Commodore's Blog

COMMODORE’S BLOG   DECEMBER 2013

TEMPUS FUGITS!

While we weren’t looking, 2013 came and went!  Wasn’t it only yesterday we were worried about Y2k?!

I trust everyone had a great Christmas and welcomed in the New Year in style!

BackYakkers transitioned into official winter in December with the always popular Annual Midnight Madness in downtown Annapolis.  Pat Bernhart did her usual ‘magic’ orchestrating dinner at Galway Bay restaurant combined with strolling the streets of Annapolis.

Bill and Laurie Crosley hosted the Annual Holiday Brunch at the West River Yacht Club.  Over fifty BackYakkers enjoyed food and drink (and apparently a lot of Bloody Marys!) and the ever popular Yankee Swap.  The petrified crab even made another appearance!

On January 1^st, your new Bridge of Officers took the reigns of Back Creek Yacht Club.  It has been my and Pam’s pleasure and honor to have been your Commodore (and Commodorable!) for the past year.  Every member of BCYC has contributed to making 2013 a fun year.  All of you made my job very easy!

Commodore Bill Kranzer will ‘officially’ raise his flag at the Change of Watch at the Commodore’s Ball on January 25^th.  The Ball is always the highlight of the year where we get to put on real clothes and dance the night away.  If you haven’t yet registered, I encourage you to go to the web site and do so.

This year’s Ball is hosted by Rosie Cavin (who also hosted last year’s).  Laurie Crosley has graciously agreed to Mistress of Ceremonies so you are in for a real treat!  Former BackYakker Mike Lange will bring his “Tiki and the Barbarians” band for the entertainment.  And I promise they will not be as loud as last year’s band!

Down here in Stuart, FL, we weren’t spared the deep freeze that is currently engulfing the Northeast.  There was actually a “wind chill” alert for last night!  Jamie Ritter was here for a few days and left this morning to get back for her Ritter Happy Hour this coming Saturday. 

Stay warm and we’ll see you at the Commodore’s Ball.

John

John and Pam

“Compass Rose”

Sunset Bay Marina

Stuart, FL

 

COMMODORE’S BLOG     NOVEMBER 2013

I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving and/or Hanukah.  It’s hard to believe December is already upon us!  Most of the BackYakker boats have been winterized (one way or another).  Some are shrink wrapped waiting for the Spring thaw.  Some are south of 30 degrees…

Mary Bowie held a very successful “Plaid Shirt and Cider” Happy Hour in her condo in Crystal City, VA.  Thank you Mary and to all those who took the time to drive across state lines!

Pam and I arrived in Stuart, FL November 20^th and are securely tied to our dock.  Not as many BackYakkers here this year as last although Eileen and E. Don Smith are one dock over and Bill and Geraldine Falk now live about 2 miles away.

This Thursday evening, Pat Bernhart will be hosting the final mid-week event of the year, a “Midnight Madness” get-together beginning at Galway Bay restaurant in downtown Annapolis.  There is no requirement to stay up until midnight…

The Annual Holiday Brunch will be held at the West River Yacht Club.  Bill and Laurie Crosley will host this event at their yacht club in Edgewater, MD.  Please remember to bring something for the “Yankee Swap”.  As in previous years, the more outrageous the gift, the more it will be “appreciated”.  Details for both events are on the website.

The photo section on the website (“BCYC Photos”) needs your photographs!  Currently, there are no photos from the past four months on the site.  If you have any on your cameras, please ask Mary Ross or Tom Bernhart how to transfer them to the web site. 

Whatever your plans are for the upcoming Christmas holidays, Pam and I wish you a safe and Very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

Skol !!

John

Commodore

Back Creek Yacht Club

John and Pam Loving

“Compass Rose”

Sunset Bay Marina

Stuart, FL 

 

 

These will be effective January 1, 2014.  A formal Change of Watch will be held at the Commodores Ball January 25^th, 2014.

Upcoming events in the next thirty days are:

A Plaid Shirt & Apple Cider Happy Hour will be hosted by Mary Bowie on Nov 15^th at her home in Crystal City, VA. 

The final Mid Week of the year, hosted by Pat Bernhart, will be the annual Midnight Madness on Thursday Dec 5^th at Galway Bay on Maryland Ave in Annapolis.

The  Annual Holiday Brunch will be held Dec 15^th at the West River Yacht Club in Edgewater, MD.  Your hosts will be Bill and Laurie Crosley who are members of WRYC.

