Community Forum

Community Forum 2025

We invite Dharma members to submit items to this forum that are consistent
with Dharma Voyage's stated mission of "cultivating life-long practices that liberate
the great potential of the mind and body".

To that end, we welcome listings of items for sale that relate to boating or exercise etc.
We welcome announcements for concerts, discussion forums/lectures, hikes, and social gatherings.
We discourage advertising for any for-profit businesses or any solicitations.

Community Bulletin Policy: This a rolling forum for members to share specific events, offerings, ideas, and announcements that may be of interest to Dharma Voyage members on and off the water. If you would like to make a submission for consideration, please send your submission email to info@dharmavoyage.org for review or click on the submission button on the Dharma Cafe homepage. Your submission may not be posted immediately but it will be posted within a reasonable time frame. If there is a timely event or need, please indicate that but please do try to submit your posting at least 7 days beforehand. If there is an item for sale, please let me know if that item has sold and should be removed from the forum.

Dear Rowing Friends,
We’re excited to share a special opportunity to support Dharma’s new gig—and bring home something beautiful in the process!
Daphne Borden, a talented potter and member of SCA, is generously donating 100% of the proceeds from her pottery sales to help fund the construction of our new gig. Daphne’s work features stunning blue/green underglaze paintings of animals, boats, and other inspiring images—each piece is truly one-of-a-kind.

You can find her pottery now at:
Wishing Stone Farm & Weatherlow Farm

Whether you're looking for a meaningful gift or a special piece for yourself, this is a perfect way to support the DV community and help get our new boat on the water.
Thank you for your continued support—and see you on the water!

Warmly,
The Dharma Voyage Board

RIVER WILD

Meet Ernie! Look who joined us on the river! Thanks to Cherie Davignon and Don Dufault for sharing this eagle sighting - a reminder that we row with good company.

Morning Watch on the Westport

Photo by Suzanne Gebelein

A Stroke of Renovation —
Crab to Fab

Symmetry in Motion

Photo by Michelle DaSilva

CALENDAR & FORUM

The Four Corners Arts Center is pleased to present New Bedford Harbor Sea Chantey Chorus on Sunday, September 21, 2:00 pm at The Meeting House.
The New Bedford Harbor Sea Chantey Chorus is one of the most harmonious crews to come ashore. Their repertoire of work songs of the Yankee sailor and whaler reflects the rich maritime heritage of the region. This 24-voice group sings ballads and ditties of global mariners and coastwise fisherfolk in North America, the Cape Verde Islands, and the British Isles. Be ready to have fun and learn how to “rant and roll like a true-born sailor”!
Advance Tickets are $10 / $15 at the door
Tickets are available online at FourCornersArts.org/events
South Coast Harvest Festival
Your favorite New England fall festival is returning to the iconic Westport Fairgrounds! Mark your calendars for the 3rd annual South Coast Harvest Festival- the ultimate family fall experience! Explore stunning professional garden displays by local landscapers and designers, savor delicious bites from local food vendors, discover unique treasures in our artisan marketplace, and enjoy a weekend itinerary packed with live entertainment and music.
Bring the whole family and experience the magic of harvest season on the South Coast, where the land meets the sea.
Friday, September 26th - Sunday, September 28th, 2025
200 Pine Hill Rd, Westport, MA
https://southcoastharvestfestival.com
Gloucester Gull Dory - 15.6' light dory - Rows beautifully - best with one, but can carry a child and dog.
Perfect for Westport River- protected bays. Includes oars, brass oarlocks and fitted canvas cover. Phil Bolger design.
Built by Dynamite Payson, 1981. Well loved - good shape.

$850
Inquiries: Contact Margot Balboni - text 617-347-2866
Winter rental available- studio apt- $1375./mo no pets.
Contact Lucy Chase with inquiries.
508 496-9040
Pam Silvia has Dharma hats to sell. If you are interested in a hat please contact Pam to make arrangements to meet before or after a row.
The cost is $24
She'll need either a check made out to Dharma Voyage or exact cash because she will not have any change.
Pam Silvia Text: 774 307-0335
email: pjsilvia521@gmail.com
Used WaterRower A1 Indoor rowing machine!
$600 Excellent for winter training. Suitable for users of any fitness level, the A1 uses every large muscle group with a single stroke to burn calories and build strength. Lightweight and portable. When not in use the A1 rower can be placed on end for space-saving storage. Fitted with the A1 Quick-Start Monitor to view key workout data as you row.
For Inquiries:
Contact Laura Hunt - 508-951-1287
laurahunt22@gmail.com

General Announcements

Dear Rowers:
***PLEASE READ THIS THROUGH COMPLETELY.***
Welcome to the 2025 Dharma Voyage rowing season. We are putting the final touches on the 2025 roster and it appears that we will have about 90-95 returning rowers. New rowers will join after their instructional row later in May. This will ultimately be about the same number as last year.
Spirit and Mariner will be ready the week of May 12th. The boat maintenance team of Wendy and Cyn are completing their exhaustive work on Fiona and Voyager. Please scroll down to the bottom of this page for photos of this process.

