Port Ludlow Yacht Club September 2015 JIB SHEET The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails. William A. Ward Commodore s Column by Buddy Hills August is flying by and I am trying to get back into the swing of things as we return to our routine board meetings, Wreck Room activities, and article writing after taking August off. I am always amazed how fast time flies by when you are having fun. Thanks so much to Steve and June Antoine and our volunteers for holding down the fort, and keeping the Wreck Room running while we were out cruising. We truly are an organization of volunteers, and we wouldn t have such a great club without all of your help. A few months ago, we asked you to help the board review our overall club operations and activities. I am pleased to announce that Doug Svik has volunteered to handle public relations for the club. The board held a special meeting and approved him to be a member-at-large. Since this is a major effort, Doug s duties will continue into next year. Thank you Doug! The July Cruise headed north and we visited several number of locations I hadn t been to before. There were a number of challenges from engine issues to holding tanks to shallow water with a few boats touching bottom. The wind was also uncooperative which made for some lumpy crossings and tricky dockings. Those who persevered were treated to lovely marinas, great events, and wonderful company. Thanks to our cruise directors Sue and Brett Oemichen, Sheila and Harold Brunstad, and Sandy and Randy Verrue for arranging such a fun trip. Going on cruises is truly a great way to see our beautiful Salish Sea and enjoy being with friends who share their knowledge, experience, and many helping hands. As the cruise ended in Silva Bay, six boats continued our journeys north to Desolation Sound and the Broughtons. The windy weather calmed down enough the following day so we all bolted from (Continued on page 2) Upcoming Events Check your emails for weekly Wreck Room & Other Events! Commodores Cruise, September 11-20 Nominations of Officers, Saturday, September 26, Wreck Room. Signup required.
(Continued from page 1) Silva Bay across the Strait of Georgia and headed for Pender Harbor and locations farther north. Karen and I had to return in eight days so we explored Desolation Sound before looking for the weather window to head back across the Strait of Georgia and get back to PL in time to meet our son, who was coming home for vacation from his assignment in Kuwait. We had a wonderful trip, and can t wait until next year when we will have time to get up to the Broughtons. Final preparations for the Commodores Cruise from September 11 to the 20 th have been completed and the registration documents are on our website. We have a mix of mooring buoys/ anchoring, visits to our favorite ports (Roche and Friday Harbors) and visits to locations we ve not been to in many years. We will be heading to Spencer Spit on Lopez Island, Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, Reid Harbor on Stuart Island, Roche Harbor on SJI, Garrison Bay (or another night in Roche for those who prefer marinas since Garrison is anchoring only) on SJI and lastly Sequim. Come join us for the adventure. In August, we said a tearful farewell to very dear friends and club members John and Sharon Lynch. We saw this coming when they put their beloved (by all of us) Shamrock up for sale. Many of you will have fond memories of club cruises and being hosted on that gorgeous boat, sampling fine food, and whiskies. Sharon and John hosted the club whiskey tastings and the annual St. Patrick s Day party for years. Sharon s delicious crème de menthe brownies will be missed. John served as our club s JAG from 2007 to 2014, a record seven years that will be hard to break. Sharon served as President of the PLYC Women s Group and they both volunteered many hours at the Wreck Room. Their friendship and generosity will leave lasting memories and be sorely missed. We all wish you Fair Winds and Calm Seas in your next adventure. 