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The Scuttlebutt - August, 2003 Volume XLIX, Issue 10 Return To Newsletters
Commodore Report
Just a reminder, set aside Saturday, September 27th and Sunday, September 28th for the MCC Fleet Review party. It will be held at Maryland YC. We plan a pier party on Saturday afternoon, a dinner/dance that night and a breakfast prepared by the Commodore and Vice Commodore on Sunday morning. The Fleet Review will commence approximately 11:30. If you don’t have a boat, we can arrange for you to be aboard a member’s boat so you can be part of the celebration. You will be contacted by phone so we can establish appropriate dinner reservation at Maryland YC. In case you are not aware of it, P/C Pam Hunt and P/C Brian Hunt plan to journey South come this Fall which means we will bring on a new Web Master and Scuttlebutt editor. The Vice Commodore will have responsibility for these two areas and will see to it that these tasks are carried out. We plan to make this new alignment as seamless transition I know some of our members are thinking of buying their first boat or perhaps a bigger boat. My advice is: Do it now.” Time rushes by, circumstances change and soon you realize it’s too late. You only get one trip across this track of life. Don’t end up with a: “Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda” story. Hang tough! - Commodoore Donald W Antos Uniform Of The Day: WHITES Vice Commodore Report I hope that you have been having a good summer. I went to Ocean City
for vacation and spent some time just resting on the beach. I had a great time
and it really felt good but ended all too fast. - V/C Dottie Murray August, 2003
Schedule of Events 08/07 - Board Meeting, Eastern Yacht Club, 7:30 PM 08/09—Cruise to Castle Harbor Marina. Contact F/C Joanie Ridnour for dockage - jridnour@comdt.uscg.mil 08/30—Labor Day Cruise to Miles River Yacht Club. Contact F/C Joanie Ridnour for dockage - jridnour@comdt.uscg.mil Access The CBYCA Web Site for Sister Club Activities: http://www.cbyca.org Fleet Captain Report Maryland Cruising Club’s raft out on July 3-4 in Swan Cove was great. Four Maryland Cruising Club boats rafted out with two Maryland Yacht Club boats to watch the fireworks at Rock Hall. We had lots of food, drinks, and sociability. We all pooled together and had a great happy hour, dinner and breakfast. Everyone else started for home at 12:30 p.m. on July 4th while Captain Duane and I went to lunch at Waterman’s Restaurant. We had so much fun that we decided to do another raft out in Still Pond Friday night, September 19. This is the night before our crab feast at Key Yacht Club. Those that are going to the crab feast and can dock at Key Yacht Club could go there Saturday afternoon and some may even want to raft out nearby and dinghy in to Key for the crab feast. Others might want to take their boat home and drive to Key. Our Tilghman Island cruise with Ventnor Yacht Club was lots of fun. Maryland Cruising had seven boats in their fleet and Ventnor had eight. The view from Tilghman Island Marina was spectacular and the owners of the marina were very accommodating. Those that arrived on Friday went out to dinner together that night at Harrison’s Restaurant and had a great feast. Duane and I arrived late and went to the Bridge Restaurant and had a wonderful stuffed flounder meal. Both clubs pooled together and had a barbecue/crab feast on Saturday night. For adventure, some members brought bicycles and rode around the island, some took walks and others took dinghy rides. Almost everyone enjoyed the pool Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. The weather could not have been more beautiful. However, after our dinner Saturday night everyone was sitting around under the pavilion talking and all of a sudden the wind started blowing like a hurricane was headed our way. I never saw our members move that fast before. Everyone was running to their boats to batten down the hatches and make sure their canvas was secured and nothing was going to get ripped, wet or fly away. After all of that exercise it never rained. Captain Duane and I had a slip by Pam and Brian Hunt, and they shared their slip with Ron and Joyce Filius’ dinghy. We had a front row seat to see and hear all the craziness that went on early Saturday morning. Everyone that knows Brian will not believe that he was out of bed, dressed and had eaten breakfast by 8:00 a.m. We asked Brian if everything was ok since we have never seen him up that early before. He