Details are on the BCYC website.

Pam and I plan on arriving in Stuart, FL around November 20^th and will remain there until mid-March.  If you are in that area, please don’t hesitate to call us.

Enjoy!

John

Commodore

Back Creek Yacht Club

John and Pam

“Compass Rose”

 Passing Savannah, GA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COMMODORE’S BLOG        SEPTEMBER 2013

Well, we’re a week into October.  Hope all of you found time to attend the Power Boat Show this past week and/or are planning to visit the Sailboat Show starting Thursday.  Traffic in the Annapolis area was a little crazy last Saturday with both the Air Force-Navy game and the Boat Show going on simultaneously.

Pam and I are now in Solomons, MD for the annual Kadey Krogen Rendezvous.  Lots of fiberglass down here!

In mid September, Pat Bernhart hosted the final ‘water’ Mid Week event on the West River with a Happy Hour and dinner at Pirates Cove restaurant in Galesville.  Many thanks to Pat for organizing a wide variety of Mid Weeks this year.

Over thirty hearty souls braved a driving rain to attend Oktoberfest on Weems Creek.  It’s been a while since “rain” and “Bill and Karen” were in the same sentence (although it used to be a common occurrence!).

Fortunately, they scheduled the event underneath a pavilion…only our Grill Meister Bill was out in the elements.

Wouldn’t it be ironic if the next storm was named “Karen”!

 

Immediately following Oktoberfest, eight boats of intrepid BackYakkers embarked on a cruise to the southern Chesapeake.  Over a ten day period, they visited Solomons, and the Corinthian Yacht Club in Maryland, Reedville, Matthews Yacht Club and the Tides Inn in Virginia.  While at the Matthews Y.C., they met up with BackYakkers Ray Blake and Brenda Ripley who now live in the “Middle Peninsula” in Susan, VA.

Among the members making this cruise were: Richard, Michelle and Erik Sanger, Tom & Pat Bernhart, Wally and Molly Stone, Westbrook Murphy, Jeannie and Terry Bidnick, Madi and John Yates (and Pippin), Jo Rys and John Oberright, Carole and John Campbell and Cindy Murphy (by land).

This was such an enjoyable cruise that BCYC is considering making it an “official” part of the 2014 calendar for next September.

The boating Season Finale will be held at Bob and Gail Higginbotham’s yard (marina?) on October 19th. Those of you with good memories will remember the Season Kickoff  was also held at Bob and Gail’s in early May. 

Rosie Cavin has arranged for a DJ to play country and western music.  So, put on your dancing boots and cowboy/cowgirl hats and get ready to kick up a storm!  Come by boat, car... or horse.

Looking ahead to November, the Annual Membership Meeting will be held on Sunday, November 3rd at the Fleet Reserve Club in Annapolis.  As always, there will be no charge for this event.

 The  October issue of SpinSheet has a nice interview with our own Vern Penner.  He has a number of very nice things to say about all of you.  You can either pick up a copy, read it online... or read it here:

By the way, the "tow-er" was Guy Collins!

Immediately following the October 19^th event, Pam and I will be headed south down the ICW for the seventh time.  We’ll be chugging along at     7 kts for the next four weeks, interrupted by a drive back to Annapolis for the Annual Meeting.

Enjoy the read!

John

Commodore

Back Creek Yacht Club

 

John and Pam

“Compass Rose”

COMMODORE’S BLOG   AUGUST 2013

September is already one third gone and I’m just handing in August’s Commodore’s Blog.  My dog ate my homework!

August kicked off with our Annual Lobster Feast again at Wally & Molly Stone’s home on Crab Creek.  A record number of eighty BackYakkers and guests made short work of the lobsters.  Eight boats were docked or rafted out in Crab Creek.  The always popular “Flip, Flop & Drop” breakfast greeted over forty members Sunday morning.  No omelets were injured in the making of this breakfast!

 Many thanks to Wally and Molly for again allowing us to enjoy a perfect weekend in their yard.  Also a huge “thank you” and “well done” to Jo Rys, John Oberright, Jae Hamilton and Tim Feldmann for all their planning and hard work that weekend.

 Mid August found twenty BackYakkers cruising over to Harris Creek to anchor in Waterhole Cove off the Choptank.  Twenty members came by dingy or car to Lowes Wharf Tiki Bar and Restaurant in Sherwood, MD.  We even got to witness a “Harley Davidson wedding”!  Thank you to Michelle and Richard Sanger for hosting this (the event, not the wedding!).