13. Vice Commodore s Column by Steve Antoine It seems quite a while since I wrote one of these, and it has been an eventful summer. The weather has been spectacular, but time has flown by, and it seems like there were just not enough days spent on the boat, but then, are there ever? Our days are filled with Wreck Room business, and so it really is exasperating when you see the hours that someone has spent creating something beautiful disappear overnight. If you don t know what I am talking about, the two gorgeous urns in front of our club that Joe Guillen has babied all summer to the culmination of a spectacular display of color and foliage were stolen on August In my past life I was never surprised at what people would do, but I guess my guard is down living in this little village, and every couple of years when something like this happens I am truly astounded. So, be aware of things and people around you. Don t let your guard down. If a truck, car, or person doesn t belong somewhere or looks strange, make a note of it or call the sheriff. Joe has since replaced the urns with new refurbished planters, which we will secure, but how sad is it that we even have to do that? We have all been so proud of his efforts and enjoyed the beautiful displays he has provided, and I would like you all to thank Joe for his continued efforts on our behalf when you see him! We so appreciate his time and efforts, which makes this theft so sad. 2
Fleet Captain s Column by Sheila Brunstad Our July Cruise was Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Cruisin Days led by the Oemichens, Brunstads and Verrues. It included some old favorite PLYC destinations and activities. After a fairly smooth crossing of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, we had a challenging entrance to the Lopez Islander Marina at Fisherman s Bay following the marked channel at low tide with a bare two feet of depth in places. To celebrate everyone s safe, although not without incident, arrival we had an enthusiastic turn-out of tie-dye wear with our Mai Tais on the dock our first night. The next two nights were spent at Ganges Marina on Salt Spring Island with a chance to explore the famous Saturday Market, where the shoppers and vendors are as interesting as the items for sale. Our Boat Crawl Progressive Dinner was a big success, at least partly due to Sue Oemichen s ability to reconfigure this event as changes occurred along with the enthusiasm of the participants. We were then on to Sidney for a night to enjoy the beautiful flower baskets covering the marina and one of the many excellent restaurants. Maple Bay for the next two days was delightful as always enhanced by the warm welcome and helpfulness of owner-manager Carol Messier. The cruise directors were kept busy preparing Breakfast in a Bag with Bloody Mary Bar and a Cruisin Dinner of pork loin and accompaniments. Chemainus Municipal Dock, with one of the best Canadian wharfingers, Harmen Bootsma, was a fun destination. A highlight was the dinner theatre with a very lively musical performance of Twist and Shout The British Invasion. Our final stop was Silva Bay Marina on Gabriola Island with a group dinner at the pub, which definitely afforded a gourmet experience beyond burgers and fish and chips. A number of the cruisers headed farther north to the BC Sunshine Coast, Desolation Sound, and the Broughton Islands after the cruise ended. This was the only PLYC cruise visiting Canadian waters this year. If you are interested in cruising in Canada on your own, now is a good time to go, as the currency exchange rate is currently very favorable. The Commodores Cruise is in September this year, led by Buddy and Karen Hills, Anne Burrell- Smith, Ramsay Smith, and John and Katherine Simpson. The focus is Destination Fun in the San Juans with an emphasis on anchoring and mooring buoys. The registration form and information is available on the PLYC website. Planned destinations are Spencer Spit Lopez Island, Friday Harbor, Reid Harbor Stuart Island, Roche Harbor, Garrison Bay, San Juan Island, and Sequim Marina. Happy and safe cruising! 3
Sail Captain s Column by Mannie Martinez Our August First Thursday was filled with sunshine and fair winds. We enjoyed having the Willises and the Okonskis join our regular crowd. Afterwards at the Wreck Room, Manny served his spinach and artichoke dip, and Christie served her BLT, avocado, cucumber, and salmon mini rounds. Krista Endres helped us out at the bar, and her parents joined in for our monthly drawing and a Sailor s Trivia Game won by Wade Crouch, sailor extraordinaire. We also had a great turn out in July and wonderful hors d oeuvres by Chef Devin Dixon. A special Thank You to his lovely wife for bartending. Plans are underway for our first overnight cruise. Thursday, September 3 we will be sailing to the Port of South Whidbey s marina at Langley. Dinner will be at the Primo Bistro at 6 p.m. with happy hour from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. 4
