It's WINDSday| June 15, 2022

Celebrating the Power of Wind, Clean Energy and a Green Environment

Join us TONIGHT for our second annual YNot WINDSday, featuring our official show band, Brasswind. Our WINDSday Warriors will be mingling in the crowd at the Sandler Center Plaza, Town Center, Virginia Beach.  Join the "fan club", enjoy fabulous music and pizza from our WINDSdays partner, YNot Pizza, and see a student-made solar panel.

Festivities begin at 5:00pm and run until 9:00pm and admission is free!

Among the nine WINDSday Warriors aboard the 2006 replica of the Godspeed during the 46th Parade of Sail were four guys who covered many of these Harborfest kickoff events. But Joe Flanagan, Doug Sesny, Hunter Hughes (more on Hunter in a future IW) and yours truly were not blasé about the opportunity to view the 46^th anniversary of this colorful spectacle as passengers, not reporters and photographers. “This was fantastic,” said Sesny, who shot scores of stories with Flanagan over an award-winning career at Channel 13.

But the sights of masts and sails, the sounds of horns and cannons, and the feel of mild breezes on our faces were just half the fun. The other was meeting the crew, including Eric Speth, (below at the tiller with Joel Rubin), who is responsible for the Godspeed, Discovery and Susan Constant as Director of Maritime Operations for the Jamestown Yorktown Foundation, and historic interpreter Lukas Hagele, who told us that in 1607, there were 52 passengers and staff above and below deck, no doubt bumping into each other on the 72 long ton, 72’ ship and existing on heavily pickled pork and hardtack.

We also chatted with Jeanne and Toby Kinnett, who retired from State Department jobs in 2018 and despite never having sailed, signed on as volunteers with the Godspeed. You should see Jeanne climb ropes. 

The Godspeed is now the official ship of WINDSdays, because it’s a testament to the power of wind. You can visit her at Jamestown or at the Urbanna Oyster Festival in November. Because of COVID, this was the Godspeed’s first day out in two years, and thanks to “ideal” winds and temps, it was one we will never forget.

Doug Sesny, award-winning videographer, shot and edited this piece about the WINDSdays' Crew adventure during the Parade of Sails.

While Harborfest rolled on downtown, members and friends of the vast Filipino community in our region gathered to mark Philippines Independence Day at Lafayette Park in Norfolk. The island nation became free of Spain on June 12, 1898, but during WWII, the Japanese occupied it, so when the current Republic of the Philippines came into being on July 4, 1946, it was cause for a second celebration.

The festival, co-sponsored by WINDSday Partner, the Norfolk Sister City Association, featured music, dance and, of course, authentic dishes like Manobo Pork and Chicken Afritada.

It was great seeing the legendary Juan Montero MD, whose medical non-profit supports humanitarian missions worldwide, and a good friend of the Filipino community in Virginia Beach State Delegate, Glenn Davis. 

Del. Glenn Davis & Juan Montero, MD

Many thanks to the Norfolk Sunrise Rotary Club and the Norfolk Cosmopolitan Club (pictured below) for inviting us to be featured during their program recently. We updated them on wind energy projects off our coast.  They became instant WINDSday fans. 

Email season@windsdays.com if you’re interested in a visit to your group, and to join either of these two great service organizations, find them on Facebook. 

Paul Darden has done it again. His 29^th annual issue of Coastal Virginia gives locals and visitors alike a wonderful overview of the entire region, including all our cities and counties, industries, military facilities, history, attractions, you name it.  

There is even a nice mention of WINDSdays (Page 7) and how we are collectively pursuing offshore wind. Great work Paul. Click here to view.