Labor Day Cruise - September 5-7, 2009

The Pre-Cruise get-together starts at 5PM, Friday, Sept. 4th at the RYC Clubhouse. Bring something to snack and share (finger food keeps the clean up simple), and BYOB. Plan on a group discussion resulting in final plans no later than 6:00 to 6:15pm, so that way people can get on their way. Also we forgot to mention that Roy and Jan Davis are the co-hosts for the cruise. They will be joining us Friday night, they have a conflict for Sat. night and will be joining us Sunday night. We have received a very good response to our initial e-mail, with lots of good ideas. Thanks!!!!!

Here are the participants we have noted so far:

FOR THE ENTIRE THREE DAY CRUISE (8 to 9 boats) ---- Alan MacDonald & Judy Turner (SEA MONKEY), Larry & Marcia Lapson (QUEEQUEG), Gerritt & Toni VanderVeer (PERSEPHONE), Dave & Mary Jane Shiverick (WEBFOOT), Fred Kellogg (NELLIE JANE), Bill & Jean Keegan (CALLISTO), Don & Jodi Abbott (SNOWY OWL) Sat. night only?, Jon & Helen Kuhl (KEMO SABE), maybe Bill & Gini Fiedler (MARY ALLISON)

JOINING US AT OUR SUNDAY NIGHT DESTINATION (4 to 6 boats) ---- Bill & Charlene Vanderslice (MAGIC HAPPENS), Tom & Nancy McHugh (MAURA'S MYST), Roy & Janice Davis (HAIKU), Steve & Jennie Pierce (SPIRITS), maybe George Sayer & Doris Smart (CLUELESS), maybe Saturday Paul & Mary White (BARNDOOR)

So, immediately you can see with eight to fourteen boats we need to be careful about anchorage room. The anchorages we see workable at this time are: Bold/Devil Island (cocktails on Hells Half Acre Island), Northwest Harbor (cocktails, probably a raft up), Carver's Cove (cocktails, probably a raft up), Seal Bay (cocktails on Hay Island), Southern Harbor (N of Fox Thoroughfare entrance, probably a raft up), Cradle Cove (cocktails ashore). We are not locked into these choices; wind direction/strength forecast will be clearer on Friday evening at the Pre-Cruise. So, give the above some thought for first and second night and we will hold off making a final decision until we meet Friday. We will send out a FINAL E-MAIL FRIDAY NIGHT. If you can't make the pre-cruise and can't check you e-mail late Friday, then plan on phoning us or one of the other above participants.

Looks like a great weekend, hope to see you all soon. We hope we did not miss your name on the listing above, if so, our apologies and please set us straight. Jon & Helen Kuhl and Roy & Janice Davis

Event Highlights - 2009

Labor Day 2009 Cruise Report -- Photo Gallery - 2009

Hello All RYC Members:

I think it is safe to say that the Labor Day Cruise went some distance in helping us forget those nasty June, July & parts of August weather experiences. The stretch of good weather extended from the preceding week throughout the weekend into Labor Day Monday. Clear blue skies, light winds on Saturday and 10-20 kt breezes out of the South gave all of us good tacking practice coming home on Sunday from Cradle Cove (Dark Harbor, Islesboro).

Friday night’s meeting was well attended by most of the participants and some non-cruising RYC members as well. A good time was had by all. And after considering a number of opinions and pouring over the charts your autocratic cruise directors made an executive decision and chose Bold Isl/Devils Isl as Saturday night’s destination, and Cradle Cove, Dark Harbor Marine, Islesboro for Sunday nights destination.

Saturday at 0800 Toni and Gerritt Vanderveer phoned with a new weather report forecasting 10-20 Northerlies early Sunday morning. This made Bold/Devil a poor choice. We called a "play change" and switched our destination to Seal Bay. MJ & Dave Shiverick helped phone all the participants and we were set. Saturday most folks had enough wind to sail up to or partially through the Fox Island Thorofare. Several sailed around the Southern tip of Vinalhaven. All arriving mid to late afternoon in Seal Bay near Hay Island. Rounding the entrance Helen counted twenty boats, (half of them RYC). But there was room for all with no "zero dark thirty bumping" that I heard of. After anchoring and saying hello, most people just relaxed for a few hours or "dinghyed about". Present at Seal Bay Saturday night:

• Bill & Gini Fiedler (MARY ALLISON)
• Bob & Ursala Withrow (DAYBREAK)
• Tom & Nancy McHugh (MAURA'S MYST)
• Alan MacDonald & Judy Turner (SEAMONKEY)
• Larry & Marcia Lapson (QUEEQUEG)
• Gerritt & TonI VanderVeer (PERSEPHONE)
• Dave & Mary Jane Shiverick (WEBFOOT)
• Bill & Jean Keegan (CALLISTO)
• Don & Jodi Abbott (SNOWY OWL)
• Jon & Helen Kuhl (KEMO SABE)

Finding an easy non muddy access to nearby land proved impossible at low tide, so the Fiedlers, Bill & Gini came to the rescue inviting all twenty of us aboard the MARY ALLISON for cocktails and snacks. Thank you very much Bill & Gini.

Saturday night turned windy as forecasted with 10-20 kt winds right out of the NNE. There were no ANCHOR DRAGONS or other unpleasant surprises during the night, but generally we were a little anxious.