Why we joined the yacht club. Cruising the PNW Thanks to PLYC! by Kathy Kubesh We moved to Port Ludlow because the area was beautiful, the surrounding waters were spectacular, and we were boaters. Coming to the PNW from Southern California, however, meant boating would be different for us, which is the main reason we joined the Port Ludlow Yacht Club (PLYC). In SoCal, we lived inland and kept our sailboat in a marina on Shelter Island in San Diego where it served as our weekend getaway away from work and the heat. It was a place to gather with friends, sail, party, or simply relax. The annual big event was a nine-day cruise to Catalina Island. As mentioned, we joined the PLYC to learn about cruising in the PNW waters. Our first cruising experience with the yacht club was the 2012 Wake-Up Cruise. Fellow members were very gracious from the beginning as they took us under their wings with the pre-cruise meeting setting us up to buddy boat with a seasoned member. They educated us about the cruising experience, helped us navigate our way from port to port, and shared their general PNW boating knowledge with us. For the past three years, we have participated in many PLYC cruises exploring Puget Sound, the San Juan Islands, the Gulf Islands, and mainland Canada. Last year, we made it to Princess Louisa and saw Chatterbox Falls on the extended north cruise. With each cruise, we built up our boating knowledge and confidence. Additionally, our knowledge base was broadened through PLYC training days, marine exchanges, and dock talks. We also had attended a few Wooden Boat Wednesday events in Port Townsend, several classes at the Seattle boat show, where we boated over to Seattle with some fellow members, and a boating class with the Power and Sail Squadron. Recently, I attended a series of boating classes designed just for women taught by PLYC women boaters. With this accumulation of knowledge and with the encouragement of seasoned cruisers, this year we set a goal to go further north to the Broughton Islands. Having never been to the Broughtons, we again sought the guidance of some of the PLYC seasoned cruisers who willingly shared their knowledge and experience. We planned the cruise north with another PLYC couple, Judi and Delos Dunn. They, too, were heading to the Broughtons for the first time. Now, at this point I must admit I was very frightened, especially after doing some reading on the Broughtons. North of Desolation Sound the Broughtons for Beginners, an Internet article, mentioned the psychological barrier to venturing beyond Desolation Sound. Desolation was a destination we had yet to experience and we were electing to go further! Next, Waggoner Cruising Guide mentions gates and their effect. Both sources reference the requirement of transitioning tidal rapids, narrows, straits, and the long travel distance. Of additional concern for me was that we would be heading south on our own as the Dunn s schedule allowed them to spend more time up north. The entire trip was a very rewarding experience. We expanded our boating knowledge and skills, which in turn, boosted our confidence on the water. This latest adventure is another new beginning for us. We plan to return and explore more of the Broughton Islands as we considered this trip a recon of sorts. We also plan to do more exploring in Desolation Sound and the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia because the route home allowed us just a little time to explore these areas, and they have so much to offer, too. To summarize, WE DID IT! And joining the yacht club made it all possible. 5
Women s Group Lunches at the Lavender Farm by Kay Cathcart Sunshine, blue skies and a light breeze greeted the PLYC Women s Group as they enjoyed a picnic lunch at the Purple Haze Lavender Farm in Sequim. The afternoon began with a wine tasting from Wind Rose Cellars hosted by owner David Volmut. After a leisurely lunch, Mike Reichner, owner of Purple Haze provided us with a history of the farm and the culinary, medicinal and decorative uses of lavender. We also learned how lavender was harvested and diffused into lavender oil. The remainder of the afternoon was spent exploring the gardens and the gift shop followed by gathering on the shaded porch, and sampling several varieties of lavender ice cream. Thank you to the Women s Group officers for planning the event and to our photographers Christie Martinez and Billie Land. The next PLYC Women s Group event will be our annual fundraiser on September 24, Bountiful Bunco Night at the WR. See photos in this Jib Sheet on pages 10 and 11. Wreck Room Coordinator June Antoine I would like to thank everyone