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BCYC Current doings (blog)

Any member who wishes can contribute ("post") news of or stories about BCYC events (or about anything else for that matter!)  If you have a story to tell or just an impression of an event or information to share, log on and add to this ongoing blog.  You can also add comments to others' entries.

  • 06 Oct 2022 8:10 AM | John Yates (Administrator)

    Madi and I got up early - real early for someone - and drove to the Higgies where Indy had lain up to get her freezer repaired. Well the freezer couldn't be repaired due to a leaking compressor. And, a new one will take several months to get. So, after waiting for the storm to pass Bob and Gail graciously allowed Indy to stay at their dock. But, today looks good for a motor-sail back. The usual suspects were not available to help me sail back, so I was single handing back to Oxford. The day started out nicely.  The motor started right up. That's always a good thing. And backing out into Minnow creek went without a hitch, ding or rub. However, as I was leaving White Hall Bay, Auto (helm) decided to do crazy Ivan turns. So, I had to hand steer. Ughh. Stuck at the helm now. Things went great and I raised the main. I find that it fools the power boaters into granting me right of way. That is until the Coast Guard ship Richard Dixon (yes Dixon) sneaks up and passes uncomfortably close. And, just as I was unrolling the jib. Yikes. But, all was well. He threw up a 4-5 foot wake going by. I turned into it and never shipped water. The rest of the day was beautiful. I even stopped for lunch and to re-calibrate the Auto helm. Motorsailed around Black Walnut point and had the current with me from Annapolis to Oxford. Fueled up at Safe Harbor (30 gallons) and then docked without incident. It's always good to be home.

  • 06 Sep 2014 8:08 PM | Michelle Sanger

    Kind of like Woodstock, no, Boatstock.  Great music, fireworks in distance.  Over 80 boats many rafted now waiting for thunderboomers (all around us) to hit.  Batting down hatches and hoping for the best. BCYC well represented with 7 boats.   Solomons tomorrow is the plan. 

  • 22 Sep 2013 9:42 AM | Michelle Sanger
    By 0900 We Turned Off Engine And ArE actually sailing for first time this season! Captain Richard first mate Michelle And Son erik are having a great time so far on this two week Voyage! Blue Skies And17 Kt Winds, making seven to eightKnots UNder Sail!
  • 07 Jul 2013 6:35 PM | Westbrook Murphy
    IMG_0272.MOV 
  • 17 Apr 2013 2:41 PM | Colin Soucy
    Hey ya'll, as they say in Savannah, Georgia.  It's been a while since we made a posting...we are just having so much fun relaxing in the sun with the mint juleps and such that the time just flies by.  Savannah was a nice respite from the excitement that we had in the preceding days. I will get on to the exciting part momentarily, but for those who have never visited Savannah, it is worth a look.  The city is set up into roughly 24 squares or wards. I loved the squares with the shady parklike settings and boulevards.  The architecture was beautiful and the homes gracious. The city proudly boasts that George Washington visited their fine town and proclaimed it most beautiful but that he intensely disliked its climate.  Had George never spent a summer in D. C. ?!  In his time, wasn't it a swap requisite with malarial mosquitoes?  All righty...on to boating interests.  April 4th on the ICW.  The month of April began with record low and high tides, but with our 2 1/2 foot draft we were not overly concerned.  The wind was out of the NNE at 12 mph and when that occurs, crossing the St. Andrews Sound can be very uncomfortable...no, make that alarming! However, there is a way to avoid the sound by going through the "Umbrella Cut" (don't you just LOVE the names of these things?!)  It is slightly longer, but smooth.  We had gotten almost all the way through and had only 1 mile to go when Fandango made a little hop and then kind sashayed to the port side and stopped, in the middle of the channel. She sat there, slightly teetering on a shoal quite aground.  There was no going forward or aft and after about 30 minutes, she was very firmly, and absolutely, aground.  It's really, really quiet in the Umbrella Cut.  Yessir, real quiet.  After a while, a Georgia county sheriff happened by in his little runabout and astutely confirmed our observations that we had found an uncharted shoal in the middle of the channel and yessir, by golly, cap'n you are aground.  We did what anyone else would have done in such a situation, smiled politely and agreed that yessir, by golly, that is what has happened.  We then waited for the tide to turn around and rise.  It was a pleasant interlude, just us and nature.  Eventually, enough water came back that we were able to float free and off we went.  
    We ran until sunset and chose to anchor out behind Queen's Island. It looked a lot like "On Golden Pond" in appearance and we had it very much to ourselves.  Colin and I settled in after supper to watch the final championship game of the NBAA March Madness.  At least we tried to watch it.  The TV reception was pretty good until the last 4 minutes! The picture kept freezing and we missed the final minutes, but we saw enough to be satisfied that Louisville was going to win.  But I digress. At about 10:30 pm there was a tremendous thud causing Fandango to shudder followed by a banging and thumping that sounded like two bears fighting each other for boarding rights.  Colin went out with a flashlight to investigate and returned saying, "You're not going to believe this!"  I went out to look.  A tree, yes, a WHOLE TREE was nestled up against the port side of Fandango along her full length of 34 feet!  Okay, it was not the whole tree...its crown had been sawn off.  It must have been quite the specimen in its time.  We estimated its trunk to be 24 inches in diameter.  The roots which were gnarled and large, had grabbed the port side fore pontoon with the anchor rode caught among the smaller roots.  The tree then casually rolled over to completely lock Fandango within its embrace!  Holy forest Batman!  The current was running VERY fast and in the dark, there was nothing we could do to remedy the situation.  We were concerned that the anchor might not hold or that its rode might snap because there was an awful big load on it.  Gee, how fast does a boat travel sans anchor with a humongous tree attached to it?  Colin, being a wise captain, went to bed, and I, stalwart First Mate did her job of WORRYING!  I finally went to bed at 1:30 am, but was up again at 0330.  Wow.  Really, really quiet.  The current was totally slack and the sky was beautiful.  There was no light pollution and I could easily make out the constellations, Scorpio, Orion, the two dippers, Taurus and Aldebaron, and at least two planets. I'm not much of an astronomer, but it was really pretty. Maybe...maybe the amorous tree (it is spring after all) has gone to find a more appropriate liaison? NO OF COURSE NOT!  There it was, cuddled up just as snug as a tick.  I attempted again to dislodge the worrisome log of lumber with my boathook, but the tree? boat? rode? just groaned sadly, so in disgust I put up the hook and returned to bed. 
    Dawn.  We awake to find our blighted friend still with us.  Once we could see what we were doing, it took 20 minutes of concentrated maneuvering to get free of the tree. We tried backing away from it and it just came along with us.  We ended up pushing it forward like a bull dozer to get it to turn over, which it was reluctant to do and kept returning to its original orientation.  At last, the anchor rode was pulled from the roots' grasp and we were free!  Colin thought it seemed like a piece of dental floss being pulled loose from a tooth.  After we were free, the tree floated sullenly in the water.  It looked very much like an alligator...albeit a very large alligator!
    After Savannah, it was off to Beaufort, SC, or as they say BYOOFORT.  The North Carolinians say BOFORT.  Who's to say which is correct?  Compare pronunciations of the words, beautiful, Beauregard???
    Chris Soucy 
  • 16 Apr 2013 4:53 PM | Anonymous

