The sailing world is full of clubs. Near shore, nearly every port town has at least one yacht club, with some focused on racing, some on cruising, and some on the social aspects of boats. While the common stereotype (at least in the US) is of a blue-blazered, white-trousered, aristocratic yacht clubber, the reality is more nuanced. While there are definitely some pedigreed yacht clubs that help to reinforce the stereotype, our experience is that many yacht or boat clubs are just full of people who just like to sail or otherwise be out on the water.

Steve and Karyn on their beautiful Kanter 54, Threshold, in Chile

In general, Madrone’s crew are not the club-joining types. But that changed a bit over the past six months because of the Ocean Cruising Club (OCC). Formed to “encourage long-distance sailing in small boats”, club members strive to “bring the spirit of seafaring to our association by always being willing to assist any fellow sailor we meet, either afloat or ashore”. There are about 3000 members worldwide, and the only requirement for membership is to have completed a non-stop ocean passage of over 1000 miles in a small boat.

Lalo with a Hansa 303 sailing dinghy in Chile

Our positive impressions of the OCC started in Chile before we joined. We were invited aboard Threshold by OCC members and fellow American cruisers Karyn and Steve in a shared anchorage off the island of Chiloe. While in Puerto Williams, Chile, the local port officer Lalo invited us aboard his boat for dinner and wine, not because we were members (yet) but just because we were traveling sailors a long way from home.

Angie with Leslie and Gary aboard their lovely Liberty 458, Spellbound, in Falmouth Harbor, Antigua

As we were sailing north in the southern ocean with a fairly serious-looking storm bearing down on us, the local OCC representative arranged for us to be able to take shelter in the Falklands if we needed it.

Heading north up the coast of Brazil, two separate OCC members offered to make arrangements for us to stop to refuel and reprovision if we needed it, even though international borders were closed.

Angie overlooking the moorings at the Manchester Yacht Club where Ernie arranged a mooring for Madrone

And as we arrived in Antigua at the end of our Epic Journey from Chile, OCC members Gary and Leslie aboard Spellbound gave us pointers on where to anchor and how to clear in to the country, and provided a warm welcome once we arrived.

Having dinner with Ernie to thank him for his help in securing a mooring for Madrone. Ernie is a well traveled sailor and a super nice guy

Based on all of the assistance given to us by OCC members, not because we had joined any club but just because we were sailors in need, we decided that we should reconsider our non-joining ways.

Ernie’s gorgeous Hinckley Sou’wester 42, Golden Eye

And now that we’ve joined, the helping hands have stayed extended. When we needed to fly back to St Louis this summer, our mooring at the Manchester YC was arranged by OCC member Ernie Godshalk – we were able to meet him in Pulpit Harbor recently and thank him in person at dinner.

Marty and Paul are the Camden, Maine OCC port officers. We contacted them about mailing Mike’s new passport and they offered to receive it for us. Once we arrived in Camden they welcomed us with unbelievable hospitality

And when we arrived in Camden, OCC members Paul and Marty invited us to lunch at their local yacht club, then insisted we take their car for some grocery shopping at the same time we were doing our laundry at their home.

Marty and Paul’s attractive family home in Camden

We’re now full members of the OCC, and we’ve already received a thorough lesson in what hospitality and helpfulness really means. We hope that someday we can repay, at least in part, what we’ve received.