SIGN -UPs
Using YOUR Sign-Up genius password, you may sign up for rowing on the following days: May 13, 14, 15 and 16 at 6:30 and 7:45.
The boats are going to be used for coxswain training on the remaining days.
PLEASE SIGN UP FOR JUST ONE ROW UNTIL WE HAVE ALL BOATS IN THE WATER.
If you have questions about using SUG, please consult this page: https://www.dharmavoyage.org/signup-genius
If you still need assistance contact Desiree at: info@dharmavoyage.org
Sign-up will again begin around 5 PM on Saturday. Established coxswains may sign up for one row on Thursday IF they sign up to cox. The policy for early sign ups for coxswains will be clarified in the weeks to come.
As always, arrive at the dock about 15 minutes early to assist with the boats as needed.
Parking
Dharma Voyage has permission once again to park at
Hix Bridge landing and the Masonic Lodge up the hill. For Westport residents, this is your town and you need a sticker. For non-residents, you are guests of the Town. Four laminated parking passes on lanyards will be in the lock box. Please place them on your dashboard. Parking should begin at the far side of the lot and please try to park closely together.
If we need more spaces, rowers may park up the hill at the Masonic Lodge. There are laminated cards in the lock box that you need to place on your dashboard. Parking is behind the building with your car directed toward the vineyard but do NOT pull forward up to the vineyard fence. Keep very clear of this.
All questions about Race Training can be directed to Cindi at ctzembo@gmail.com
The Dharma Voyage website is chock-full of information. Please familiarize yourself with the pages. The Dharma Cafe is password-protected and if you are reading this in the cafe, you are aware that the password is: Hixbridge25
Use the Community Forum to post events and news consistent with Dharma. The guidelines and a submission page are on the site.

The membership directory will be updated once the 2025 roster is completed. Remember, some people OPT OUT and you won't find their info in the directory.
And check this out if you want more information about the upcoming Dharma Regatta: https://www.dharmavoyage.org/dharmavoyageorgwestportregatta
These are exciting times for Dharma and also times of change. We have a new Board of Directors and shifts in leadership for both coxswain training and coaching for Race Training. Please see this page for information about the organization: https://www.dharmavoyage.org/organization
I am looking forward to seeing everyone very soon.
Maureen
Adult Community Rowing Coordinator
Dear Rowers,
   Much has been happening in the Dharma Voyage maintenance department since we started our work in January. We thought you might like an update and some photos.

Spirit and Mariner were scraped, sanded, primed and painted as needed. They both are ready for launch. We removed Spirit’s old seats and Bob Fuller the Boatbuilder installed new elevated seats. Fewer seat risers should now be needed which will make the boat lighter and seating less awkward.

  We moved Voyager into Sandy’s boat shop 6 weeks ago. We've been working on her since and it has become a significant restoration and repair project. We’re happy to say that Bob Fuller has deemed her salvageable. The bottom had to be scraped and sanded back to the original fiberglass. Bob, with help from Sandy Brown, has been busy chiseling out the damaged and decayed wood and then fitting them with new wood strips. We’ve been applying penetrating epoxy to bare wood areas, cutting and fitting fiberglass and then epoxying those areas. We’ll next apply fiberglass to the whole bottom, epoxy the fiberglass and then sand in entirety. We’ll apply epoxy primer and then two finish coats of bottom paint. Following will be sanding, priming and topcoating the topsides and gunnels. Given the extent of this process, we’ve decided to wait until next season to remove the old seats and install the new elevated seats. We expect that the present project will be done by mid-May. We’ll then be ready to move Fiona into the shop for her seasonal work.

  We plan to complete work on the punt (fit new metal runners, install the new oarlock, sand, prime, topcoat) during the first week of May. We’ll then be able to use it to put in the summer moorings so that Spirit and Mariner can be launched. And the rowing season can begin! We’re looking forward to seeing everyone!
Photos posted above

Wendy and Cyn