Cruises:
June Cruise to Oro Bay : Memorial Day Cruise, Penrose Point : Hope Island : New Year’s Cruise, Percival Landing : November Cruise, Swantown : Halloween Cruise, Longbranch : Commodores’ Cruise, Vaughn Bay : End of Summer Cruise, Stretch Island : Mid Summer Night’s Cruise, McMicken Island : July 3rd Boston Harbor
Jim and Choang Lussier, Dawn Treader, won the 2005-6 Party Boat Award
This award goes to the boat attending the most Cruises over the year. It was awarded at our June Meeting. Congratulations!
It is over now. A report is coming.
Pete Judd, Murphy’s Lawyer
Eight boats had great wind to arrive at Penrose Point on Saturday. A raft of six boats greeted us as we arrived in the late afternoon. The potluck was held on Dawn Treader, which was one of the anchor boats of the raft. As usual the food was great and varied.
It rained heavy overnight and the wind continued throughout the day on Sunday, Gusting into the high 20’s and low 30’s. The raft broke up around noon on Sunday and most of the boats headed to home or their next destination.
Boats attending the Cruise were, Dawn Treader, Murphy’s Lawyer, American Girl, Eagle, Exact, Gadzooks, Midnight, Wind Swept, and Outatime.
Pete Judd, Murphy’s Lawyer
Raft, Penrose Point Cruise, photo by Pete Judd
When I woke up Saturday morning, I looked outside and was startled to find an inch of snow in the back yard. This, I thought was a bad sign for a Cruise weekend. Boy was I wrong. By the time I got to the boat, the sky was clear and the barometer was rising. Very light winds on the way to Hope Island but, I had Bud Inlet all to myself.
The potluck was held on Murphy again this year. The food again was excellent and varied. Sunday morning we awoke to find a layer of frost on the decks and beach. But clear skys and a light breeze brought us back to the marina dry and only a little cold.
Seven boats were represented at the Cruise. They where Island Time, Dawn Treader, Zdorovo, Magic Carpet, Osa, Murrlet, and Murphy’s Lawyer.
Pete Judd, Murphy’s Lawyer
Six boats where signed in for the cruise to Percival Landing, braving the weather forecasts warning of wind and rain. The rain was only intermittent and the winds did not appear until Sunday morning, then gusting to 37. The potluck was held on Murphy again, and no one went home hungry. Turkey, ham, and scalloped potatoes, made for hearty fare. After dinner we were treated to a fireworks display launched from the park above us. Most of the boats left around noon for there trips home.
Boats represented at the cruise were Island Time the power boat, Vela, Magic Carpet, Dawn Treader, Merrlet, and Murphy’s Lawyer.
Pete Judd, Murphy’s Lawyer
We had 13 boats signing in for our annual wine tasting Cruise. This year it was held at Swantown Marina under the portable tent next to the guest dock. No rain this year, but the evening temperatures were cool. However the wine, appetizers and good company kept us warm well into the night. The best wine bottle decoration was brought by Rod Tharp and Susan McRae, dubbed the Protest Bottle for flying several red flags.
Boat signing in were, Balder, Pandora, Island Time the Sailboat, not the trawler, Magic Carpet, Nika Canim, Bona Chute, Strider, Outatime, Selah, Murrelet, Dawn Treader, Damn Yankee, and Murphy’s Lawyer.
Pete Judd, Murphy’s Lawyer
13 boats signed in at the Longbranch Marina for our annual Halloween Cruise. The weather was threatening to drown all of us out, but most boats arrived with out getting wet with southerly 5-10 knot winds.
The potluck dinner had a great variety of wonderful foods, and to whoever brought the pumpkin spice cake, I would love to have the recipe. After dinner, the costumes went on and prizes and certificates of award where given out. The best dressed boat this year was Adagio. As usual, the little hob-goblins stuffed themselves with sugar as they tricked and treated boat to boat. And afterward a few of the adults tried to consume as much of the beverages as possible.
Sunday morning brought a beautiful sunrise. Breakfast was served in the clubhouse with coffee, French toast, ham, and juice. After breakfast, boats departed at their leisure in 5-15 knot southerly winds, many getting back to their homes without getting wet.
Boats signed in where, Wind Swept, Island Time, Jollygood, Spinner of dreams, Zdorovo, Murrelet, Shooter, Magic Carpet, Murphy’s Lawyer, Dawn Trader, Outatime, Selah, and Adagio.
I would like to thank all of those that pitched in and helped at Longbranch to make this such an enjoyable cruise.
Pete Judd, Murphy’s Lawyer
Cruise photos by Bob Tollefsen
I am glad to hear that the Cruise went well. Pete however, generously did not mention that the pumpkins, to be delivered by Commodore Dan, did not make it. As it turned out, Dan had a wonderful day with Murphy, not his lawyer.
My crew along with Terry Watness and his daughter, expert pumpkin picker Kayli, did select 36 fine pumpkins on Friday for the carving at the Halloween Cruise. The day of the Cruise started out normally enough, with typical delays, taking far longer than one would believe possible to load the boat with appropriate provisions. About 1230 we were away from the dock, pumpkins and all, on Terry Watness’s beautiful wooden 28' ketch, Sea Addler. Besides Danielle and your narrator my brother and his wife were aboard. They were visiting from Phoenix, first time to the NW much less on a boat.
