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At Whitb y WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESIAY, AUGUST 5, 1987, PAGE 13 harbor Yacht By JANET BROWNE Local boat owners who want to experience not only the sport of sailing but the active social life that goes with it have probably joined the Whitby Yacht Club. Approximately 300 members, the majority of which are from Whitby, Ajax or OshaWa, have boats docked in the 250 available slips. Social ac- tivities such as lobster boils, Newfie nights, dances, sail nights, and Irish or Scottish pub nights keep the boaters active while on land. Out on the lake, members can test their sailing abilities in the weekly Wednesday night races, or the weekend regattas where ap- proximately 60 boaters vie for the championship around a six-mile triangular course. Accidents aren't commonplace, but club com- modore Jim Allison says "now and again, accidentally or otherwise, the boats may hit each other." Being a member isn't all fun and games. As part of the initial en- trance agreement, members are expected to perform 15 hours of labor on maintaining the club. The initial membership fee is $2,500. Although most club members are involved in boating just for the pleasure of cruising around the lakes, the club does have its share of serious sailors. One member has headed to England to take part in a single-handed race from there to Rhode Island, and others have Club travelled as far as Iceland and Bermuda- Allison made the two-week sail to Bermuda last year with another sailor, and experienced 40-foot waves on his way across the Atlan- tic Gulf Stream. "The Gulf Stream is one of the rockiest ocean passes in the world if the wind is going in the opposite direction," says Allison, who has held the top elective position of commodore in the club for the past two years. "We were quite concer- ned, but we weren't really scared." The available slips at the 20-year- old club are "usually full" accor- ding to Allison, but unlike the quickly growing Toronto clubs, membership at this club has in- creased only slightly in the past few years. Allison isn't considering ac- tual changes in the club, although there is continual upgrading and plans have been made to improve the wooden docks. No additional slips will be built in the bay, as Allison feels there is physically not enough room for more. Local boat owners who are looking for a place to dock their boat for the summer months have the choice of either the marina or the yacht club. Allison says the total price tag isn't much different, all things considered. "We've got a club here with all for the the facilities of a social life besides having showers, lockers, and a club social house for boaters," he says of why people chose the club. "And there's boater amongst felow boaters.u" being ABOUT 250 SLIPS are available for the 300 members of the Whitby Yacht Club. Free Press photo Sea cadets: brings kids closer together RICK HEIGHWAY gives sailing instruction to Heather Holt, Carla Miller and sister Angela Heighway as part of the sea cadet program. Rick is a former cadet. Free Press photo By JANET BROWNE Twice weekly, a group of young people head down to the Whitby harbor to practice sailing skills, play in a marching band and par- ticipate in military drills. They are part of the 34-member Whitby Sea Cadet corps, a joint military and civilian-sponsored program for boys and girls age 12- 18. Although many of the activities in which the cadets participate are nautical in nature, such as sailing, swimming, learning about different ships and how they function and how to man them, the cadets also learn to play musical instruments, use rifles, and particpate in athletie competitions. "In a nutshell, it seems to bring kids closer together," says Gord Heighway, training officer. "They learn to be competitive, and gain self-motivation, or a reason to try for something and succeed." At the harbor base, the cadets have a clubhouse for meetings and instruction, and outside in the lake is a fleet of four sailboats, one power boat, a whaler, six~ paddle boards, and three canoes. But the activities don't stop at home. Cadets have chances to go out on survival weekends, attend summer camps, travel on actual naval ships, and enter national com- petitions. Each corps also com- petes locally with other sea cadets. "Oshawa is our greatest rival," says Sandy MacDonald, comman- ding officer for the Whitby corps. "The kids here just love to beat them." The Whitby club is provided with uniforms, food and training officers by the Canadian Forces and the Navy League of Canada. Mac- Donald adds that he owes a vote of thanks to the Brooklin and Whitby Legions for their contributions to the corps. "And the Town has really been good to us, too, by giving us the use of the park." Life on the high seas as an officer of the navy is a possible future- career for the cadets, but definitely not an expeeted one. "We don't push it," says Mac- Donald. "There is no obligation to join the military whatsoever." MacDonald says he has known parents to think that if there is a war, their child will have to partie- pate, but this is not the case. Not surprisingly, a handful of former cadets decide to enter a career in a related field by entering the Royal Military College or applying for the navy. Each of the 224 Canadian sea cadet corps is named after a ship, and the Whitby-based corps was lucky enough to be named for a ship bearing the Town's name, which is very uncommon. Although the "Whitby" ship is no longer around, the corps has possession of the bell from the ship. Unfortunately, the clapper was taken, and the bell doesn't ring. Heighway says they have to keep a close eye on security around the clubhouse as it hàs been broken into twice. Because the sea cadets are spon- sored by the government, there is no membership fee, and the uniforms, meals and transportation to major events is all free to the cadets. "Parents don't have to pay one cent to put their kids in the sea cadets," says MacDonald. "Kids can go to camp for two, four, even six weeks entirely free." The older cadets travel world- wide to places including Belgium, England, Sweden and many places within Canada as well. One cadet from the Whitby corps travelled on the famous tall ships to the Carib- bean last year. "And it's all paid for as a lear- ning experience," adds Mac- Donald. The Whitby corps has a par- ticularly good track record as far as behavior is concerned, accor- ding to MacDonald, who travels with them on excursions to other army bases. Good and practical fun "I've been complimented on the, conduct of the cadets numerous times when we are away," says MacDonald. "I've never had to worry, never been embarrassed. Some corps have massive amounts of problems keeping the kids in line, though." Occasionally, the cadets do engage in what MacDonald describes as "good, practical fun." After falling asleep on the homeward-bound bus following one excursion, MacDonald entered a restaurant and noticed that the patrons were eyeing him strangely. A glance in the - mirror revealed that he had been completely made up from mascara to lipstick by the cadets on the bus. "I looked like a real living doll when I got off that bus!," he laughs.