Seven Seas Cruising Association Essex Summer Solstice Gam
by SSCA on 16 Mar 2017
Eddie and Glenn Tuttle SSCA
The fifth annual Seven Seas Cruising Association Essex Summer Solstice Gam is scheduled for June 16th – 18th. In days of old, when whaling ships encountered one another in calm seas they would heave to and the crew would line up at the railing to shout news across the water. This was called a gam. An SSCA Gam is a get-together of members, with an emphasis on camaraderie and sharing of cruising information.
This event also begins on the water with a dinghy raft-up and cocktail party on Friday the 16th which will be followed by two days of speakers and demonstrations including a planned demonstration by a US Coast Guard search and rescue helicopter.
The event will be held at the Essex Yacht Club and the Connecticut River Museum and includes guest speaker Michael Tougias author of The Finest Hours which chronicles an heroic rescue by the US Coast Guard off of Chatham, Massachusetts in 1952.
In addition, there will be workshops and discussions of interest to both offshore and coastal cruisers. These will include Weather Forecasting, Preparing for an Offshore Passage, Exploring the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW), Single Side Band (SSB) Communication, Energy Management Aboard, and Safety Workshops encompassing Life Rafts, Ditch Bags, and more.
The Essex Yacht Club is located just five miles up the Connecticut River from the Long Island Sound, in a quintessential New England river town. Of course, you will want to make time to visit some of the local sights, including the Connecticut River Museum, The Essex Steam Train, and the Griswold Inn which has been in continuous operation since 1776.
The Seven Seas Cruising Association is the oldest and largest worldwide organization supporting the liveaboard and cruising lifestyle. SSCA celebrates its 65th Anniversary in 2017. Founded in 1952 by six liveaboard couples in California and now with members worldwide, today’s SSCA remains true to the traditions of its original members—sharing cruising information, fostering camaraderie, and leaving a clean wake.
This Gam is open to all boaters. To register or for more information, go to
website.
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