said he was going fishing with Ron Filius. Next, we see Ron with his fishing pole, then Brian with his fishing pole and straw hat. Brian seemed a little nervous about getting into the dinghy and possibly tipping it over since he weighs “just a little more” than Ron!!!!!!!! Pam is watching and calling out, “There goes my only source of romance, make sure you come back Darling.” While that was funny enough, I offered them a box of Honey Bunches of Oat cereal in case they got hungry and Captain Duane laughs and tells them that it is good fiber. Ron speaks up and says that his wife Joyce feeds him so much fiber that it is a wonder he does not “s..t” wicker baskets. Next we ask where they are going, and Ron yells, “We are going where the fish are.” They come back an hour later and the only thing they caught was a wave. I felt bad for them so I let them hold a few of my stuffed fish so we could take a picture they could keep as a memory of their great adventure! CASTLE HARBOR MARINA: Eight boats have signed up for our Cruise to beautiful Kent Island on 9-10 August. The cost is $1.50 a foot and the electric cost $6 a plug. We can check in any time on Friday or Saturday and leave any time on Sunday. I am planning a barbecue for Saturday night and a brunch on Sunday. Anyone not interested in the barbecue or who will arrive Friday night might want to take advantage of the water taxi and go out to a restaurant or the Kent Iisland Yacht Club for dinner. Charlie at the marina office said he would work out a price for the taxi depending how many go at one time. MILES RIVER YACHT CLUB: Four boats have signed up to cruise to beautiful St. Michaels on August 30-September 1. The cost for the slip is $1.35 per foot per night. Electric cost $5 for 30 amp and $10 for two 30 amps per night. The yacht club is having a crab feast/barbecue at a cost of $30 each. I will be planning a breakfast for Sunday morning. SKIPJACK COVE: Cruise down the beautiful Sassafras River to Skipjack Cove Marina September 12-14. You can stay both Friday and Saturday nights or just one night. The price for dockage is $1.50 a foot per night and electric cost $5 for one 30 amp and $10 for two 30’s or one 50 amp. They have a restaurant onsite and live music on Saturday night. You can take a free water taxi to the Granary and the Kitty Knight House restaurants and shops at Georgetown Yacht Basin. The pool will be open and there are walking trails. I need to send a deposit for each boat 30 days in advance so please let me know ASAP if you would like to go on this cruise. They have a tent where we can have brunch on Sunday. When the time gets closer and I know who is going on the cruise, we will plan the brunch. As of today, I have five boats going. JOANIE’S GREAT GET AWAY: ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A SPECIAL CHRISTMAS/ANNIVERSARY/BIRTHDAY/VALENTINE GIFT FOR YOUR LOVED ONE? HAVE I GOT A GREAT DEAL FOR YOU! 11-Night Caribbean Cruise (Baltimore roundtrip). If anyone would be interested in an 11-day cruise leaving Baltimore on Monday, 24 November and returning Friday, 5 December, Captain Duane and I would love to have you join us aboard the Celebrity ship Galaxy. Here is the itinerary: Date Ports of Call Arrival Depart 11/24 Baltimore, Maryland - 6:00 pm 11/25 At Sea 11/26 Charleston, South Carolina - 7:00 am - 4:00 pm 11/27 At Sea 11/28 At Sea 11/29 Philipsburg, St. Maarten - 9:00 am - 6:00 pm 11/30 Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas - 7:00 am - 6:00 pm 12/1 San Juan, Puerto Rico - 7:00 am - 4:00 pm 12/2 At Sea 12/3 Nassau, Bahamas - 7:30 am - 1:00 pm 12/4 At Sea 12/5 Baltimore, Maryland - 10:00 am The price is a grand total of $879 per person for an inside cabin (172 square feet and a king size bed unless you want two singles). The price includes port fees and taxes, accommodations, ocean transportation, fabulous entertainment and daily activities, on-board meals and some beverages. This is a grand total of $80 per day. If we can get 8 cabins, we will get approximately $600 returned after the cruise and that will be divided among each person. That means for an inside cabin each person would pay approximately $841. For a little extra money, you can have a cabin with a window or balcony. The price does not include shore excursions, personal expenses, gratuities, or alcoholic beverages (bring a bottle or two for your room). This will be our 4th trip on the Celebrity ships and our 3rd trip on the Galaxy. I have researched this trip extensively and this is a great deal, especially