A note as we return to sailing...
AARON P BOESENECKER
Hello PRSA Sailors,
As we return to sailing, as we will soon, I wanted to send along a note as I reflect on the tragic collision and crash that claimed 67 souls on January 29 on the Potomac River. The space and place of the crash is an area that we regularly — and, I think, without much reflection — enjoy for fun: for daysailing, for racing, for recreation, and also for the occasional heated conversation at the leeward mark.
As I think about the January 29 tragedy, I’m reminded that we are lucky — we are really darn lucky — to be able to do what we do on the Potomac. More importantly, we are all lucky to be part of such great sailing community. This is true in general: step back and think, for a moment, about how few people actually have the means and opportunity to go sailing. When I say that we are lucky to be able to do what we do, and do so on the Potomac with our friends and family and crew, I think that this is especially true for us as we sail with the monuments, Cathedral, bridges, Wharf, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, National Airport — and more — all around us in a very special environment. PRSA has sailed in the Nation’s Capital since 1935. We advertise our regattas as “sailing with the National Monuments as our backdrop” — and rightly so! For me, having the planes overhead, seeing the President’s helicopters fly in/out, dodging the annoying tour boats, enjoying the water taxis, having a great vantage point for fireworks, running aground in the channel, and just having a brat and a beer from a slightly-rusted grill with all of this happening around us will never get old. Indeed, these are some of the things that make our space (even without a physical yacht club building) and our PRSA sailing community special. More than once, when returning to DC on a Sunday — whether seated on the right on a regional jet on approach to runway 33, or seated on the left approaching runway 1 from the northwest — I’ve looked down and spotted a bunch of PRSA boats out there racing, bringing a smile to my face (and regret that I couldn’t be there out there with you all on that particular day).
All of these things remind me of how fortunate we are to be able to do what we do — what we love to do — on the Potomac. Most importantly, these things remind me of how fortunate we all are to be part of a vibrant sailing community. I’ve sailed in many places, been a member of many yacht clubs, and been part of many different teams at all sorts of competition levels. None of these have been like PRSA: an Association with so many people with such varied and interesting backgrounds, life experiences, and sailing experiences. PRSA is different from other clubs/associations in the best of ways, and I love that.
As we return to sailing and as we — as we eventually will — sail or motor over the crash area, I’d ask that you all just take a short moment to reflect on how fortunate we are to sail here and to be part of such a fantastic sailing community. Take a moment, doff your cap, raise a glass, say a verse, or ackonlwedge in whatever way you might choose. Then, trim in those sails, go fast, enjoy the racing, and relax with a beer and a brat with your fellow sailors, friends, and family afterwards. I’ll see you on the water and at the grill!
All the best,
Aaron
piercarlo brunino
On Feb 1, 2025, at 8:57 PM, 'AARON P BOESENECKER' via PotomacRiverSailing <potomacri...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
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Lisbet Kugler
On Feb 2, 2025, at 12:07 AM, piercarlo brunino <pbru...@gmail.com> wrote:
Aaron,
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/potomacriversailing/3C7FBE72-2244-4080-8140-28169E25D97B%40gmail.com.