Sailing with the Toyon Bay Yacht Club, or TBYC for short, is a quintessential part of the Catalina Sea Camp experience. From the ‘yachties’ who run activities in the yacht club to the courses taken out on the open water learning to sail single and double hull crafts, the Yacht Club embodies more than just the opportunities for campers to learn to sail. When campers come to the Yacht Club they can be anyone they want. As part of the opening ceremonies out on the yacht deck, campers choose ‘Sail Names’ that are often goofy, sometimes part of the campers past, and always solidified as their new identity over the course of the next few days learning to sail. They then write these sail names on miniature sails to be hung in the roof of the Yacht club, next to those of past campers and amidst memorabilia commemorating the rich, warm history of decades of past yachties. The whole experience is unique for campers, encouraging a light-hearted experience in the midst of challenging learning experiences.
At the helm of the whole enterprise is Cupcake (pictured on right), who has spent the last two years as director of the Yacht Club and the last five years as part of its staff (in case you hadn’t guessed, that’s her Sail Name). She picks only the best sailors for her team, looking at a combination of personality and experience to ensure that not only the courses are successful, but also that the experience as a whole is an amazing chance for campers to come and be a part of something special for their time here at camp.
The Toyon Bay Yacht Club encourages campers to be themselves, to learn out on the open water, and relax in good company on the sunny Yacht Deck or in the shady Yacht Club. By pairing together time spent out on the open water and time spent in the unique atmosphere of the yacht club, Cupcake and her team work to ensure that campers can have an incredible, memorable summer.