over a holiday. Since we leave on Monday, 24 November, Captain Duane and I plan on decorating for Christmas the weekend of 22-23 November so if we feel a little down coming back from a wonderful vacation our house will be decorated and it will cheer us up. If you are interested, please call Fleet Captain Joanie at home (410) 437-4390 or e-mail me at jridnour@comdt.uscg.mil. I promise those of you who have not been on a cruise before will wonder why and you won’t want to wait too long to sign up to go again. For those of you who have cruised before, you will not be disappointed. The service is wonderful; the food is unbelievable; and the islands offer so much adventure, shopping, and beautiful beaches. Megan’s Bay on St. Thomas is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. And ladies, St. Thomas is the best island to shop for jewelry. The prices are fantastic! You won’t believe how much you are pampered on this ship. It will be hard to take care of yourself again. One of the best things Duane and I learned—room service is available all day at no extra cost. Our wake up call every morning is a voice on the telephone telling us our coffee and juice are on their way. Within the next few minutes there is a knock at our door and a steward carrying a tray full of everything we ordered, and I might add with cloth napkins. Vice Commodore Dottie said her daughter just took this cruise (at a higher price) and she had a wonderful time. Life is too short not to try some of the great adventures this world has to offer. Think about the romance--walking on the promenade with your loved one, dressing up for a special evening together, going to a midnight buffet that is unbelievably beautiful with ice carvings, characters carved out of fruit and chocolate—lots of carved chocolate. For 11 days you don’t have to think about what you might like to do for the day or evening, all you have to do is show up. The only thing you have to do is dress and feed yourself. FLEET REVIEW will be here before you know it. Many people told me they were taking pictures and would give me a copy so I can have them for our Fleet Review. I have a few that I took, but I am sure there are some more great shots out there. I am hoping everyone who took pictures of our land cruise, boat cruises, openings, parties, etc. will give me a copy ASAP so I can start working on the Fleet Review. If you write your name and also where the picture was taken on the back that would be helpful. If you want your pictures back, I will return them to you. Or you can scan them and send them to my e-mail address. If you are interested, please call Fleet Captain Joanie at home (410) 437-4390 or send an e-mail to jridnour@comdt.uscg.mil. - Fleet Captain Joanie Ridnour-Skinner Support your club and wear your colors! Fleet Surgeon Report - Beware of Summer Heat Hydration Not the Whole Answer The most common piece of advice would be to drink, drink, drink -- water, not caffeine-loaded sodas or beer. You can get heat exhaustion even if you are hydrated. Replace the fluid that you have lost not twice the amount. Too much fluid can be bad. Other things that you can do:
What to Do If the Heat Gets You Despite all your care, what if the heat sneaks up on you or a
companion You need to cool off fast! Cool, wet cloths, sips of water, shade, and if The best thing, however, is to prevent trouble. - V/C Dottie Murray Sick & Welfare If you know of anyone who has been ill, please contact Fleet Surgeon Sharon Rebbel so she can send a card and we can post the information in the Scuttlebutt! I hear that P/C Jim Poling is now off the crutches and Jim's Shirley
tells me that their summer is starting to improve. - V/C Dottie Murray Fleet Chaplain Report It's not how much you accomplish in life that really counts, but how much you give to others. It's not how high you build your dreams that makes a difference, but how high your faith can climb. It's not how many goals you reach, but how many lives you touch. It's not who you know that matters, but who you are inside. Believe in the impossible, hold tight to the incredible, and live each day to it's fullest potential. You can make a difference in your world. Think Summer! Amen - F/Chaplain Fred Levitan New Members! The following people have applied for membership with MCC: John & Lynn Schmidt PO Box 897 Pasadena, MD 21122 410-437-6617 Boat Name: "Change Of Pace" They will be voted on during the next board meeting. Please give John & Lynn a hearty welcome to Maryland Cruising Club. Wanted!
