Sailing, fishing, kayaking: it’s all happening in SW Florida

Whether you fish, sail or kayak, there’s plenty to do out there and news about others doing it this fall.

. Local sailors did Southwest Florida proud earlier this month at the U.S. Junior Olympic Regatta called River Romp. The River District competition ended with seven locals earning medals in their respective racing fleets.

The 21 Lee County sailors joined more than 260 others from around Florida and the U.S. Sailing Association-sanctioned event on the Caloosahatchee.

The results — listed by class — for local sailors include:

Optimist Green: Kayla Wherry, Fort Myers, 49; Jack Hansen, Fort Myers, 69; Cameron Keene, Fort Myers, 74; Dana Wherry, Fort Myers, 77; Max Slafer, Fort Myers, 79; McKenna Wherry, Fort Myers, 84; Zoe Wyant, Cape Coral, 85; Adam Sanders, Fort Myers, 87; and, Chase Babair, Cape Coral, 92.

Optimist White: Carrie Marshall, Fort Myers, 12.

Laser 4.7: Ali Yarborough, Estero, 4 (medallist); Adam Winton, Fort Myers, 5 (medallist); Ashley Murphy, North Fort Myers, 6.

Laser Radial: Cassidy Sanders, Fort Myers, 13.

Laser Full: Will Hackett, Fort Myers, 5 (medallist).

O’Pen BIC: Jack Gower, North Fort Myers, 4 (medallist); Ian Sanders, Fort Myers, 7; and, Jack Jablonski, Fort Myers, 11.

Sunfish: Lynsey Randolph, Alva, 1 (medallist).

Club 420: Chalmers Pierce and Austin Buonsignore, both from Fort Myers, 5 (medallists).

. Speaking of sailing, the world renowned and locally owned Offshore Sailing School has a new Web site that brings together all the entities owned and managed by Steve and Doris Colgate.

Good thing. The Colgates have multiple locations and offerings. We’re talking Offshore Sailing School, Colgate Schools, Colgate 26, Offshore Sailing Club and Power Cruise. That doesn’t even mention the books they’ve authored.

Offshore Sailing School, founded in 1964 by Steve Colgate, started with one location and one boat in New York City — “well before computers and the Internet,” Doris Colgate said. When Doris married Steve “and the company” in 1969, Steve was running Offshore by himself while keeping an active racing schedule, including the 1967 America’s Cup trials and 1968 Olympics.

Now the South Fort Myers couple have seven locations in Florida, the British Virgin Islands, eastern shore of Maryland, New York City and Jersey City, N.J. Visit www.offshoresailing. com.

. Everyone has a December fishing calendar, right? Mark yours now. The Chix-N-Stix Ladies Fishing Tournament will be held Dec. 4-5 at Fish Tale Marina on Fort Myers Beach. Teams can weigh in a “bucketload of fish,” with 10 ladyfish per team, minimum 12 inches per fish. The heaviest bucket of fish wins it. Ladies must outnumber men on the boat. You can fish from shore, kayak or powerboat. Entry fee is $100 for women, $50 for men. Get details at www.chixnstix.net.

The IGFA will host its first “Oceans Five – Let’s Keep Them Alive” gala, an event supporting the IGFA’s conservation and education programs. It’s Dec. 10 in Naples.

This International Game Fish Association event will be hosted by International Committee Representative Roy Cronacher, with wife Jackie, and Kermit and Jenny Sutton. It’s set for 6:30 p.m. at the Port Royal Club. Dr. Ellen Prager, a respected marine scientist, author and former IGFA trustee, will be the special guest speaker presenting “Our Oceans – Our Future.” Also on tap: dinner, dancing and an auction.

Go to www.igfa.org for details. Tickets start at $250 and it’s cocktail attire. I wonder if Columbia Sportswear has something appropriate…

. Don’t forget the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show is this week. It’s always classy and amazing, and it runs Thursday, Oct. 29, through Monday, Nov. 2. The spectacle can be fun, even in a recession. Check out www. showmanagement.com for details. 

— Betsy Clayton is a freelancer based on Pine Island and also is Lee County Parks & Recreation’s waterways coordinator. Contact her at boatingbybetsy@ yahoo.com.