An estimated 100 individuals in masks participated in the 60th opening day of the Seal Beach Yacht Club. (The clubhouse is physically located in nearby Long Beach.) Many women club members wore diamond tiaras to mark the club’s diamond jubilee.
Originally, the opening day ceremony was set to be held in May but COVID-19 restrictions made that impossible. The clubhouse, which also hosts the Seal Beach Lions Club, has been remodeled with marks on the floor to promote social distancing.
Only club members and a few guests were invited to attend, in part due to restrictions imposed by the City of Long Beach. The club had to get approval from the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services before the event could be held.
The ceremonies were actually held outdoors, under a slightly overcast sky. Scout Troop 657 presented the colors.
The guest speaker was Daniel Callis, the grandson of the first commodore of Seal Beach Yacht Club. Crepes were served from a food truck.
Follow the open ceremony and speeches, which included a salute to each of the armed forces of the United States, there was a boat parade featuring 18 decorated vessels. The vessels passed by the flag officers— commodore, vice commodore and rear commodore for a commodore’s inspection.
“I am most excited about members coming back into the club and enjoying being together and being safe again,” wrote 2020 Commodore Laura Ellsworth. “The Pandemic was very difficult for everyone. As I said in my speech, we had a similar experience with the stay at home order. Most important was not taking for granted our time together with our friends. This year I have focused on Every Member Matters, and we are proving it in this unprecedented time.”
For more information about the Seal Beach Yacht Club, visit
https://www.loc8nearme.com/california/long-beach/seal-beach-yacht-club/5821020/
