Double Bayou Cruise Report

Summary:

 

Cruise was conducted the weekend of 8-9 April.  Seven boats and 22 members and guests participated.  Weather for boats crossing on Thursday and Friday was very brisk with winds in the 30 knot range on Thursday and 20+ knots on Friday.  The boats coming over on Saturday morning had 15 to 20 knots of wind.  For the return trip on Sunday winds were light and variable.  Several boaters now have grounding stories and engine overheating stores, and I got towed by Boat US stories to add to their sailing lore.  Feedback from participants was very positive.

 

Organizers:

 

Bryan Kirkpatrick:  Sent e-vite and coordinated effort

Kelly Railean:  Social, coordinated effort and brought paper plates, flatware and orange juice

Juli Gibb:  Commodore, bought and brought 60 lbs of shrimp

John DeWitt:  Cruise Leader, Sent planning information to participants (see below),  answered participant questions via virtual captain’s meeting and coordinated dockage at Marker 17. 

 

# Boats and Attendees

 

Respondees	Notes	# Boats	# Guests
Patrick / Susie Andrus (+ 1 guest) We will come by land yacht.)	Came over with Juli and Colin and drove Bob and Michele’s car back	0	2
Bob Melear,Michele Pola and Doc	Came over by boat Friday morning	1	2
Rus / Sandy Records (+ 4 guests) OK..we are coming enmass.....we will arrive at around 1700 and raft up to get ashore...we will anchor out in the bayou	Did not come	0	0
Colin / Julie Gibb (+ 1 guest)	Came over by boat Saturday morning	1	2
Todd / Caryn Baker (+ 1 guest)  Need a slip if possible. Hunter 386, 5 ft draft. No dingy.	Did not come had engine problems and turned back	0	0
Tom Frankum (+ 3 guests) Will attend in 38 foot Morgan 12 beam and 5.5 foot draft. Will need a slip or raft up because we do not have a dingy.	Came over by boat Saturday morning	1	4
Ricardo / Carol Gomez (+ 1 guest)	Came over by car Saturday	0	2
Madeline Sitzes (+ 1 guest)	Came over by boat Friday morning	1	1
Tom Arnott (+ 1 guest)	Came over by boat Saturday	1	2
Shaun Moore Pacifico will go, 34 length, 11 beam, 4.5 draft, for slip.	Did not come	0	0
Matt / Kelly Railean Love to go by boat, 30' sail, we can raft up too! Bayou is not good for us, no dingy!	Came over by car Saturday	0	2
Gene / Maggie Huser Will need a slip for a 40 footer saliboat with 5'2" draft please.	Came over by car Saturday	0	2
John DeWitt (+ 1 guest)	Came over by boat Thursday	1	1
Karen / Michael Blankner Integrity, a 34 foot sloop, sans dingy, will need a slip, please.	Came over by boat Friday afternoon	1	2
Total		7	22

 

Logistics

 

WYC provided 60 lbs of shrimp, cooking spices, plates, napkins and flat ware.  Each couple was asked to bring an appetizer to share.  WYC also provided orange juice for members to build Mimosa’s for Sunday morning’s breakfast.

 

Channel Marker 17 provided the following at no cost to WYC.

·        Sides of potatoes and corn

·        Cooked the shrimp, potatoes and corn

·        Dessert

·        Adult beverages for purchase

·        Entertainment 6 piece rock and roll band called “Tropical Depression”

·        Breakfast for attendees Sunday morning.

 

Frascone Winery Provided the following at no cost to WYC:

·        Picked up members at Marker 17 and gave us a hay ride to and from the winery

·        Gave members samples and tour of winery

 

Funds:

 

Organizers decided to collect $5.00 per couple attending.  These funds were given to Marker 17 to offset the cost of preparing breakfast and for tips for the band.

           

 

Recommendations:

 

·        Do this trip in April or any other cool month so that boaters are not dependent upon air conditioning  -- the effect will be increased participation

·        Do a better job next time of explaining Channel Marker 17’s dockage policy of “First Come – First Served”.  I put this in the e-mail notice to the attendees.  For those members who have never been to Marker 17 they may have thought it meant first to respond to the e-vite first to get a slip as opposed to first to arrive at Marker 17, first to get a tie up.

·        As it turned out we had a large commercial push boat tied up on space I had planned to use and we also had another boating party of 4 boats not affiliated with WYC.  Had all WYC boats showed up we would have had a problem getting them space due to the lost spaces occupied by the other parties.  For next time I suggest we work up a group to go up the Bayou and dingy back to Marker 17.  This gives us a lot more flexibility and parking up the bayou is an experience in itself.