 Labor Day Weekend ended August and took us into September.  Over twenty boats and sixty BackYakkers cruised to Miles River Yacht Club in St Michaels to enjoy three days in the sun.  Jeannie and Terry Bidnick hosted a Kansas BBQ ala Eastern Shore Style on Saturday.  This was followed by very entertaining poetry reading.  Who knew the hidden talents of BackYakkers?!  And, who will forget Terry’s amazing recitation of Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Raven”?

 After shuttle buses took many into St Michaels for the day, Madi and John Yates hosted an Eastern Shore Crab Feast on Sunday.  In spite of our best efforts, the crabs (or caterers) won out!  There were a few dozen crabs remaining at the end.

 At Saturday’s dinner, seven former Commodores of BCYC were presented with “Past Commodore” hats.  Wear them proudly!

 Upcoming Events

 Fall is just around the corner...

 On Wednesday, September 18^th, Pat Bernhart will host the 5^th and final Mid Week Event on the West River in Galesville.  Check out the web site for details.

 The next weekend begins Oktoberfest on Weems Creek (yes, Oktoberfest begins on Sept 21^st in Germany!).  Karen and Bill Kranzer will be providing your bratwurst, etc. and, no doubt, German beer at the Pavilion on Weems Creek.

 Siehe die Website für weitere Details.

 The boating Season Finale will be held at Bob and Gail Higginbotham’s yard (marina?) on October 19th. This will perfectly bookend our boating season as the Season Kickoff was also held at Bob and Gail’s in early May.  My, how time flies!

 The Annapolis Boat Shows are coming up in October. Remember, this year the Sailboat Show will follow the Power Boat Show.

 One final note; at the Board of Governors’ meeting August 31st at Miles River Yacht Club, the Nominating Committee put forth the follow slate of officers for 2014.  This will be voted on (as noted) at the Annual Membership Meeting on November 3rd.

   - Commodore: Bill Kranzer
   - Vice Commodore: Bob Higginbotham
   - Rear Commodore: Jamie Ritter
   - Fleet Captain: Terry Bidnick
   - Secretary: Bonnie Hetzel
   - Treasurer: Mary Bowie

   - Board Members for a 1 year term:
        - Mary Ross (continues; no vote required)

        - Mark Cline (appointed to replace Shay Collins; requires vote)

   - Board Members for a 2 year term:

        - Colin Soucy (continues; no vote required)

        - Patti Bartlett(to replace Terry Bidnick; requires vote)

   - Board Members for a 3 year term:

        - Steve Cavin(vote required)

        - Westbrook Murphy (vote required)

As always, the minutes of the Board of Governors meeting are posted on the web site.

September is arguably the best boating weather on the Chesapeake.  Go out and enjoy our National Treasure!

Enjoy!

John

Commodore

Back Creek Yacht Club

 

John and Pam

“Compass Rose”

COMMODORE’S BLOG    JULY 2013

Well, July is just about in the books!  Hard to believe we are well into the second half of 2013.  Despite a week of temperatures in the mid-90s’, July was pretty much below normal temperature-wise.

Forty-five BackYakkers cruised to Lankford Bay Marina for the “After 4^th of July Cruise”.  Strong southerly breezes enabled the sailors to be under sail for the entire route and almost into their slips.

JJ Sullivan and Juliana Nedd organized dinner at Waterman’s Crabhouse Restaurant in Rock Hall on Friday evening complete with shuttle bus service. 

Laura and Cort Treuth hosted an Eastern Shore chicken and rib barbecue Saturday evening and really out did themselves!!  Not only did they cook everything on the grill but also brought all the corn, tomatoes, beans and charcoal.  They even introduced BackYakkers to Ocean City Orange Crush!  What a treat!!

The Mid-Week event saw eleven BackYakkers dine at the Broadneck Grill before seeing the musical “She Loves Me” at the Infinity Theatre.  Thank you Pat Bernhart for continuing to find interesting venues for these events.

Nine boats and twenty BackYakkers rafted up in the Rhode River on Sunday, July 21^st.  The original Saturday get together was postponed one day due to the extremely high heat index (see “below normal” temperatures above!).  Steve Cavin organized a  ”Mango Madness” theme with everyone contributing mango concoctions.  The talent and palate of BackYakkers continues to amaze!

