January 4, 2016 

We’ve been quite fortunate so far this winter, but it’s definitely time to either plan your escape or “hunker down” until April! No matter where you are, there are many activities available for the fantastic members of BCYC. Your new officers, governors, and chairs have begun their work and are, as follows:

Commodore:    Jamie Ritter

Vice Commodore: Terry Bidnick

Rear Commodore: Colin Soucy

Fleet Captain:   Ben Wilson      

Secretary:  Mary Ross

Treasurer:  Jeanie Bidnick

Governors: Patti Bartlett, Westbrook Murphy, Gary Bedesheim, E Don Smith, Chuck Kahle, Pam Loving

Cruise Director: Madi Yates

Social Director: Pamela Budesheim

Mid-week Chair: Pat Bernhart

Membership Chair: Laurie Crosley

Webmaster: Tom Bernhart

Spin Sheet/Prop Talk: Otto Hetzel/Betsy Byers

What a wonderful experience, I’m sure they’d all agree, Bob Higginbotham, now Past Commodore, Mary Bowie, past Treasurer (for eight years), Steve Cavin, past Governor, Rosie Cavin, past Social Director, and Pamela Budesheim, past Prop talk writer, have had serving us. Thank you for your hard work, perseverance, time, and expertise as we enjoyed the fruits of your efforts.

The BCYC Board of Governors and Chairs have their sights on many educational and fun activities for 2016. We again have planned for our BCYC members wintering over on the Chesapeake, as well as South events for those escaping to warm climes in Florida. Sign up before the deadline for our North and South Happy Hours, kicking off things this week: January 7 in Stuart and January 8 near Annapolis.

In addition to the yearly calendar, the Homepage also has a drop down menu for the specific Land Events, South Events, and Sea Events.  Please check out the specifics and remember that each event will be posted two weeks prior so you can plan! There are still some host spaces to be determined, TBD, so please consider volunteering for an event to be held when the weather warms up.

Looking into Spring, our Change of Watch Ball is May 7. Our volunteers have promised to exceed the high standards of the inaugural Spring Ball held last year. Seems impossible, but I’m betting on them to succeed! They have selected Oyster Cove as our venue, with access by land and sea. We will have Mike Lange and the Tiki Barbarians returning for us to dance the night away. All has been coordinated by Mary Ross and the committee.

Ben Wilson and Madi  Yates have been busy planning our cruises. BCYC cruises are always filled with laughter, food and drink, and fun beginning Memorial Day, May 28, with a land/sea weekend near Rock Hall (see Sea Events list on homepage) and continuing as north for the week. Shorter cruises are planned throughout the summer and, in the fall, the Vagabond cruise, planned by Tom Bernhart and Richard Sanger, will begin Labor Day weekend in Oxford as a land/sea event. It will then head south in the Chesapeake for almost two weeks.

Finally, our Membership Meeting will be held earlier this year, so jot down Sunday, October 2, on your calendar. Hoping to have most members attend this important meeting before heading south.

I will be joining in on some of the South activities before returning north mid-March. I know: It is often quite cold up here then but hope springs eternal . . .

Hope to see you all soon!

Jamie Ritter

Commodore

Back Creek Yacht Club