When Dawn Durand moved to Bellingham from Southern California in 1988, she noticed one significant difference.
It wasn't the weather, the way people drive or the geography.
Durand, 58, noticed there was no competitive sailing in the Bellingham area.
"When I moved back up here there weren't any girls racing," said Durand, who first got into sailing 30 years ago after an ocean crossing from San Francisco to Hawaii. "I just like to be out on the water. It's a freedom."
Since Durand's arrival to Bellingham, she has kept up with her love of competitive sailing and out of it was born the Women on the Water Regatta.
Many sailings later, the WOW Regatta enters its 14th year with its annual event Saturday, July 9, in Bellingham Bay. Around 50 women are expected to participate in the event.
"This is a day for the gals to get out there and say, 'Hey, I can do this,'" Durand said.
Durand, who has been a Windermere Real Estate agent the past 20 years, is the WOW Regatta founder and chairperson. The WOW Regatta starts at 10 a.m. and lasts until around 4 p.m. depending on weather and course length. There can be anywhere from three to five races run, and each boat has to have a majority of women as the crew (up to 25 percent of the crew can be men).
But that's not how it started.
The WOW Regatta first began when a boat had to have a woman as the driver and the boat Durand was on was all men dressed up as women. Over the years, however, more and more women got involved.
Along with Durand's founding of the WOW Regatta, the Wednesday and Thursday night sailing racing series also has opened up competitive sailing to women.
One of those it gave a new opportunity to is Sally Poorman, who will be the WOW Regatta chairperson soon after Durand steps down.
After Poorman met her husband, a Bellingham Yacht Club member, she joined a crew on Wednesday nights in 2004 and has been competitive racing ever since.
"It might not look like much from shore, but when you are a couple inches away from a large boat at the start of a race, it's pretty exciting," said Poorman, 41.
At least a dozen women regularly race during the Wednesday night series and around 20 race on Thursday nights, Poorman said.
"There are more boats all the time that have all-female crews," said Poorman, co-owner of CSS Integration, a local TV and Internet company. "That wasn't the case in the beginning."
Durand sees competitive sailing as more than just a race for women.
"I think women work well together," Durand said. "You have to spend time on the water. That's how you build confidence."
One member of Durand's crew on Saturday will be Kathy Brown, who will be participating in her first WOW Regatta.
"I'm new to it," said Brown, who also is on the WOW committee. "This is the first time I've been sailing as a racer."
Brown is a member of the Bellingham Yacht Club and has been sailing since 2002, but not in a competitive situation. She credits Durand for helping people get involved in the sport through the WOW Regatta.
"It's a great way for women to get involved in sailboat racing," Brown said. "(Durand) has always been very friendly and encouraging. It's great to be a part of the (Bellingham Yacht Club) family, being on the water and having fun."
According to Durand, having fun is what the WOW Regatta comes down to.
After the races there will be a party at the Bellingham Yacht Club, prizes, awards, a barbecue and more.
"I've been last, I've been first," Durand said. "It doesn't seem to matter out there if you are first or if you are last. Everybody is just having a good time doing their best.
"Getting offshore, you leave the world behind."
MORE INFORMATION
14 TH ANNUAL WOMEN ON THE WATER REGATTA
When: 10 a.m., Saturday, July 9
Where: Bellingham Bay
What is it: A race of sailboats with female crews or mostly female crews (crews can be up to 25 percent male). Three to five races are finished depending on weather and course length.
Online: wow.byc.org
