The Ocean Cruising Club Awards
As PR Officer, Web Editor and Rear Commodore of the Ocean Cruising Club, I have the honour of being the one to announce the winners of the annual awards which recognize the extraordinary achievements of people cruising the world's oceans. I've been a member of the Awards Committee and co-Chair for several years so I know how arduous a task it can be to coordinate the awards decision-making process. We have members all over the world taking part, some submitting nominations others taking part in the selections of winners. In any case, it's an extraordinary thing to be part of as we journey into people's lives to see what they've done that merits the attention of the world, and to be blown away by the stories we uncover.
When I first started sailing it used to be that circumnavigating - or even just crossing oceans - was a big deal, something to really aspire to and applaud. Today, every year the list of circumnavigators gets longer and longer, and the list of 'firsts' is getting depleted. It's no longer so outstanding to have circled the world. Now, adventure travel is taking over and vessels are available for expedition charter in the Arctic and Antarctic. The list of boats cris-crossing the Northwest Passage is getting longer each year. So identifying those doing extraordinary things out there is getting more difficult.
This year we have a truly interesting group to applaud. Two women recognized for their exemplary seamanship, an explorer circling the earth and setting records by sail and power for a lifetime, a young adventurer just setting out with remarkably little but a sturdy little ship, and a man who didn't like the navigation tools available so he developed his own and shared them with all of us for free. Each of these sets a very high bar, as they tend to do each year.
What's really nice is that this year's winners represent many corners of the world where OCC members hail from including Germany, the UK, Australia, USA, Canada, Ireland, and South Africa. We have more than 2500 members from 41 countries in the Club. It's a truly international sailing fraternity.
Congratulations to all of you and thank you. I have truly enjoyed delving into your stories.
This year we have a truly interesting group to applaud. Two women recognized for their exemplary seamanship, an explorer circling the earth and setting records by sail and power for a lifetime, a young adventurer just setting out with remarkably little but a sturdy little ship, and a man who didn't like the navigation tools available so he developed his own and shared them with all of us for free. Each of these sets a very high bar, as they tend to do each year.
What's really nice is that this year's winners represent many corners of the world where OCC members hail from including Germany, the UK, Australia, USA, Canada, Ireland, and South Africa. We have more than 2500 members from 41 countries in the Club. It's a truly international sailing fraternity.
Congratulations to all of you and thank you. I have truly enjoyed delving into your stories.
The OCC Barton Cup: Susanne Huber-Curphey s/v Nehaj
The OCC Lifetime Achievement Award: David Scott Cowper m/v Polar Bound
The OCC Seamanship Award: Lisa Blair s/v Climate Action Now
The OCC Award: David Register m/v Dyad
The OCC Jester Award: Josh Ghyselincks s/v Maistral
OCC Members Only
The OCC Vasey Vase: Andrew and Janice Fennymore-White s/v Destiny
The David Wallis Trophy: Fergus and Katherine Quinlan s/v Pylades
The OCC Qualifier's Mug: Megan Clay s/v Flycatcher of Yar
OCC Port Officers
The OCC Port Officer Service Award: Greta Gustavson and Gary Nagle (USA)
The OCC Port Officer Rally Award: Peter Flutter (UK)
The OCC Port Officer Events Award: Robert Ravensburg (SA)
To learn more, visit oceancruisingclub.org.
To learn about the benefits of joining the OCC, click here.
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