who has stepped up and helped me out these past couple of months, and especially the past few weeks. Things have been a little hectic in our family, but hopefully everything is smoothing out and our daughter is on the mend and getting back to being her active, busy self. What this time has really made me face is that this job cannot function with only one person. There has to be a core group of people supporting it, and that is what I would like to propose for next year. I think the Wreck Room coordinator could manage all the schedules and calendars, but I suggest an advisory/support group meet monthly, and plan the upcoming events and food venues. We would know who would be around, and ask for volunteers to help, in place of those leaving town. The process would be better organized, run more smoothly and most important, the burden wouldn t fall on any one person. My brain is draining, folks, and I need more input. I am going to recommend that all board members again be trained as WR supervisors, and that all bartenders try to do one shift per month (obviously when they re here). We all have busy lives, but this club cannot continue to function with the support of only 30 percent its members handling the entire load to keep the Wreck Room operating year-round. Thank you to everyone for making the farewell party for John and Sharon Lynch the fun night it was. The Lynches are returning to Texas, and they will be greatly missed for sure. We have lost some of our most reliable and hard-working volunteers this year as they move on with their lives, and we rely on new members to step in and help us move forward. Big kudos to new members Krista Endres and Devin Dixon for making the best of a truly weird email snafu that could have REALLY messed up their first night cooking for us. I heard the food was outstanding, and the volunteer crew did a first rate job making sure everyone got something to eat. Devin is cooking again for us August 26, and, hopefully, there will be no email gremlins! I would appreciate your thoughts and ideas about the Wreck Room coordinator position. Feel free to contact me via email, and thanks again to everyone for all your help, support, and good wishes! 6
SHIP S STORE What a wonderful summer! The weather has been great, boating exceptional, and evenings at the Wreck perfect for browsing at the Ship s Store. Thank you to everyone for supporting your PLYC Ship s Store. As September nears and the evenings are cooling, it is the perfect time to stop by the Wreck Room and order a fleece throw in your favorite color to keep you cozy. Navy and black samples in the Ship s Store are available for purchase. Our September Special is another great reason to stop by the Wreck Room and check out the Ship s Store. We are very proud to offer notecards by Barbara Adams, a popular Port Ludlow artist. We will have packets of notecards for sale, as well as order forms for customized note cards with drawings of your boat or home. Barbara s work is beautiful. You won t want to miss this opportunity. Don t forget - Christmas is right around the corner. Plan on shopping at the Ship s Store in September for best selections! Board Activity Highlights by Chris Dean Due to the absence of a quorum of officers, there was no July Board of Directors meeting. Via email, first readings for PLYC membership were conducted for Joan and Michael Stelte sponsored by Peggy Kulm and Peter Joseph; Debi and Billy Fong sponsored by Peggy Kulm and Christie Martinez; Misty and Donald Silva sponsored by Jane and Michael Armstrong, and Sue and Brett Oemichen; and Karen and David Carbaugh sponsored by Peggy Kulm and Christie Martinez. The next scheduled meeting is September 2. 7
NEW MEMBERS! Misty and Don Silva recently moved to Port Ludlow with plans to retire here. Don is semi-retired now. The Silvas came here from Laguna Niguel in January. While in California, they were members of the Dana Point Yacht Club. The Silvas were sponsored for membership by Jane and Michael Armstrong, and Randy and Kathleen Shelley. Debi and Billy Fong moved to Port Ludlow in February, and plan to retire here. They re looking forward to becoming active community members, and meeting many new friends. Before retiring, Billy was a computer consultant and business owner. He enjoys music, playing the guitar, golfing, good food, and travel. Debi was a teacher who enjoys travel, reading, knitting, and old movies. The Fongs were sponsored for membership by Christie Martinez and Peggy Kulm. Joan and Mike Stelte have lived here for four years and are willing to do as