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Cat TalesAugust 1996 |
Paul Payne, Commodore
Catalina
Rendezvous
The weather was warm and the folks were great, as
Sharon and I sailed SUN DANCER to the Catalina
Rendezvous held at the Harborview Marina & Yacht Club in Baltimore Inner
Harbor. We had waited for the rain to stop before we left Annapolis, so by the
time we got to the marina Friday night, everyone had gone to bed. Fleet 11 was
well represented at the event with Max Munger, IC30 Association
Secretary/Treasurer, Joan & Wayne Savage and Dale Boyer, Daughter and Nanny
joining the festivities by land and Mark & A.J. Eller, MISS
TRESS and ourselves aboard SUN
DANCER.
Saturday morning, a series of seminars gave us a
little more education on the fine art of outfitting and sailing our boats.
After the seminars, the Fleet 11 folks took a water taxi over to the bustling
marketplace to get some Hooters for lunch. We made it back in time to watch the
dinghy races in the afternoon and get ready for the great Toga Party that
night. Mark had two entries ready for the joke telling contest that never took
place, so we didn't get to hear them. (Maybe we can coax him to tell them to us
at our next outing.)
At the cocktail party and crab feast later that
evening, we were entertained by the many folks in their toga gear looking like
Roman senators and Cleopatras as our Catalina hosts Patrick Turner and Sharon
Day gave away many prizes including lots of Rust-B-Gone. We all enjoyed the
music and danced the night away. Watch for the next on-line newsletter to see
pictures of some of these fun moments!
Why are these Roman
citizens so Happy?
Catalina founder Frank Butler spoke to us at
the continental breakfast the next morning, and we all watched as the grand
prize was awarded to another fleet. After bidding farewell, Sharon and I sailed
to Sillery Bay on the Magothy where we scampered about in the dinghy and
enjoyed a glorious night at anchor. On Monday, we raced back home in time to
get stuck at the dock during the downpour that didn't stop until the next
morning. There we were, enjoying our Catalina yacht for one more
night!
September Cruises
We have some great
cruises planned for the fall, starting with the Labor Day cruise to the Tred
Avon with raft captains Bill & Sharon Weeks. Hope to see you all there. The
Marzullos cannot be raft captains for the cruise to Bodkin Creek in
mid-September, so we re looking for someone who might like to drop their hook
there. Please call me if you d like to head up the raft. We are also looking
for raft captains for the Oktoberfest cruise planned for the 5 & 6. Joan
& Wayne Savage will be raft captains for the Nutrageously fun Halloween
cruise on October 26, 27 that should round out our cruising season.
Bill and Sharon Weeks,
SUNRISE/FORTNIGHT
The first weekend in September
we will be sailing in one of my favorite places, the Choptank River. The wind
is about the same as out on the Bay, but usually there is only a light chop,
not the waves one would expect with 10-15 knots of wind. I have had some of my
greatest sailing experiences reaching toward the Tred Avon. Knapp Narrows was
dredged this spring, so no one should have any problems with the
bottom.
For our first night, I have selected Trippe Creek, not to be
confused with La Trappe Creek beyond the Tred Avon. The entrance to Trippe
Creek is about a mile and a half up river from Town Creek and four and a half
from the Choptank River Light. The entrance is well marked with no surprises.
Give Deepwater point a wide berth. Just beyond Deepwater Point is a large
anchorage, allowing for any breeze to cool the boats. It is a beautiful place.
Sunrise/Fortnight will have the anchor down by 1400 hours on August 31st. We
will also be flying the club burgee. We will probably go over on
Friday.
Sunday night we will be in Caulk Cove off Leadenham Creek, which
is off Broad Creek. Broad Creek is about half way between Knapp Narrows and the
Tred Avon. Sunday will be a lazy day, it should be only about three hours sail
from Trippe Creek to Caulk cove.
Hope to see you on the water.
Freda and Charles Gandy, LUV IT
What a
pleasant day for the crab feast - in the 80's - for the 37 people that
attended. Pat Connelly and Arlene aboard PATTER III
from Norfolk had arrived with drama. They contacted us by phone on Thursday
with news that their alternator had burned up and were anchored just south of
Thomas Point Light. Our granddaughter Erin, 15, was having a beach birthday
party here, so we asked if any of them would like to go out on the rescue, and
all enthusiastically accepted. When we arrived at
Patter's location, we saw a "smiley face" flag flying
from the mast - upside down!
We took time to let the kids swim while we
were rafted to Patter (no nettles!). On Friday, Pat and Charles located a local
alternator repairman who would rebuild it, so when reinstallation was finished
on Saturday, Pat turned the flag over so that the frown became a
smile.
Mark Eller and his brother Kurt brought MISS
TRESS up on Friday against the wind and tide most of the way from
Solomons, so arrived just as a group of us were paying our check at the
Broadneck Cafe. Barry Carter and Diana Hamilton, Bill Wesley, Pat and Arlene
and Charles and I had enjoyed a delicious meal there. Barry and Diana had
arrived on Friday from Norfolk so we would have time to catch up on some our
visiting.
Liz was in Alabama, but that didn't keep her Wesley contingent
from coming for the fun. Bill and Melanie were here with their newborn,
Allyson, also Cindy, Mike, and Bill. Bill had brought their boat around from
nearby Mill Creek so that he and Charles could tweak his marine SSB
radio.
Mark and Beverly Davis with daughter Diana had been out cruising
for the week, and arrived by boat on CHANTILLY LASS.
Diana made many friends easily, and favored some of us by allowing us to hold
Elizabeth and Kathryn, her white stuffed bears.
With brisket and turkey
breasts cooked on the grill, lots of delicious side dishes, and crabs and beer,
we used lots of paper towels and got lots of good visiting done. It was fun to
visit with Larry and Janet Polster, who have taken a break in their careers to
cruise for a year. They and 13-month-old daughter Hanna will leave going south
just after the boat show.
That makes four boats from the party going
south: Barry Carter and Diana Hamilton of MOONSHADOW,
Liz and Bill Wesley of TRUE BLEW, and Charles and me of
LUV IT, and the Polsters. We will probably all meet up
in Key Largo with Ed and Cori Summersett of FANTASY,
who were here for the party by car, but are usually found cruising as
liveaboards on FANTASY.
The party was rounded
out by Jim McCormack of Norfolk, the Hollimans, the Mungers, the Langs, the
Dennisons, the Savages, and the Helldorfers.
After some serious eating,
several people decided to try a ride down the zip line. It's usually our
grandchildren who do this, and none of them were here so the adults and Diana
Davis got all the fun. Why was it that mostly women went down it? I must point
out though, that Cindy Wesley's Mike went down quite competently. If any other
men did, I missed it.
Mark and AJ brought out their boom box and there
was quite a contingent of dancers under the tutelage of Joan Savage. It was the
Macerina, the new rage, with the chanting of "hands, hands, over, over, head,
head, hips, hips, butt, butt -- " and lots of movement - to the great fun of
both dancers and spectators.
Our many grateful thanks to all of you who
came and who helped us carry the load of putting on the crab feast. We couldn't
even consider having it if you didn't help to the extent that you do. We love
and appreciate all of you.
Calling all aspiring writers and/or editors. We need your help. As you
note this edition is a little shorter than most in the past. This is because we
need more input from you. We are also looking for volunteers for newsletter
editor for next year. Any suggestions?
Please send your articles to me
for the next newsletter, and please call if you are interested in becoming the
1997 editor.