Ahoy!

What a great month we just had! The ECSC Regatta and Beach Party were a huge hit! We had a very large gathering for dinner and the band. The food was delicious with a special thanks to the volunteers!

The kids/family fun day had an awesome turn out with the new Pirate Ship playground and petting zoo! Thank you to Jen Curtis and Tammy Ray!

We can’t forget to mention that 46th Street is finally re-paved and looking nice and smooth. I’m excited to see what’s ahead for the second half of the summer! Have fun and be safe!

Ki Hickok
Commodore

Ki Hickok
ECSC Commodore

We have many different activities and areas for all members and their guests to enjoy. Please feel free to spend some time with family and friends at multiple different locations around the sailing club including the Upper Shelter, Lower Shelter, Racing Shelter, Captain’s Corner, Bodish Bluff, and the Pirate Ship Playset.

The Upper Shelter is, of course, our largest area that is covered in which we use for multiple events throughout the year. The upper shelter also houses our bathroom facilities along with shower amenities. Directly behind the upper shelter, new for the very first time, we have the Pirate Ship Playset for kids to play on and pretend they are sailing on the Eagle Ocean Sea – Arrrrg! Also new for the first time, behind the playset, we have Bodish Bluff, which is a new grassy area where you can play some games with family and friends while enjoying the sunshine. The Lower Shelter is our 2nd largest area that is covered and is a nice place to grill out and be closer to the action. The Racing Shelter is a covered area closest to the ramp and docks – a great place to hangout and converse with fellow members and racers. The Captain’s Corner is the deck next to the beach and can make you feel like you are on some exotic beach vacation. That is a great place to get a tan and relax or have a picnic and enjoy the beach and the water. I encourage everyone to come out and enjoy all the amenities and activities this club has to offer.

Please have fun and enjoy this wonderful sailing club, but please remember to be courteous to all of our members and their guests by following the General Rules of our club. Eagle Creek Sailing Club is a volunteer organization, so please keep that in mind. Also, if anyone would like to volunteer for a project or any number of our activities we have planned, don’t hesitate to contact me (or any other chairperson).

A few quick rules are: Always lock the main gate after dusk, even if other members are still at the sailing club because you never know when they’re going to leave. If you have any big trash items (like pizza boxes), please dispose of them into the main dumpster. Boat trailer parking is not permitted in or outside of the car corral or in front of or next to the Captain’s Corner. This is in effect between Mothers day and the Hornback regatta. After putting your boat into your wet slip, make sure to take your trailer up to the trailer lot to ease congestion for other members.

Looking forward to a spectacular, fun-filled sailing season! I am so happy it has finally arrived!

Ki Hickok
ECSC Commodore

Wow! It’s already the end of March – which means our sailing season is upon us! Soon the trees will sprout leaves, the sun will warm up our faces, and the wind will be in our favors. I am so excited to see everyone around the club…getting the boats prepared, cleaned, and in the water.

As most of you know, a couple weeks ago there was a horrible fire at the Walmart Distribution Center…sending hazardous debris all over ECSC. I immediately contacted club member, Dr. Karen Bumb Lauer, who is a past President of the Eagle Creek Park Foundation. She put me right through to the Regional Manager of Eagle Creek Park, Brittany Davis. Brittany was in contact with city officials and they sent out Heritage Environmental (paid for by Walmart) to clean up the debris to protect our drinking water supply, natural habitats, and sensitive bird sanctuaries at Eagle Creek Park – including Eagle Creek Sailing Club. They ended up getting dozens of bags full of debris and cleaned up our land, beach, and waters. The majority of the hazardous debris is gone, but there is still plenty of work to be done around the club. Please contact Bill Harrington to volunteer for work credits during the Spring Work Party which is April 16th (or really work anytime this year).

I am thrilled to get somewhat “back to normal” this year and we can celebrate together with fun regattas, events, and the beach party! I am truly looking forward to seeing you around the club and hanging out at the new cozy Captain’s Corner…as well as the upcoming new Pirate ship playground for the kiddos! Also in 2022, Eagle Creek Park is celebrating its 50th Anniversary! The picture on the park pass is a throwback of sailboats on Eagle Ocean from the 1980’s with our very own Tom Newgent along with others being in the photo! I want to take this opportunity to encourage ECSC members to get your Eagle Creek Park passes directly from the Eagle Creek Park Foundation…as the proceeds stay at Eagle Creek Park (https://eaglecreekpark.org).

With the days growing longer and the weather becoming favorable, I look forward to seeing all you sailors around the club and on the reservoir.

“Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than those you did. So, throw off the bowlines. Sail away from safe harbor. Catch the wind in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

Ki Hickok,
Commodore

Happy New Year sailors! My name is Ki Hickok, your new Commodore. Thank you for giving me the chance to serve the members of this wonderful club.

I first got into sailing thanks to my dad, Bob Hickok. My first memory of sailing was at Hobie Beach along with traveling to different Hobie regattas. I was both enamored and terrified of sailing at the same time. I guess being so little and being on a Hobie could do that to you. I remember always being terrified of flying a hull on the Hobie or heeling on any sailboat. Now, that’s all I want to do. I was introduced to this beautiful sailing club in 2000 thanks to Janet Hickok. A new world was opened to me. I always thought the only sailboat out there was a catamaran. Ha ha! Thanks to my dad’s and Wayne Myers’ guidance and teachings, I really got into sailing and racing…it was mesmerizing. I learned a lot about how to have fun, work hard, and have perseverance. I wanted to keep that going for other kids from ECSC and the Indy area, so I was graciously given the opportunity to chair the Safety & Education program from 2010-2012. I then went on to be assistant harbormaster in 2019 and 2020 – and, of course, vice Commodore in 2021. Again thank you for giving me this opportunity to serve and I look forward to working diligently and hopefully effectively in making Eagle Creek Sailing Club a better place for all of our members and guests.

We have a great cast of Officers, Committee Heads, and board members who are looking forward to this coming year with excitement, dedication, and enthusiasm!

This year for the first time ever, Eagle Creek Sailing Club’s entire membership registration is online, as well as different payment options. Thank you Perry Cameron, our membership chair, for all the hard work in getting this club into the 21st century. If you have not completed your 2022 registration yet, please make sure you do so ASAP – as the deadline is quickly approaching (Feb 28th).

Also this year, we have a new Officer position, the Facilities Manager! ECSC’s own Bill Harrington has graciously agreed to head the grounds committee as Facilities Manager. For all the new members who may not know, Bill is our current longest-standing member at ECSC (Membership #1). Thank you, Bill, for being the first Facilities Manager ever.

Currently, we have had two board meetings to get things prepared for a wonderful 2022 at ECSC. One on December 14th, at which the 2022 budget was approved. The other was on February 8th, when we discussed changes to the bylaws, general rules, and other needed capital expenses. A list of just a few of the much-needed improvements for the year include:

– The deck around the main shelter will be repaired and repainted.
– The steps to the main shelter will be repaired and repainted.
– A new playground will be installed behind the upper shelter.

Along with much much more…

Feel free to contact me for help and or any questions. I’m looking forward to seeing some new and familiar faces around the club this year.

Happy Sailing,

Ki Hickok
Commodore