Birthdays & Anniversaries Congratulations to Everyone who is celebrating a special day this month! Birthdays 08/29 - Captain Jack Croato 08/31 - P/C George Sporer 09/04 - Pat Gnau Anniversaries 08/27 - Captain Carl & Liz Yeakle The Choking Gourmet The
Choking Gourmet is still on sabbatical. According
to today’s regulators and bureaucrats those of us who are in the 30’s,
40’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s probably should not have survived. Why? Our
baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead based paint. We had no
childproof medicine bottles, doors or cabinets, and what the heck was a bike
helmet? We won’t even talk about hitchhiking. As
kids we would be carted around in cars with no seat belts or air bags, and
riding in the back of a pick up truck was always a special treat. We would spend
hours building scooters…skateboards…go-carts out of old wood rusty scraps
and then rode down hills only to find out we forgot the brakes…but we had our
feet. We
would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when
the street lights came on. ( And no one was able to contact us because cell
phones hadn’t been invented). We fell out of trees , got cuts, broke bones and
teeth, and there were no law suits from these accidents. Remember accidents? No one was to blame, but us. We
had fights and punched each other and got black and blue and learned to get over
it. We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle. We ate cakes,
bread and butter, and drank sugar cordials, but were hardly over weight because
we were outside playing and although we shared one soft drink with our friends,
no one actually ever died. We
did not have play stations, Nintendo 64, X-boxes. 99 channels on cable, videos,
surround sound, cell phones, personal computers, internet chat rooms… We had
friends. We went outside and found them. We
made up games with sticks and tennis balls and ate worms and although we were
told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes, nor did the worms live
inside us forever. Tests
were not adjusted for any reason. Some students were smarter then others, so
they failed and held back to repeat the class. And the next time they usually
passed. Our
actions were our own. Consequences were expected and there was no one to hide
behind. The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of.
The actually sided with the law. And
despite . . . or, perhaps, because of all this . . . this generation has
produced some of the most outstanding risk-takers, problem solvers, innovators,
and inventors, ever. The past 50 years has seen an explosion of advancement and
new ideal. Why? Because we were given freedom and responsibility . . . the
chance to succeed and fail and we learned how to make the most of what we were
give. If you are one of us - Congratulations. SENIOR
PERSONAL AD. Foxy lady
,fashion-conscious blue haired beauty 80’s slim 5’4”” (used to be
5’6” ) searching for sharp-looking, sharp-dressing companion. Matching white
belt and shoes a plus. - B/M Al Freedman Announcing . . . . Past Commodore’s Annual Crab Feast!!!!!! Once again this year, Maryland Cruising Club will host it’s annual Past Commodore’s Crab Feast to be held on Saturday, September 20, 2003. This popular event will be held At Key Yacht Club starting at 5:00 pm and lasting through 9:00 pm. All MCC members are cordially invited to attend, along with any guests you may wish to Invite. Each MCC Past Commodore in attendance will receive a special gift in recognition of their service to the Club. In addition to the steamed crabs and steamed corn-on-the cob, our menu will include Hamburgers, hot dogs, barbeque, salads and dessert, along with draft beer and fountain Soda. A cash bar will be available for all bottle beer and mixed drinks. Start planning now . . . call your best friends and invite
them along. Seating limited to
First 110 folks to respond. Member
price will be $18/person, with guests at $25/person. Please call and leave a message at 410-591-8838, or email: screwielouie1@juno.com. Hope to see you there!!!! - P/C Darlene Sauer MCC Has Special Balls for 2004!!!!! The 2004 Cruising Year marks a special celebration for Maryland
Cruising Club - our 50th Anniversary year. To help us start off the
season, we will be honoring all our 2004 Officers and Board Members at our
Commodore's Ball on Saturday, November 1st. Each and every member is invited to
join in the celebration . . . get dressed up in your finest . . . come out ready
to party and enjoy!! Dine on a special selection of culinary delights, and dance
the night away to the tunes of Robin & The Rhythmix!!! Once again, as Chairperson of the Registration Committee, I'm
asking each member to notify me if you plan to attend. We will try to have
