The Bluewater Cruising Association will once again be coordinating the Ocean Cruising Adventures Speaker Series in 2017, with sponsorship support from Pacific Yachting. This Vancouver tradition has now be running for 41 years. Roger Friesen, the new OCA Speaker Coordinator, avid sailor, sport psychologist and UFV professor, has lined up a group of fascinating voyagers who will share their stories and photos. The four unique talks will be held on Friday evenings, starting February 3, 2017. The event will be held in the comfortable and spacious theatre at the HR MacMillan Space Centre in Vancouver.
The 2017 OCA Talks
February 3 – The Adventures of Asunto: Our Life Afloat on a Boat
Set sail with Kolby and his crew – a pregnant mama, a toddler and a dog – from Vancouver to Mexico, Hawaii , Alaska and back home. Experience the adventure and mis-adventure as this young family lives, laughs and grows while sailing for a year.
February 10 – Offshore Sailing: A Modern Day Adventure
Join offshore sailor, racer and instructor Christof Marti in the Atlantic and Pacific as he shares stories of battling strong winds, big seas and boat system failures. A thousand miles from shore, sailors need to be truly self-sufficient to deal with anything Neptune might throw their way!
February 17 – Seven Years Aboard a 31ft Sailboat and Still Married
Wendy Hinman, adventurer, speaker & author shares photos and stories from her 7 year and 34,000 mile Pacific and Asian odyssey with her husband aboard their 31 foot sailboat, Velella. Teamwork and a sense of humour mattered as they faced endless character building challenges!
February 24 – The South Pacific: Give In To The Dream
Sailboat: check! Captain: check! Admiral: check! What else to do you need? Will and Sarah Curry bought a sailboat in Mexico and set sail west, across the South Pacific to Australia, learning a thing or two along the way!
Tickets prices for OCA remain very reasonable at $10 for Bluewater Cruising Association members and $15 for the general public. The best deal is the series ticket that covers all four evenings. These are priced at $30 for Bluewater members and $50 for the general public. Advanced individual tickets and series tickets are available for purchase online from the Bluewater Cruising Association website [1]. Just click on the OCA 2017 banner at the top of the page. Tickets will also be available for cash purchase at the door on the night of the event.