Pandora arrived at Arabella’s Landing on Friday afternoon where she was warmly greeted by Ralph and Arlene of Misty Isles. We shared Happy Hour with them and then went out to Anthony’s with Bob’s sister, a Gig Harbor resident.
Saturday AM we walked around town and returned to Pandora in the rain to find out that the lifelines may not be the best place to dry towels. A terrific storm followed, thunder, lightning, hail! We played 500 Rummy in our cozy saloon and were glad to be in harbor. Neptune’s Court, Murphy’s Lawyer and Touch Rain all arrived safely. We held our potluck in Arabella’s lounge. The food and company all top-notch, as usual. Our convivial host, Mike Wilson of Touch Rain, challenged us with a nautical trivia game.
Sunday, we left to catch the favorable tide home. We sailed all the way back in 15-20 knots. We practiced our sailing to a mooring technique when we stopped at Hope Island for lunch. Much to the amusement of some nearby kayakers, it took us five tries and finally running the engine in reverse to pick up the %&## thing without blowing past it. Lesson learned? When picking up a mooring in a 15 knot wind, drop your sails and hope your engine works.
Beth Connolly, Pandora
Memorial Day weekend found ten boats at Penrose Point State Park. The wind picked up mid-morning Saturday, giving attendees a rousing sail, with times ranging from three hours, Strider, to five hours from Olympia. Mayo Cove was surprisingly empty and quiet, perhaps due to the wind and cooler weather, so we had our pick of anchoring spots.
We met for a Mexican Feast on the grassy bluff overlooking Mayo Cove. We had some outstanding dishes, including chili, tamales, mexican lasagna, salads, with a creamy flan , brownies and cobbler for dessert. Some participants gathered wood and built a bonfire after dinner, which lasted until dark. Max and Diana Doerge donated some very amusing and irreverent books on sailing, which we gave away in a drawing. Thanks!!
On Sunday, we gathered on the beach for blindfolded dinghy races. We had three races, with most of the contestants actually completing the course! Winners were:
Race 1: Dylan and Larisa Wade
Race 2: Dylan Wade and Nathan
Race 3: Dave and Lisa Metzler
West Marine gift cards were given to the winners.
Most people sailed back on Sunday, as the wind was still good. Attending were: Selah, Unity, Avanti, Chessie, Strider, Murphy’s Lawyer, Pas de Chat, Sugar Magnolia, Adagio, and Engvalls and parents, by land.
Ann Wade, Adagio
Fourteen boats came out for the McMicken cruise this year. Saturday gave us light winds and mild temperatures. A falling tide allowed us to gather on the beach for dinner. We had many excellent dishes for the potluck. Just as we were finishing, our socializing was cut short by unexpected rain showers. As all eyes turned to the boats, it became apparent that a raft of three boats was drifting rapidly down on Murphy’s Lawyer and Avanti. Some rapid dinghy action and fending off remedied the situation and the boats split up for the night.
The next day more than made up for the showers. It was one of those calm, sunny, warm days when there is no place better to be than in an anchorage on ones boat. The choices for the morning were to walk on the beach, row or kayak, or simply soak up the sun on deckŐ By early afternoon, most of the boats were headed home.
Attending were: Sugar Magnolia with new owner Scott Awalt,Avanti, Nanook, Magic Carpet, Power Surge, Unity, Neptune’s Court, Misty Isles, Balder, Murphy’s Lawyer, Pandora, Mariah, Chessie and Adagio. Irish Ayes, whose owners are new Members, arrived with the rain, and we hope to see them again at the next Cruise.
Ann Wade, Adagio
Given the rainy weather, I expected Adagio to hang alone at Hope Island. To my surprise, when we arrived at midday, Pete and Jon Judd on their Baba 40 Murphy’s Lawyer and Frank Mighetto on Murrelett were already there. Shortly thereafter, Chuck Leonard arrived by kayak from Arcadia, accompanied by Kris Engvall on one of his many small boats. After a little kayaking and hiking in the woods, we spent a warm, cozy evening on board Murphy’s Lawyer. We shared our potluck and watched “Captain Ron” on DVD!
Sunday dawned gusty and rainy. The sail home was quick and fun. Adagio reached 5.2 knots, pulling a dinghy with a half-empty cooler and a loaded kayak!! The moral or this story? It’s always worth going out!
Ann Wade, Adagio
The December rains miraculously held off on New Years Eve, Allowing SSSS Members to participate in the third annual Boston Harbor Marina New Year’s Eve party. Six boats arrived in early evening: O-my-God and Unity, both with out-of-town guests, Murphy’s Lawyer, Kalakala, Murrelet and Selah. Pandora made a valiant effort to join us, but her engine had other ideas. The dock party began at 2000, with numerous SSSS Members arriving by car and Boston Harbor neighbors on foot.
The food table and the chili pot were continuously replenished as new people arrived. A bonfire on the beach kept the chill away. Dancing picked up later in the evening. By midnight, many boaters had slipped back to their heated cabins, but some of us stayed out to pop the champagne corks.