special seating available for the home Club of the new Commodore. - P/C Darlene Sauer The Makings Of A Yacht Club Officer Provided for publishing on July 28, 2003 With our elections coming up in October, and our nominating committee now busy trying to fill the vacant positions for next year, I thought I would relay MY feelings as to what makes a good officer candidate. This is my effort to stir up interest in some new blood, to continue our 50 year Maryland Cruising Club traditions. My thoughts come from 23 years as an active member of M.C.C., spending at least 20 of those years holding every elected position at least once, and twice for most offices. As a successful officer of MCC, you will create friendships that will last a lifetime. Long after you give up boating, retire to warmer climates, and move on with life, you will have a group of “friends” that you will have worked for, worked with, advised and helped along the way, that you will know that you can count on forever. An officer candidate needs to be a diplomatic, caring, non- offensive, man or woman who likes to be involved and make things happen. The jobs of each office are spelled out in our by-laws. I believe it is of great help, but not required, to begin your career in "Yacht Club Officering" with a term as a Board Member. This gives you a background on how, and why, things work, our history, habits, and division of responsibilities. After a term on the board, some have had enough fun and decide not to go “up the line”. That is OK in my book because we need Board Members too. Some start out as staff officers such as Secretary or Treasurer. Both of these jobs are very important, very necessary, and require certain talents that allow you to be active, involved, and contribute greatly to operations of our club. Many secretaries and treasurers find their niche and stay there for years. The really adventuresome sign up as Fleet Captain and progress up to Commodore. When considering a person for Fleet Captain we always consider: "Does this person have the temperament to be Commodore in 4 years?" Not everyone is equipped to do these jobs. The time requirements are sometimes extreme, especially just before one of your functions (Bull Roast, Opening Day, Election of Officers, Cruise). About this time of year, the nominating committee usually polls each officer to see if they desire to be “promoted” to the next level. Moving up is NOT automatic, and there is no disgrace in doing some years and not going all the way to Commodore. You must be elected each year for your job. Doing a good job, time availability, good health, job commitments, family commitments, and friendships developed all contribute to being able and wanting to move up. When an individual decides to not proceed, we seek the best-qualified person available to step in and fill the void or we move officers up skipping a year. This sometime robs an officer of the experiences of an office that would help round out their ability to be the leader of leaders as Commodore. We usually move a board member, Secretary, Treasurer, or Past Commodore into a vacant slot when it develops. That is how I became Commodore for a 2nd time in 1997 after the 1st time in 1987, and how Don Antos became Commodore this year after doing it in 1994. Our officers are elected to “RUN” our club. Each meeting, cruise, event and social gathering is lead by an officer usually with other officers and members helping as needed. The one constant in every happening is that some ONE has taken charge of it. If you are a take -charge type of person, like to be active, and have a boat, you are a prime candidate to hold an office. Our officers are expected to attend a Board Meeting each month to plan what’s happening, and a general membership meeting on the 3rd Friday of September thru May to socialize with and inform our members of what is happening. It is understood that no-one can make every meeting. We do hope for a good ole college try to be active. Our officers represent MCC at other Yacht Club openings, Commodore Balls, etc. We also try to keep in touch with the ill and attend, provide services and/or perform as pall- bearers at a funeral of any member, when requested. It is hoped that by the time you reach Commodore that you know our members very well, having worked with them for several years. As soon as you finish your term as Commodore, you are eligible to join the Chesapeake Commodore’s Club – an elite club of all Past Commodores dedicated to having a good time. Keep in mind, that we are all friends, working together to promote safe boating and to have fun. In order to participate in the fun we all need to do our share of the work to help make it happen. To accept an office and not give it your all is letting your friends down. The salary isn’t that great but the feeling of accomplishment in leading your friends to have a good time is priceless. The one item that sets a good – successful officer apart from not so good is the attitude that you want to serve “FOR THE GOOD OF THE CLUB”. Six simple, one-syllable words that say it all. People who want to be an officer because it looks good on a résumé, think it’s cool to be on a Board of Directors of an organization, but don’t contribute, help, and participate fully, and/or take an office for any reason beside “FOR THE GOOD OF THE CLUB” do not get the satisfaction that is possible. When you show your members that you care about their feelings, wants, and desires, go out of you way making them feel welcomed, entertained, warm and fuzzy you have what it takes to be a good officer. Many officers have overcome fears of public speaking and boating outside their own river while growing from one job to the next. It is a very rewarding experience for those who have, and dedicate, the time to