This is when Murphy started to have his fun. Happily motoring toward the port loading docks, we were charged upon by a Coast Guard boat with no less that 3 heavily armed kids at the ready. Dressed in all black, head to toe terrorist attire, and pointing very large machine guns at us as they began instructing us to turn around and wait. Apparently I had managed to time our departure with that of the arrival of a very large military transport. The American flag flying from the transom and our presence thousands of miles away from the Middle East was not enough to make it clear that we were not terrorists in Olympia. Right about then, the motor decided to stall and leave us coasting without power. We quickly raised the main and I proceeded to get us away with all the speed a large wooden ketch can muster in a light wind and with large loaded guns breathing down our necks.
Roughly an hour later, and the resolution of a skipper induced engine issue, we were once again on our way and on track to arrive around 1630. We were transiting nicely through Dana passage, when a loud, thunk is heard. Probably just a small but noisy log passing under the boat. Having just handed the tiller to my trusty and ever so capable, not to mention lovely, girlfriend Danielle, I turn to let her know that it was O.K. and not likely to be a problem. That is when I gazed upon the tiller and rudder assembly dangling behind the boat by the sheet of the mizzenmast. Well only fun from here on. I proceeded to wrestle and secure, as best as I could the large wooden tiller with rudder in a fashion that would allow a modicum of steerage. We transited back a mile or so to Boston Harbor, nicely if not a bit slowly. It was during this time that the large Crowley tugs roared head on at us as the came blasting around Dofflemyer, finally realizing that we were not moving quickly, they turned to avoid us, leaving us to flounder in their sizable wakes.
After making it to Boston Harbor we futzed with the rudder: trying to line up all 4 pins with the 4 gudgeons, 1 on top, 1 at the water line, and 2 below the prop. A friendly local diver, Mark Osborn of Osborn Marine and Co. 456-1687, arrived in his slip across from where we had tied up. He kindly and offered to don his dry suit and help us out, in spite of having just finished a full day of work. Very fortunate in deed. We proceeded to successfully affix the rudder in fine fashion and in a manner that would negate the likely hood of further incident.
At this point it was getting on in the evening. In spite of my assurances of an easy passage on to Longbranch, it was the consensus of my crew and passengers that they had had enough adventure for one day. It was made imminently clear to me that my wisest course of action would be to retreat back to our home and to recuperate there for the remainder of the evening. So this is the sorted tale of why there were no pumpkins for Halloween and why Dan has lots of pumpkin pies. I apologize for not making it, and am sad to have missed out on all the fun and breakfast too. I hope to see you all at a Cruise soon.
Cheers Dan Decker, O-My-God
The weather was great! Sunny and warm days, cool night. Twelve boats made it to Vaughn Bay. Our Commodore came, even though he had to borrow Seeadler from Terry Watness to get there. Good thing he did as we put him to use at breakfast.
The others attending were Vela who had spent Friday night at McMicken, Altrice, Balder, Heather, Magical Island, Maranatha, Moonrise with the only other Commodore in attendance, Nightwind, Selah, Wind Swept, and Kalakala.
George Hanson provided the fire making for Saturday evening pot luck dinner. We have a photo. The food was good as usual. My apologies for being late.
Sunday morning, Vaughn Bay was fog laden; the boats moored outside of Vaughn Bay could not be seen from the top of the spit. Of the boats moored inside the spit, only the closer ones could be seen. The fog cleared north of Herron Island were flat waters and sunshine continued for the rest of the day.
Camille Rett and Dan Decker were driving forces for the Sunday breakfast: Modified Egg Muffins. The four burners and low fuel did not stop us from providing a pretty good breakfast. Here in lies a lesson. Don’t get to fancy on the beach. Pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon hot coffee: four burners.
Dwayne Young, Kalakala
The South Sound Sailing Societies’ August Cruise was attended by five boats; Altrice, Kalakala, Murphy’s Lawyer, Shooter, and Strider. The water here at Stretch point was warm and calm, unless you count the waves from the water skiers, tubers and wake boarders.
Dinner was very good Saturday accompanied by several different discussions. Breakfast Sunday was served by Chuck Gros and Pete Judd, thank you gentlemen, and Myself. It was a good thing to get everyone out of their boats and on the beach one last time before we all left. So we’ll do it again next month, maybe something special for the Commodore.
We have pictures of Dinner and Breakfast on Stretch Point. There is also a picture of the Vauhan Bay Spit on fire! Have I mentioned that is the location of the September Cruise!
Dwayne Young, Kalakala
The McMicken Island Cruise was attended by 11 people in 5 boats. The weather Saturday and Sunday was perfect for just lounging around or walks on the beach. There was a lot of beach to walk on. With minus tides Saturday and Sunday we were able to get first hands look at why the sailboat that attempted to enter the west side of McMicken from the South didn’t.
Lucky for us we had just finished another great potluck on the beach (where’s George?) when someone noticed the errant sailboat. We all jumped up and went around the point, getting a better look and were treated to a display of rapid turning. The boat decided that that was as close to McMicken as they were getting and dropped anchor. Our first thoughts were, that they seemed to be a little close to the outer wall of the spit and if they would still be there later that night when another low tide was expected. They were gone before any got up Sunday.
Speaking of Sunday, breakfast on the beach, coffee, eggs, bacon, hash browns, and pancakes were served with the help of “Big Daddy Eric” and Past Commodore “Snookums”
Those that had breakfast with us thought it was worth it, so we will do breakfast next month when we visit Stretch Island.
The boats attending were: Destiny II, Grey Seal, Kalakala, Koosah, and String Games. Check the photos from the Cruise.
Dwayne Young. Kalakala
It is over now.