    PUB CRAWLING INTO OUR CRUISING EVENTS

    The Club’s “Spring Fling” was held April 20th, involving an Annapolis Pub Crawl starting with McGarvey's (Main St/Ego Alley), then Galway Bay (Maryland Avenue), next Ram's Head (West Street), and followed by coffee and dessert at hosts Leslie Goodwyn and immediate Past Commodore Steve Bacon house on Duke of Gloucester Street.  Under the direction of Fleet Captain Guy Collins and Cruise Director Juliana Nedd, the Club will be holding their Boating Season Kickoff and New Member Party on May 4th at the Higginbotham’s dock on Minnow Creek - first small creek on left after you pass Red 6 and just before Green 7 coming north up Whitehall Creek.  This will be followed up by a Midweek Raftup on May 15th in Crab Creek, off the South River.  Our Memorial Day Cruise, on May 25-27, will go to the Maryland Yacht Club on Rock Creek off the Patapsco River.  The Club’s week long Annual Cruise will be from June 8 to 15th.  (Check out the Water Events 2013 page for more information.)
  • 26 Mar 2013 4:52 PM | Anonymous

    IT’S IN THE AIR-BOATING SEASON ARRIVES

    Signs are everywhere.  Winter covers are coming off. Sounds of scraping and sanding can be heard in the boat yards. Some days are just too warm for a coat and the snowboaters have begun the migration north.  For BCYC, the last of the indoor events are complete and it is time to start moving outside. 

    BCYC held a St. Patrick’s Day party on March 16, enjoying dinner and Irish music at the Killarney House in Davidsonville.  The fun event was cohosted by Pat/Ted O’Edmunds & Bob/Gail O’Higginbotham and included great quantities of camaraderie, traditional Irish foods, and of course, a little beer.  Of special note was the delicious homemade Irish soda bread.  Also, former Commodore Bill Falk with wife Geraldine, were able to attend the event during a quick trip home from their southern adventures. 

    The southern BCYC contingent held a gathering on Florida’s west coast that was highlighted with dinner as guests of the Saint Petersburg Yacht Club.

    The Club’s Spring Fling this year will take place April 20th.  The event will be an Annapolis PUB Crawl to several downtown establishments for food and drink.   The final stop will be at the residence of Leslie Goodwyn and immediate Past Commodore Steve Bacon, for coffee and dessert.   A Happy Hour will be held on April 12, and then, the much awaited warm weather events begin.   BCYC will hold their Boating Season Kickoff and New Member Party on May 4th.  
  • 01 Feb 2013 4:50 PM | Anonymous

    A BOLD RESPONSE AND NEW BEGINNING

     Despite the Mayan Calendar’s cataclysmic prediction, BCYC boldly held a Mayan New Year party hosted by Jaime Ritter, on January 11; the first event for our new year.

    On January 26th, the Club’s Eleventh Annual Commodore’s Ball was held at the Westin Hotel in Annapolis.  New officers were formally installed: Commodore: John Loving; Vice-Commodore: Bill Kranzer; Rear Commodore – Bob Higginbotham; Fleet Captain – Guy Collins; Secretary – Bonnie Hetzel; Treasurer – Mary Bowie; and, new members of the Board of Governors: Terry Bidnick and Colin Soucy who joined Ted Edmunds, Jamie Ritter, Shay Collins and Mary Ross.  Newly appointed activity chairs for 2013 are: Juliana Nedd [Cruise/Water Events]; Rosie Cavin [Social/Land Events]; J.J. Sullivan [Membership Committee]; and, Mary Bowie [Finance Committee].  Past Commodore, Steve Bacon was recognized for his Club leadership during 2012.  The evening was planned and coordinated by former Commodore Rosie Cavin with Ambassador Vern Penner as the Emcee.

    In February, BCYC has planned a warming “Red Wine and Chocolate Dinner” to help survive the winter. Meanwhile, the BCYC snow birds are planning several get-togethers: one on the east coast of Florida in February and another on the west coast in March. 

    We would love to have you join us for a really fun 2013 year.  See upcoming events at http://www.backcreekyc.org

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