The perfect team —
Seasoned sailors and Hunter sailboat owners...
Celeste Streger, Commodore
Celeste grew up in Queens, New York and moved to Rockville, Maryland in the 1980s. Celeste and her husband Mark have two adult sons and when they were in high school Celeste and Mark decided to take sailing lessons and enjoy the vast water in Maryland. They made it a vacation signing up for a Learn to Sail weekend in Newport, RI with J World. Wanting more they continued their US Sailing certification at J World Annapolis. They decided to join Chesapeake Boating Club giving them access to boats for both day sailing and cruising with their fleet of J Boats and a Benneteau on Back Creek. They made a trip to Charleston, SC twice for Bareboat and Coastal certifications and have chartered in the BVIs and the US Virgin Islands.
Celeste and Mark moved to Annapolis in 2015 to live on the water and sail more often. When COVID hit they decided to buy their own sailboat, so in December 2020 they bought a 2011 Hunter e36 they call Bay Dream and joined HSA1 in 2021.
Peter Harsh, Vice Commodore
Pete grew up sailing small boats (Sunfish & Hobies) in coastal Georgia and on the Chesapeake. Pete got his first taste of keelboat sailing as a teenager, crewing on racing boats in Annapolis. A stint in the US Navy took Pete away from the sport, but after being away for over a decade he returned to sailing with small keelboats: A Tartan 26 on Galveston Bay, An O’Day 27 on the Northeast River, and a San Juan 21 that he and his wife Penny have trailered up and down the eastern seaboard for racing events and cruising.
After getting a taste of cruising on a J32 with the Chesapeake Boating Club, Pete and Penny decided to take the leap and purchase a cruising boat. They purchased their 1998 Hunter 340, Treasure Hunter, in 2020 and it turned out to be a perfect fit! They keep her at Swan Creek Marina in Rock Hall. Pete and Penny enjoy day sailing, cruising, a little racing, and especially HSA1 activities.
David Albert, Treasurer
Born in Philadelphia and lived in Long Island and New Jersey over the years. He and his wife Laurie moved to Reston, VA in 1981. Dave became interested in sailing in his twenties, took an intro to sailing class (and other classes), and he and Laurie went on their first charter in the Grendaines. Two kids later, it led them to buying 1/3 of a Hunter 31, which led to a H38 and now they have a H49. Having sailed all over the Chesapeake Bay, Chartering in the Caribbean & Greece and crewing on boats to the Bahamas, Dave and Laurie are looking forward to many more adventures. A former Treasurer for the Herrington Harbour Sailing Association, Dave is excited to be the Treasurer for HSA-1.
Laurie Underwood, Immediate Past Commodore
Laurie Underwood grew up on Long Island fishing and water skilling, but did not take up sailing until she and her husband, Sean, took lessons in 2014.
After chartering for 2 years, they purchased s/v Bootlegger in 2016. Most weekends you will find Laurie, Sean, their teenager Jack and dog Trixie cruising around the Bay or working on the boat and enjoying the amenities at Herrington Harbour North.
Jeremy Midgley, Fleet Captain
Jeremy grew up moving from state to state for military and work career. Luckily everywhere he has lived, has been near or on the water. He spent a large amount of time growing up, visiting or living with Aunts and Uncles on the Potomac and Patuxent rivers and up in the many lakes of Michigan, fishing and boating.
Not taking up sailing until 2010, after a perfect day sail with a neighbor. Jeremy promptly bought a h340, then a h356. Living on the 356 for nearly 3 years prior to meeting his wife Tammy and her two sons. Jeremy and Tammy have upsized to a 2007 41ac “Renegade” in March of 2021, which is kept at Herrington Harbour North.
Dan Breitenbach, Secretary
Dan learned to sail when the Army made a mistake by sending him to Newport, RI for a ten month school after a tour in Germany. Cathy returned to DC to continue her career and he was a geographical bachelor. There, he took sailing lessons and really enjoyed it. A couple of weeks after completing the sail training, Cathy drove up to visit. They went for a sail with his sailing instructor and caught themselves in 19 knots in a 19’ Rhodes. A quick but exciting sail back to the marina, with waves breaking over the bow, left them soaked. Thinking the experience would sour her on sailing, he found she loved it. In 2004, they bought their current boat, a Hunter 386, named “Zum Wohl” in recognition of their three tours in Germany. “Zum Wohl” is a German toast used with wine. Its literal translation is “To the Fullest.” Dan was the Fleet Captain a few years ago and now returns as Secretary. Dan and Cathy keep their boat at slip F14 Shipwright Harbor Marina in Deale, MD and live in Lorton, VA. Interestingly, there is often a cold bottle of Chardonnay aboard. Zum Wohl!
Greg Guthman, Webmaster
After finishing his 3 year term of Commdoore in 2018 after another 2 year stint in 2007/2008 and Fleet Captain prior to that, Greg is happy to help Laurie and Kim! Greg is a life-long boater from the midwest and one of those "Great" lakes, but has found his sailing home on the Chesapeake for the last 20 years. He has been a proud member of HSA1 for all those years. He is currently enjoying his 3rd Hunter sailboat and looks forward to working with the HSA1 team for another great year on and off the water
Carl Reitz, Newsletter chair
Forty-seven years ago Carl and his wife Sue honeymooned in the Virgin Islands on a Pearson 26 and moved into the Bucks County Pennsylvania house that is still home. They sailed dinghies and chartered “big boats” for 20 years, then bought the first Windrose, a 1987 Hunter 40 and joined HSA-1. Since then they have wintered in the Bahamas five times, three on the first Windrose and more recently on the new Windrose, a 2013 Marlow-Hunter 40 which they keep at Haven Harbour in Rock Hall. Carl was HSA-1 Commodore in 2004 and 2005.
Barb Steele, Membership chair
Barb’s husband Jeff would spend his lunch hour dreaming of sailing and during the summer of 1996 the dream became reality with thier first boat, a 24 ft C&C. They fell in love with sailing not only being a source of entertainment but a “go to” for stress relief. In the fall of 2011, they found their 27 ft Hunter on the Sassafras and have been actively sailing ever since. They bought their present boat, a 35 ft’er named Melanna in 2015.