Despite some high winds and a looming storm, Chestermere sailor Art Buitenwerf set off for the 60th time this year in his laser sailboat June 28.
“It’s going real well,” said Buitenwerf as he prepared the rigging on his sailboat at the Calgary Yacht Club.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it so far,” he said.
As his personal way to mark Canada’s 150th anniversary and to help raise awareness of the sport, Buitenwerf is sailing from the yacht club to the landing 150 times this summer.
He started on April 30 and plans to sail his final one on Sept. 10.
So far, Buitenwerf said that the sails have been successful.
“I’ve been getting a little bit more awareness as it goes,” he said, “more people honking at me as I travel around, a few more waves by Sunset Park, the beach and the Landing.”
Although he is a little behind schedule, Buitenwerf is confident he can make up some time over the coming months.
“For July first I was hoping to be around 75 sails,” said Buitenwerf who is pleased with how things have been going.
Each trip has been taking Buitenwerf between 40 and sixty minutes depending on the wind conditions.
“The lake, it’s never the same twice,” he said.
“Some days it’s raining, some days the wind’s steady, somedays it’s all over the place.”
Along with sailing the lake, Buitenwerf has been sharing a historical fact representing a year in the region’s history for each sail.
Finding facts, especially from the early years, has been the most challenging part for Buitenwerf.
“There’s a bit of a time frame in between about 1890 and 1920 which is a big sort of a void,” he said.
Despite the challenge, he’s enjoyed doing the research to find interesting facts to share as part of this project.
The people he has met as part of this project and the greater connection to the community has been the best part of the sailing project so far.
“When you get to meet someone new and talk to someone on the lake…,” said Buitenwerf.
One sail that stands out to him was in the middle of June when he set out at dusk.
“It was just a beautiful, nice and warm, beautiful wind,” said Buitenwerf.
“It’s probably one of my favourite ones,” he said.
As part of his goal to raise awareness of the sport of sailing, Buitenwerf is inviting people of all skill and experience levels to join him as he sails the lake.
People can either sail alongside him or, if the weather is conducive to brining someone along with him, by sailing with him.
He has a Facebook page, Chestermere150Sails where people can contact him to arrange a time to sail with him.
He will is also using the hashtag #150sails to share updates of his progress.