Upcoming Events

Next Saturday is the most popular event of the summer…the Annual Lobster Feast held at Wally and Molly Stone’s home on Crab Creek.  John Oberright and Joe Rys are hosting this event.  Tuesday, July 30^th is the cutoff date.

The following morning is the equally popular breakfast featuring the Flip, Flop & Drop chefs preparing omelets to order.  Jae Hamilton and Steve Feldman will be hosting the breakfast.  Your chefs will be Bill Kranzer, Bob Higginbotham and Moi.

The August 17-18 weekend cruise, hosted by Michelle and Richard Sanger, takes us to Dun Cove off the Choptank River.  After we dinghy in to a public dock, a short walk takes us to Lowes Wharf  for an evening in a South Seas atmosphere.

Thanks so much to all the event hosts who give their time to organize these events.  Without their efforts, we would be having “virtual cruises”.

Enjoy.

John and Pam

“Compass Rose”

Below is an outline of this year's Cruise that I gave at the finale dinner at Miles River Yacht Club.

BCYC FINALE

 

WELCOME TO THE GRAND FINALE OF THE 2013 BCYC ANNUAL CRUISE

FIRST, I WOUILD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND WELCOME PAST COMMODORES (OR FORMODORES) OF BCYC IN ATTENDANCE:

·        JOHN CAMPBELL 2001

·        HARRIET LYTLE 2004

·        ED EVANS 2005

·        ROSIE CAVIN 2007

·        MADI YATES 2008

·        JOHN OBERRIGHT 2009

·        BILL FALK 2011

WE ALSO HAVE TWO PAST COMMODORES OF OTHER YACHT CLUBS:

·        BILL CROSLEY– WEST RIVER Y.C.

·        E. DON SMITH – SAUGATUK Y.C.

JOINING US TONIGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME IS:

·        DEBRA HARRIS

·        RICHARD ROSS

REJOINING THE CRUISE AFTER A SHORT HIATUS:

·        ROSIE CAVIN

·        STEVE CAVIN

WE STARTED THIS YEAR’S CRUISE A WEEK AGO WITH TWELVE BOATS AND FORMED OUR FIRST-EVER LINEAR RAFTUP IN LOVELY COVE OFF LANGFORD CREEK.

·        BEN AND CANDYHOSTED THE FIRST NIGHT’S FESTIVITIES DELIVERING ENOUGH FOOD FOR A SMALL ARMY TO EACH BOAT.

·        JJ SULLIVAN “OUT BLEW” CHRIS SOUCY FOR IN THE CONCH BLOWING EVENT.

·        KAREN AND BILL KRANZER WERE THE SECOND DAY HOSTS WITH A VERY HILARIOUS DINGY/GETTING DRESSED/GETTING SOAKED RACE.

TWO DAYS LATER WE MADE OUR WAY UP TO ROCK HALL AND HAVEN HARBOUR MARINA.

·        JOHN OBERRIGHTAND JO RYS HOSTED THE FIRST DAY WITH JO CONDUCTING A “DRAW YOUR OWN BURGEE” CLASS.

·        THE TRADITIONAL BOCCI BALL TOURNAMENT FOUND THE TRADITIONAL WINNER MADI YATES PARTNERING WITH JOHN CAMPBELL TO WIN THE COVETED ELEPHANT TROPHY.

·        BEN AND CANDYMADE AN ENCORE APPEARANCE AND HOSTED THE SECOND DAY AT HAVEN HARBOUR WITH A NAUTICAL TRIVIA CONTEST.  AT LAST COUNT, MADI YATES WAS LEADING THE POINT TOTAL…

ON WEDNESDAY, AT 0600 DEPARTURE ENABLED MANY OF THE BOATS TO TRANSIT KENT NARROWS AT HIGH TIDE LESSENING THE PUCKER FACTOR.  THANKS TO BOB HIGGINBOTHAM FOR PLANNING AND BEN WILSON FOR LEADING THE TRANSIT.

·        BILL AND GERALDINE FALK HOSTED DESSERTS ON TUG FOR TWO AS THE FLEET ANCHORED IN 3 THREE BOAT RAFTS IN GRANARY CREEK UP THE WYE RIVER.

THURSDAY BROUGHT THE THREAT OF ANOTHER “STORM OF THE CENTURY” AS WE CAME ASHORE TO THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES’ RECREATION CENTER ON WYE ISLAND.

·        ALTHOUGH WE COULD HEAR THE THUNDER, THE STORM CELLS PARTED AROUND US.