Sunday morning bright and blue skies again, we relaxed a bit, ate breakfast and got underway to Cradle Cove after discussing alternatives with Roy & Janice via phone. Winds had subsided a bit so most members decided to sail over the top of Northhaven across to Bracketts Channel and on to Cradle Cove. Bill & Jean Keegan aboard CALLISTO departed for other destinations. Gerritt & Toni Vanderveer aboard PERSEPHONE decided to take advantage of the Northerly and head for Boothbay. Don & Jodi Abbott aboard SNOWY OWL, left us as well continuing on with their two week cruise. The rest of us had good sailing up to approximately Sheep Isl. & Eagle Isl. at the top of Northaven, but after about noon the winds did not clock around to the SE but diminished down to 3-4 kts out of the NW, so we did the last hour or so motoring. No problem, beautiful day !

Arriving at Cradle Cove Sunday afternoon, the above members (minus PERSEPHONE, CALLISTO & SNOWY OWL) were joined by the following members:

• Fred & Molly Kellogg (NELLIE JANE)
• Roy & Janice Davis (HAIKU)
• Steve Pierce (SPIRITS) No Jennie no muffins !
• George Sayre & Doris Smart (CLUELESS)
• Tom & Kay McKenna (UNC IV).

Here at Cradle Cove we were able to pick up moorings (a few anchored), get settled, do a little visiting and just relax. George Sayer rowed around showing off his skills and his beautiful "Clamshell" skiff. Fred & Molly sailed in a bit later in beautiful show fashion aboard NELLIE JANE, and Larry & Marcia Lapson aboard QUEEQUEG gave us a beautiful view of their ketch arriving as cocktail hour began. We invited another sailing family to join us. They were the Ron Hidu & Cindy Mitchell and their daughter Julia and their black lab "Bow-Wow". They sail a 44' Mason, and were a welcome addition as they shared their boat club's entertainment ideas. Bill Fiedler also invited a longtime friend & fellow sailor Steve Hayes of Readfield who sails a 323 Pearson. So there we were all 27 of us (23 RYC people and 4 guests) having a good time doing what we do best besides sailing that is. Oh by the way, we had another "Cruise Dunking". Perhaps we have a new RYC custom in the making.............we'll see if it continues, who's next? Darkness closing in found us all making our way back to our boats. It was a very quite night, with very little breeze & just a bit of rocking, in sharp contrast to the previous night.

Monday morning after a little more "dinghy kibitzing", most dropped the mooring line late around 1000 to noon to head back home. Winds out of the South built up to 15-20kts on the way back so it was "gunnels awash" for KEMO SABE and we suspect a few others as well. The photos show many but not all the participants due to a bad case of "APADD" (Alcohol-Induced Photo Attention Deficit Disorder).

We were pleased to welcome new members Tom & Nancy McHugh & first time cruisers Fred & Molly Kellogg & Bob & Ursala Withrow. Helen & I, Roy & Jan had a great time planning the cruise and we appreciate all the help and participation along the way especially from MJ & Dave Shiverick our fearless Cruise Committee chair.

Event Highlights - 2008

Holbrook Sanctuary – Cradle Cove, Islesboro -- Photo Gallery - 2008

For those of us old enough to remember the challenge of squeezing as many people as possible into a telephone booth or a Volkswagon, the Saturday night cocktail party on Altair was a case of déjà vu. Thirty four people were on board, enjoying a wonderful array hors d’oerves.  It was a record for Altair as RYC members crowded the cockpit and main salon, lowering the water line stripe into the waters of Holbrook Sanctuary near Castine. Alec Cronin, 13 year old son of Wayne and Kirsten Cronin on Rights of Man, found refuge on the stern platform, a spot he shared with his sister Caitlin (age 6).  Three year old Ashleigh, moved stealthily from cockpit to main salon, slipping unnoticed between a multitude of adult legs. The threatening rain thankfully bypassed the event, dropping only a few sprinkles as it blew by.  Fourteen boats from the RYC gathered at Holbrook Sancutary on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend ----  Acadia, Altair. Bluebird, Callisto, Equinox, Kemo Sabe, Koan, Magic Happens, Queequeg, Rights of Man, Sea Legs, Sea Monkey, Sybarita, and Web Foot.

Some, like Moira and Dick Bentzel on Equinox, arrived in time for a hike on the Holbrook Sanctuary trails, discovering terrific vistas over the Eggemoggin Reach and hungry mosquitoes of gigantic proportions. The discovery of the bugs on shore led to the decision to move the evening’s cocktail hour to Altair, the Saga 48 sailed by Rick and Julie Palm, the RYC hosts for the weekend cruise.

When the wind came up on Sunday morning, the fleet split up with seven boats continuing on with the RYC Cruise weekend.  Beating up to the top of Islesboro and then falling off under 20-25 knots of N-NW winds, the boats ducked into Cradle Cove on Isleboro to enjoy another evening together on Sunday night.  A sheltered picnic area beside one of the Dark Harbor Boat Yard buildings provided the perfect place for another club cocktail hour for Acadia, Altair, Equinox, Kemo Sabe, Koan, Rights of Man, and Web Foot. The fleet sailed home on Monday under 20-25 knots of gusty NW wind.