heart Massage Therapy for their support.