New Year’s Day brought a steady downpour , that didn’t let up all day. Adagio’s crew decided to pass on the polar bear plunge scheduled for noon, and headed home in late morning. Our sailors, however, braved the deluge to head back to their home ports.
All-in-all, it was an enjoyable and memorable way to bring in 2003!
Ann Wade, Adagio
Despite the downpour and 25 knot gusts earlier in the day, 25 brave souls turned out for our covered-label wine tasting , held under a spacious awning in the picnic area. Skies cleared, and we sampled 17 wines, ranging from Rieslings to full-bodied reds. It was fun to discover the identities of our favorites once the labels were exposed.
In sailorly fashion, labels were covered with what was at hand, including duct-tape and covers from old Sail magazines. Food was outstanding at this event, including appetizers, hot dishes and Betty Hansen’s brownies, reputed to go well with red wine!
Attending were Rushwind, Murphy’s Lawyer, Kalakala, and, by car, captains and crew of Strider, Skaga, Tornack, Neptune’s Court, Murrelet, Koosah, Magic Carpet, Bright Angel, Balder, Vela, Adagio, and, Commodore Judi Kruller.
Thanks to attendees for the great wines and a great turnout!
Ann Wade, Adagio
The Halloween Cruise on October 26-7 was well-attended and lively. With twenty boats plus four parties arriving by car, we filled up the moorage and had the covered, heated, pavilion to ourselves.
We had many children this year. We kept them busy with games, a pinata, and trick-or-treating. A number of excellent pumpkins were carved by children, teens, and adults. Prizes for boat decoration will be awarded at the November Meeting for: most brightly decorated boat, largest decoration, scariest creatures, and scariest sound effects.
The food at the potluck was outstanding this month, with rich, hot foods such as clam chowder, stews, apple pie, and carrot cake. Special notice goes to Pete Judd, Murphy’s Lawyer, for his chantrelle mushroom puff pastry, baked in the oven of his boat!
A brief Sunday morning rain turned into a lovely, windy day, with a steady SW wind. With an outgoing tide, we had smooth water in Dana Passage and return times were pleasingly short. Many thanks again to Vela and Koosah for going out on Friday to secure our place at the marina.
Boats attending were: Vela, Koosah, Chiras, Breezin’, Sea Witch, Murrelet, Murphy’s Lawyer, Unity, Dark Star, Destiny 2, Bright Angel, Wildflower, Kalakala, Pia, Lowfer 2 for their eighteenth Halloween Cruise!, Sunday’s Child, Columbia Transit, Neptune’s Court, and Adagio. Arriving by car were the Duvals, Bigleys, Commodore Judi Kruller, and Engvalls.
Ann Wade, Adagio
We had another warm, sunny cruising weekend for the Commodores’ Cruise. Fifteen boats turned out for the cruise on a light-air day. Commodore Judi Kruller, sailing on Koosah, was there to greet the sailors. The first boat in, who shall go unnamed, dredged the channel for the rest of us by kindly coming in at low tide. The red house, that we all use to know when to turn into the bay from the channel, was, helpfully, still painted red! There was plenty of anchoring depth for even deep draft boats once inside. Strider, Zorba, and Magic Carpet had the shortest rows to shore. A few members drove to the town of Vaughn and were picked up by dinghy and the town ramp.
George Hansen led the chow line promptly at 1800 and a large quantity of food was rapidly consumed. Names were drawn for prizes, but no one came away empty-handed, thanks to Dan Decker, who donated a large number of disposable cameras, so that each boat and each child received one! We built a bonfire as the Harvest Moon rose over the bay. There were smores and banana boats for those who could still eat.
The next morning’s sunrise was beautiful, with the Olympic Mountains clear and tinged with pink and orange, and the moon still visible. Most boats left early to make it through the channel on the falling tide. A lovely way to spent the first weekend of autumn!
Ann Wade, Adagio
The Squaxin Island Cruise was a wonderful way to spend a summer weekend! Twenty-six boats and 52 people attended, some just for the day, many for the night as well. Several were attending their first SSSS Cruise. The former park site is lovely and peaceful, with a large, sheltered anchorage, a broad beach and a meadow where, we were told, the picnic grounds and campsites used to be. For some it was a first trip ashore, for others a return to an old favorite.
Thanks to Squaxin tribal members Carrie and Bob Smith, we were able to enjoy the afternoon ashore and to have our potluck up in the meadow when the tide came in. The Smiths, their grandaughter and Carries sister B.J. were our guests at the potluck. Bill Brosius, Raven, treated us to grilled Alaskan salmon, and we had many excellent foods to accompany it.
Boats attending the Cruise included: Blowout, Uproar, Dyno, Raven, Starseeker, Strider, Adventurer, Zorba, Pandora, Magic Carpet, Tornack, Mariah, Unity, Altrice, Attitude Adjustment, Adagio, Stars, Cloud Duster, Neptunes Court, Murphy’s Lawyer, Haleakala, Skaga, Dark Star, Balder, Osa, Lars Jensen.
Best of all, Bob and Carrie have offered to do it again for us next year!
Ann Wade, Adagio