"Picture number 1 is me, and nothing special."

Several years ago, Bob Ewing, the founder of the Footloose Sailing Association, visited BYC to tell us about his organization and its activities and explore the state of sailing and handicapped boating in Kitsap County. He was impressed by what he heard about BYC's once-a-year Special People's Cruise. Since then, our Jay Spearman has been taking the lead at BYC to help the Seattle organization from this side of the Sound. For a couple of years, at the beginning of July, he and some other volunteers from BYC have taken Jay's sailboat, the Bolero, to the Elliot Bay Marina to pick up handicapped boaters and bring them to Blake Island for the Footloose Association's annual gathering and camp-out on the island.

This Web page has been created to bring together some of Jay's experiences, photos and a general introduction of the Footloose Association assembled by the WebTeam. The page will remain open for future BYC volunteers to recount and document their experiences.

Bolero at Blake Island's loading dock with Bainbridge Island in the background just after offloading guests

Preparations are made to load guests and gear at Elliot Bay Marina for sail to Blake Island with our Jim Busse (who participated with his son) standing on the dock.

Pictures I (Jay) like are the sailing scenes one with deck hatches open looking at Olympics and one with ladies on deck in bow with life vests. These ladies were mainly stroke victims, partially recovered, one as young as 18 on one of the other boats. Below is the 4 year old son of one of the stroke victims at the helm. He intuitively had the feel of the boat and could make her go. He outsailed another boat during our day-sail with guests.

We left immediately after work on Friday and spent the night at Blake Island. Early on Saturday morning we head out for Elliot Bay Marina, where we meet our guests from the Footloose organization. We load all the gear and people on board the 5-6 boats and sail over to Blake Island. Arriving at the island we offload the participants and their gear, and then the volunteer skippers are mooring their boats. The handicapped guests have pre-assigned camp sites on the island. For some of these folks this sail and camping trip is the highlight of their year. It is really a positive experience to see them on their own terms transporting their equipment and setting up their camps. Some camp in the lean to structures and some camp on the beach on the East side of the island. This time of year the camping is ideal. A magnificent view of the city and Mt. Rainier. The deer come down to the meadow by the marina in the evening and everyone sits around the campfire. The boat crews sleep on the boats. Midday Sunday we all pack up and go day sailing on the return to Elliot Bay Marina.

In 2006 after departing the marina, we hoisted the sails and ghosted across the Sound toward Bainbridge. By the time we were at Restoration Point, at the South end of Bainbridge a breeze was piping up out of the North. As we sailed along the South end of the island the breeze freshened until we were reaching close to hull speed in calm water in the lee of the island. The wind spilling over the end of the island. Pressed under full canvas we hardened up, rounded both buoys and beat upwind for Pt. Glover. The tide was beginning to flood. We sailed on all the way to the Pt. Herron navigational aid. A memorable weekend.

Empty wheelchairs, folded walkers and abandoned canes cluttered the dock

This quote from 48th North (July 2003) almost says it all about this remarkable organization and its members & participants. You may have seen them on Lake Washington, run into them on the docks of Blake Island, or you may have been one of the volunteer members without whom this very special sailing club could not function: Members of Seattle’s Footloose Sailing Association are either physically handicapped or willing to be part of the team which accomplishes the almost unimaginable, namely allowing wheelchair-bound or otherwise mobility-impaired individuals to get into appropriately equipped boats and sail out of Leschi on Lake Washington. Their Mission Statement is even more inclusive:

Footloose Sailing Association offers sailing as a recreational and therapeutic outlet to adults and children of all disabilities. We are dedicated to bringing independence on the water and competence in the sport of sailing.

Launched in 1991, founder and past president Bob Ewing [himself an incredibly mobile, wheel-chair-dependent C(ervical) 6/7 quad(raplegic)] has created an admirable feat through years of dedicated physical and promotional, including fund-raising, work.

The Association now owns a fleet of eight sailboats which are designed for safe and fun sailing and can accommodate a wide range of disabled people. There are eight scheduled sail days during the summer beginning after Opening Day and the launching and cleaning of the boats, in addition to social and fund-raising events and a number of special occasions, most importantly the annual cruise to Blake Island on the weekend after July 4th. This popular adventure (which is particularly dependent on volunteers and volunteer boats) includes the sail from Elliot Bay Marina to Blake Island on Saturday and the return sail on Sunday, an (optional) dinner and show at Tillicum Village and a variety of activities including a beach-side marshmallow roast.

Have a look at the pictures on the Web site and study the other pages including the page describing the volunteer opportunities!
[SOURCE: Sailing the Northwest]