·        GRILLMEISTER WESTBROOK MURPHY EXPERTLY COOKED 7 FLANK STEAKS ABLY ASSITED BY SOUS CHEFS BEN WILSON AND JOHN YATES.

·        A “TURKEY SHOOT” CAPPED THE EVENING.  A COUPLE OF FROZEN TURKEYS WERE SUBSTITUTED FOR BOWLING BALLS.

·        PAM LOVINGDID ALL THE PLANNING FOR THIS DAY.

LAST NIGHT’S BARBECUE AND DANCING AT IZZY’S WAS HOSTED BY HARRIET AND LINDA.

TONIGHT’S HOSTS ARE JJ SULLIVAN AND JULIANA NEDD.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK FLEET CAPTAIN GUY COLLINS FOR ALL HIS ADVANCED PLANNING AND SECURING THE VENUES FOR EVERY DAY.  AS YOU KNOW, HE AND SHAY WOULD MUCH RATHER BE ON THE CRUISE THAN HOME IN PENNSYLVANIA.

THIS CRUISE COULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IF NOT FOR THE EFFORTS OF THE AFOREMENTIONED HOSTS.

HOWEVER, NO ONE DID MORE WORK NOR WAS MORE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS GREAT CRUISE THAN JULIANA NEDD.  AT TIMES SHE WORE MANY HATS... WAS PART CRUISE DIRECTOR, PART FLEET CAPTAIN AND PART MOTHER HEN.

THANK YOU JULIANA FOR ALL YOU DID AND HAVE DONE.

ENJOY YOUR DINNER AND I BELIEVE IZZY’S IS OPEN AGAIN TONIGHT.

COMMODORE’S BLOG    MAY-JUNE 2013

I’ve been somewhat negligent in writing this blog but sometimes boating gets in the way!

As I write this, Pam and I are docked at Miles River Yacht Club in St Michaels where our 2013 Annual Cruise has just finished.

But, before I get to the Cruise, let’s re-cap the events of May…

May was book ended by the Season Opener/New Members Gala and the Memorial Day Cruise.  In the middle was a Mid Week Event.

The Season Opener/New Members event was hosted by Bob & Gail Higginbotham at their waterfront home on Minnow Creek.  Seven boats were tied to their docks while forty five BackYakkers enjoyed the grilling expertise of our Rear Commodore.

Pat Bernhart organized a great Mid-Week event hosted by Wally and Molly Stone at their home on Crab Creek.  The theme of Renoir’s Luncheon of the Boating Party was evident in the numerous hats and parasols brought by members.

Memorial Day Weekend found some rough weather and even rough seas on the Bay which necessitated some last minute rescheduling.  Ultimately, four boats made it to Maryland Yacht Club on Sunday.  Over thirty BackYakkers drove to MYC to enjoy a catered dinner under their outdoor pavilion. 

Now to the Annual Cruise…

This year’s Cruise commenced with twelve boats making the trip up the Chester River to Lovely Cove off Langford Creek.  There we arranged a first ever “linear” raft up originally conceived by Fleet Captain Guy Collins.  This ‘back-to-back’ raft was a big hit and afforded the opportunity for great camaraderie (not to mention the exchange of water balloons!).

Rather than detail the rest of the Cruise, I’ve posted separately the review of the Cruise I gave at the finale dinner at Miles River Yacht Club.

The next Mid Week will be held Wednesday, June 26^th in Harness Creek off the South River.  This is just off Quiet Waters Park should you want to drive over.

July 4^th is on a Thursday this year and many members desire to see the Annapolis fireworks with friends and family.  Soooo, the usual July 4^th Cruise will be on the weekend of July 5-7^th (or an “After July 4^th Cruise”).  Please make your slip reservations at Lankford Bay Marina for the event.  JJ Sullivan and Juliana Nedd have organized dinner at Waterman’s Crabhouse Restaurant in Rock Hall on Friday evening (transportation is provided).

Court and Laura Treuth will host an Eastern Shore Barbecue on Saturday at the marina pavilion.  Lankford Bay Marina is always a favorite destination for BackYakkers so please put this on your calendar.

Thank you to everyone who made the Annual Cruise such a fun and enjoyable event. It is all about the people!

See you on the water!

John and Pam

“Compass Rose”

Please consider joining Terry and I for a Night at the Races event at the Doubletree Hotel in Annapolis, benefiting the Volunteer Center of Anne Arundel County The following website has the details:     www.volunteerannearundel.org/‎