Fleet Captain's Report
The year has passed quickly and fall is upon us. I can’t believe my year as Fleet Captain is coming to a close. I apologize for not being more prolific in my reports. I will bring you up to date through the last event, which was the Mariners’ game with Kansas City. Those of you that didn’t go missed a great game. We won 8 to 3. The field seats were great. We only had 12 people attend. Too bad, as we all had a good time with perfect weather, cold beer and did I mention we won?
Just prior to the Mariners Game was our Summer Cruise, August 10 to 23rd. Yes it was an ambitious goal to go to Desolation Sound. The start was Monday, August 10, Port Townsend: the wind was blowing making for difficult docking, but all was successful. Scott Grimm, the Stones, Garvies, Phelps and us were all there, however Scott was really cruising a day early and thought we weren’t coming, so thinking he was a day behind, left right after we arrived. On to Friday Harbor: the crossing was easy and we arrived in the early afternoon just in time for lunch. While there Ryan Garvie went for a dinghy ride and came back with a lovely mermaid (by the name of Bree). Much better catch than a few crabs. Our evening was topped off with an all-you-could-eat crab feed. Brandy Phelps magically produced desserts and other treats for us throughout the trip.
The third day we arrived in Sidney and things were looking good. Day four, some sightseeing to Butchart Gardens and the Farmers’ Market. Just finished the market and the rain started as we were on our way back to the boat. Down the ramp to the dock and DISASTER struck! Slippery ramp in rain and suddenly my feet went out from under me and I was on my back and my ankle was as big as a basketball! Pain was not my friend (the whole story is funny but too long for this publication) After a ($1,000) trip to the hospital in the late evening we arrived back at the boat. The doctor diagnosed multiple sprains and ace bandage-wrapped it. I could only hobble on crutches. A conference was called and we decided to “soldier on.” The trip was modified to places that had moorage. With the help of Rich McCroskey we decided on a course that took us to Maple Bay, Chemainus and Ganges. We then went to Roche Harbor for three days and ended at Bainbridge on Sunday the 23rd. I still haven’t made it to Desolation Sound but I guess there is always another time. After returning home I went to my doctor and discovered I had in fact broken my ankle and it should have been in a cast. So much for socialized medicine.
I really want to thank all of those that were there for me all along the way, especially Tom & Brandy Phelps, Bob & Steffie Marcelynas and our good friend Joe Ensley (from the store, “Zamboanga,” in Winslow, that puts together the shopping spree for our July 4th event). Without these folks and my wonderful wife I would have never made it through the trip. We had a lot of influx and flow for the trip. I would guess that at some times we had as many as eight to ten boats and as few as two. Those of you who didn’t make it really missed out seeing me rolled down the dock by Scott Grimm in a dock cart at Roche or rolled 900 yards down to dock G in Sidney in the rain in an office chair. All in all it was a great trip. Wait until you see the pictures.
On July 29th, 27 properly identified and government approved persons boarded the USS Shoup, an Arleigh Burke class destroyer, for a trip around the Bay into the sound and back to a reviewing stand near the Edgewater hotel. We had a great tour of the ship underway and an insight into a working Navy ship stationed in Everett. They served us a picnic lunch of burgers, dogs and chicken on the “steel beach” (the helicopter landing area on the stern of the ship). As long as the ship was moving (along with the other four ships) it was a nice place to be, even on the record setting temperature day when it was 103 degrees in Seattle. However, we were the first ship to leave the dock in the morning, we were the last one to dock in the evening so we spent a couple of hours in a stand still mode. I can tell you that the old “steel beach” can really get hot when not moving! All who went had a great time but a cold beer sure tasted good once we got back!
On July 17 – 19, we formed a Wagon Wheel that was a combined event with Rainier Yacht Club and Queen City Yacht Club. There were free drinks and a great raffle. We had hoped to make this a record size Wagon Wheel but we only had 9 boats that participated from Queen City and one was a prospective member. I was a little disappointed as Rainier managed to come up with more boats than we did. We had a great time and it was a good way to meet members of a sister club.
Don Wilson
Fleet Captain
