NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.—When 31 Marines arrived by bus last week from Camp Pendleton at the Balboa Yacht Club in Corona del Mar, a quaint seaside community, they were given strict orders for their visit: “Go sailing, eat all you want, have fun!”
Since 2013, members of the Balboa Yacht Club have carved out one Thursday each year during the seasonal “Beer Cans” sailing regattas, to host soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines Combat Unit stationed at Camp Pendleton, in a show of appreciation for their military service. The Maines are treated to an afternoon of sailing, an all-expense paid bar tab, and post-race barbeque on the waterfront.