help lead Maryland Cruising Club. Through visiting our sister clubs at openings and Commodore’s Balls, many of our officers have gone on to larger clubs with facilities, as members, and/or officers. One observation that I’ve made over the years pertains to vacant positions. It is my opinion that an office is better left vacant than be filled by a “warm body” who does not want the job and is not dedicated to excelling at that job. Someone, often a Past Commodore, will step up to do a job normally done by an office which is vacant, such as chair the Bull Roast, even though they are not interested in being Rear Commodore again. They will help for “The Good of the Club” because an officer is not available to carry that load. You will find that, when requested, almost every past officer will provide help and experience to a current officer, but we want the new ideas, new innovations to come forward. Most past officers are careful to not interfere with an officer who is trying to get the job done, because we remember how we felt about interference when we were officers. We also want each individual to succeed as an officer and grow as a person. We want new officers to learn from those who went before them and add their own innovations and ideas to make each year new and exciting for our members. Our nominating committee, lead by Immediate Past Commodore Angela Krystan and staffed by P/C Betty Stahler and Vice Commodore Dottie Murray is very interested in talking with everyone interested in serving. I and every other past officer will also be happy to discuss your concerns about being an officer. Unfortunately, we can only use one person for each office, so, you may have to wait for another year to be elected to the one you want. Please let your wants and abilities be known. We need a few good men and women each year to keep our 50 year tradition alive and prospering. How can you help? - Respectfully submitted, P/C Chris Brettschneider Missing MCC Shirt! For those of you who remember Opening Day on May 10, you might recall that the weather was cold and rainy. Early that morning during preparations for the Opening Day Ceremony, the rain came down in buckets. Adele Bruette was walking around with a men's (pale blue or white) oxford short sleeve shirt with MCC insignia on left hand pocket. She encountered, what she thought was, one of our members with a light sleeveless blouse on. Adele thought the member looked mighty cold in that blouse and offered her the oxford shirt for protection. The problem is, Adele didn't know the name of the person who she loaned the shirt to and she never recovered. Perhaps the wearer didn't know Adele and couldn't find her after the rain stopped. In any case, Adele would like her shirt back! In the event that you were the person who Adele helped out, can you please return her shirt. Adele can be reached on 410-879-7988 or via email at abruette@aol.com. Your assistance is greatly appreciated! - P/C Pamela Hunt Never Again In Your Lifetime Will The Red Planet Be So Spectacular Editor's Note: I received this email and have not confirmed it. However, it would be interesting to see if this really happens!! Check out your window on August 27!! This month Earth is catching up with Mars, an encounter that will The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287. Due to the way Jupiter's gravity tugs on Mars and perturbs its orbit, astronomers can only be certain that Mars has not come this close to Earth in the last 5,000 years but it may be as long as 60,000 years. The encounter will culminate on August 27th when Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles and will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in the night sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9 and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide. At a modest 75-power magnification Mars will look as large as the full moon to he naked eye. Mars will be easy to spot. At the beginning of August, Mars will rise in the east at 10 p.m. and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m. But by the end of August when the two planets are closest, Mars will rise at nightfall and reach its highest point in the sky at 12:30 a.m. That's pretty convenient when it comes to seeing something that no human has seen in recorded history. So mark your calendars to celebrate the August birthdays and see Mars - P/C Pamela Hunt Fun Fotos - Tilghman Island Cruise, July 12-13, 2003!
Thanks to Captain Troy Brooks for providing the photos for this issue!
Picture For Answer!
This page was last updated on 08/16/03.
Answer To "Whose Boat Is This" "Teak For Two" Captain Troy & Carla Brooks |
I
am happy to report the overall condition of the Maryland Cruising Club is
excellent.
Beautiful,
Talented, Wonderful Girl between the ages of 16 and 21 for position of Maryland
Cruising Club Princess. Must be friendly and willing to give up summer weekends
to spend at Yacht Clubs around the Chesapeake Bay. Possibility of moving up to
the position of Queen of the Chesapeake. Position will be available on October
17, 2003 with a Crowning at the Maryland Cruising Club Change of Watch Ceremony.
Tiara, bracelet, and jacket provided. If interested, please contact Vice
Commodore Dottie Murray on 410-574-7599 or via email on 