much as we can to keep the shine on this fantastic community. Mike was a cabinet/furniture maker and business owner for 25 years having retired in 2007. He enjoys golf, fishing, and crabbing. Joan was a medical assistant, and enjoys quilting, gardening, and reading. The Steltes have two children and three grandchildren. The couple have boated for 25 years in vessels ranging from 25 to 50 feet in the U.S. and Canada. Mike was in the Coast Guard for eight years. Their Back Cove 37, Rascal, is moored in the Ludlow marina. The Steltes were sponsored for membership by Peter Joseph and Peggy Kulm. Karen Scholtz and Dave Carbaugh currently live here and there. Karen, who retired from Boeing in 2015, lives at their retirement dream home in Port Ludlow. Dave s still employed as a pilot at Boeing, and lives aboard their boat moored in Kenmore on Lake Washington since their house in Woodinville sold. Dave and Karen s boat is a 32-foot Bayliner, Mystic Valhalla. The couple enjoys boating on Lake Washington, and are looking forward to salt-water cruising in the area. Karen also enjoys showing dogs and gardening. The couple were sponsored for membership by Christie Martinez and Peggy Kulm. Please welcome our new members when you meet them! PLYC WOMEN S GROUP FUNDRAISER REGISTRATION FORM Name: Please enclose your check for $30 payable to PLYC Phone: and send to Email: Sue Milner Circle your Bunco experience level: 227 Edgewood Drive, Port Ludlow, WA 98365 Never played Newbie So-so I m Hot! Deadline: September 21. I am unable to attend, but would like to donate. My check is enclosed. [ ] 8
2015 PLYC Women s Group Fundraiser Bountiful Bunco Wreck Room, THURSDAY, September 24-6 P.M. The definition of BOUNTIFUL is: large in quantity, abundant and giving generously. A perfect description of the PLYC Women s Group! This year the PLYC Women s Group will again be hosting a fun-filled Bunco Night. The evening will include two games of Bountiful Bunco complete with prizes, raffles, a silent auction, and a live auction. In an effort to ease the congestion at the door and allow for more visiting time with your PLYC gal pals, we have rolled together the registration and game buy-in processes into a single price of $30. The proceeds will again help support two local charities: the AAUW-sponsored math competency program for third graders at Chimacum and Quilcene schools, and also Dove House in Port Townsend, which provides shelter and counseling to women and children who struggle with domestic violence. You are the key to our success. Your generous support of these worthwhile projects has been a great way to share our bounty with those in need. As before, there will be a bountiful variety of nibbles and the Wreck Room cash bar will be available with the usual libations. Several members are donating items for the silent auction; other prizes will be raffled off. Raffle tickets will be $5 each or 3 for $10. Be sure to bring an abundant supply of cash and/or your checkbook because giving generously is a PLYC Women s Group tradition. To ensure your spot at this ever-popular event, please submit your registration and payment by September 21. Payment at the door may be arranged. Questions: Contact Jamie Bima (360.437.9335; jstckn@aol.com) Come at 6 p.m. The dice begin rolling at 6:30 pm. Registration form is on the previous page. 9
Photos from the Women s Luncheon 10
More Photos from the Women s Luncheon 11
PLYC 2015 Officers Commodore Buddy Hills Send Email Vice Commodore Steve Antoine Send Email Rear Commodore Anne Burrell-Smith Send Email Past Commodore Steve Hall Send Email Fleet Captain Sheila Brunstad Send Email Port Captain Neal McQuarrie Send Email Secretary Christine Dean Send Email Treasurer BJ Luce Send Email JAG Janet McKinnon Send Email Property Officer Sue Oemichen Send Email Communications Officer Harlen Whitling Send Email Sail Captain Manny Martinez Send Email PLYC Coordinators Bar Manager Neal McQuarrie Send Email Wreck Room Coordinator June Antoine Send Email Port Ludlow Yacht Club JIB SHEET P.O. Box 65338 Port Ludlow, WA 98365 The Jib Sheet is published online monthly by volunteers from the Port Ludlow Yacht Club. The opinions expressed in the Jib Sheet represent the views of the contributors and are not to be construed as the official position of the Port Ludlow Yacht Club, the members, officers, or the editor. Please email articles, photos, and other content by the 23 rd of the month to the editors Liz Healy & Harlen Whitling at JibSheet@plyc.us. Send email address corrections to the Secretary Chris Dean: Click Here 12