In sailing, a "lee shore" is a precarious position where the wind threatens to pin a vessel against the coast. It is a trap that strips away your "sea room," the space needed to maneuver and make progress.
For those living with Parkinson’s Disease, life can mirror that struggle, the feeling of being held fast by an invisible force. Loved ones and caretakers witness watching the horizon recede as the world narrows. But the weekend of April 12th, a fleet of sailors on the San Francisco Bay intends to prove the way forward is still wide open. Among them is Angela Woodall, a member of Modern Sailing and someone who understands that while a diagnosis might change your course, it doesn’t have to end the voyage.
For Angela, the fight against Parkinson’s (PD) is deeply personal. In 2024, she and her partner made the move from France back to Sonoma County to be with her mother-in-law, Ramona. She had recently been diagnosed with PD and had just lost her husband.
"It was a very lonely time for her," Angela recalls. "I saw people with PD and their families retreat inside, both physically and mentally. I knew I wanted to do something that got people back out into the fresh air and sunshine."
After learning about Sailing4Parkinson’s Resilience Regatta from a Parkinson's Support Group, she he immediately knew she wanted to support the project. Without hesitation Angela immediately registered a boat under the name "Team Ramona."
From the Hudson to the Golden Gate
Angela’s own sailing journey began just six years ago. The spark was ignited on a cruise ship in 2016 when a woman overheard her proclaim, "I want to be out there, surrounded by nothing but water." The woman replied, "Then you should sail." Since then, Angela has single-handed the humbling currents of the Hudson River and navigated the iconic, windswept reaches of the Golden Gate.
Angela’s own sailing journey is defined by a relentless drive to make sailing accessible to everyone. She has single-handed the humbling currents of the Hudson River, navigated the coasts of France and the windswept reaches of the Golden Gate.
Her commitment to the sport goes beyond her own tiller; Angela is a sailing instructor and the founder of the nonprofit Salvage-to-Sailing, where she dedicates herself to restoring vessels and the spirits of those who sail them. Through her work with adaptive athletes at the Hudson River Community Sailing, Angela witnessed the transformative power of the water firsthand.
"I guess my biggest lesson was: don’t be afraid," she says. "It will be different from everyone but I watched how sailing can make people feel confident. By focusing on every element around you, you have to focus wholly on learning how to operate the craft. With others by your side as a team or single-handing, sailing teaches resilience and how to keep fear-based 'what if's' from stopping you."
Photos courtesy of the Hudson River Community Sailing
New Beginnings, Not Endings
The inspiration for Sailing4Parkinson's stems largely from the story of Bertrand Delhom, a sailor who refuses to let Parkinson’s tether him to the dock. For Angela, Bertrand represents a shift in perspective that she wants to share with all of us.
"For a long time, a Parkinson's diagnosis felt like the end," Angela explains. "But Bertrand showed us that it can be a new beginning. It changed him; it opened up new dreams. He inspired me to look at how I was holding myself back from my own offshore goals."
Photos courtesy of Amy Bridge (Project Neptune) and Bernard Delhom/Handivoile Brest
Bertrand himself recently shared a reflection that captures the very heart of why we're raising funds for Sailing4Parkinson's. He wrote:
"This question comes up often: how do we keep living fully when certain things become more difficult? I don’t have the audacity to think I hold the ultimate Answer. But I believe deeply that moving forward isn’t about denying the hardship: it is about refusing to let that hardship become the only story."
Angela's message to those sitting on the fence about joining the Regatta for Resilience is simple and profound: "Sailing doesn’t have to be for you, but new beginnings are for everyone."
Join a Modern Sailing Race Team - April 12 Sailing4Parkinson's Regatta for Resilience
Modern Sailing currently has 16 people registered, but our goal is to reach 21 people across three boats racing at the Corinthian Yacht Club on Sunday, April 12. We need 5 more crew to reach our goal and show that sailing belongs to everyone. Whether you’re a seasoned racer or a cruiser with a heart for the cause, we need your support.
The final Teams and boat assignments will be made at the end of March:
► Team Mymble (J/99): Race Coach Stuart Strickland with Team Captain Geoff Love
► Team Ramona (J/105): Race Coach Mark Jordan with Team Captain Angela Woodall
► Team Andiamo (Catalina 36): Race Coach and Team Captain John Squire
Angela Woodall’s mission is to inspire people living with Parkinson's and the people caring for them to remain open to live life fully. The more visibility we can create, the more funds we can raise for critical research needed to combat the fastest growing neurodegenerative disease.
Who's with us?
► Visit our Main Sailing4Parkinson's Event page for Schedule of Events
