Photo: SUBMITTED
Shearwater Yacht Club sets sail for the summer
By LCdr Patrice Deschenes,
Shearwater Yacht Club Commodore
Metro’s friendliest sailing club, The Shearwater Yacht Club (SYC), had its annual Spring Meet and Greet for members and guests Friday May 11 at the club house in Shearwater.
Longtime club members joined newcomers and shared in good spirits their dits (stories…for you landlubbers) and experiences at the club, and welcome them in the wonderful world of sailing.
Club members had the honour to host and meet with CFB Halifax’s Base Commander, Capt (N) Paul Forget, who wished the sailors fair winds for the sailing season. To remind us of the close ties that SYC has with the community, special guest Barbara Adams, member of the legislative assembly for Cole Harbour-Eastern Passage, was present to meet the members of one of the largest and dynamic clubs in the area.
The Shearwater Yacht Club has an extremely rich history and is deeply rooted in the Shearwater community and CFB Halifax’s history. Its origins go back to the Canadian Forces Sailing Association (CFSA); formerly the Royal Canadian Navy Sailing Association (RCNSA). The RCNSA was founded in 1949 in an old seaplane hangar near the Club’s current location.
From 1957 to 1967 the Club shared facilities with the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron, now the site of the Halifax Container Pier. In 1967, RCNSA relocated to our present site at Shearwater to make way for the construction of the container piers. The facilities have been built up over the years by the efforts of members on the principle of self-help, a cornerstone of the Club’s operation. The Club entered the CFB Shearwater organization in the mid 1980’s.
You may see club boats while fishing nearby or enjoying McCormack’s Beach Park. You may also notice youth Sea Cadets learning new skills on open deck sailboats. You may simply know 12 Wing Shearwater military members who access the club, and the programs found there. Regardless of your connection to Shearwater, the Shearwater Yacht Club has played a large role in the local community for generations.
