The Nautical News
July 2, 2008
COMMODORE Becky Smith 968-0338
VICE COMMODORE Gale Guyer 318-8247
RECORDING SECRETARY Phyllis Ingraham 967-1768
TREASURER Ronnie Herl 956-4731
CORRESPONDING SECRETARY Margaret Barrett 965-7629
(Temporarily)
PAST COMMODORE John Valich 644-1122
DI (RECTOR Lucille Tremblay 401-8360
DIRECTOR Sandy Herl 956-4279
DIRECTOR Susan Hutchinson 293-6956
Winter Haven Nautical Club meets the 1st Wednesday of every month. Potluck dinner begins at 6:30 pm. Bring a dish to pass. Regular meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Clubhouse, 695 Avenue K SW. The August meeting will be August 6, 2008. Website address is HYPERLINK "http://www.whnc.biz/"www.whnc.biz. Ideas for the website, contact John Valich.
Commodore Smith called the meeting to order at 7:30 pm with the Pledge to the Flag. 26 members were present. In the Recording Secretary’s absence, Commodore Smith read the minutes of the June Board Meeting. Ronnie Herl gave the Treasurers Report and posted it on the board. The ending checking balance June 30, 2008 was $8011.51. The savings account balance is $3170.83 with a quarterly dividend of $15.96.
ACTIVITIES - Susan Hutchinson, Chairperson
1ST ANNUAL SHRIMP BOIL and OYSTER SHUCKING - Mike and Nancy Hall reported that they prepared and served shrimp and oysters at the Clubhouse on June 8, 2008. There were 59 people in attendance, including 8 children. Nancy boiled the shrimp in a delicious boil mix while Mike charcoal-grilled the “garlic and butter” skewered shrimp and oysters. Several club members helped with the cooking and shucking of raw oysters. An abundance of side dish foods were a hearty addition to the seafood which was completely devoured. Bob and Susan Beckner supplied a pony keg of beer. Mike and Nance agreed to put the feast on again in cooler weather. A great time was had by everyone. Money taken in: adult tickets: $510; children $35; 50/50 tickets $22. Expenses were $208.14. Net profit for the club: $358.86!
WINE AND CHEESE TASTING & SHOWTIME - Marty Kidwell and Becky Smith reported that the goal was to have 50 in attendance and for everyone to have a lot of fun. Both goals were happily achieved! Marty called Amber and Ronnie Herl to the front so they could deliver their line which was omitted on Saturday night. DUH. Marty reported that Nancy Hall got her flashlight to work and used it even though the skit was over. She also sprayed until she wet everyone and the spray bottle was nearly empty. Marty said she learned that Margaret is the fastest clothes changer in the world. Marty and Becky thanked all the members who supplied the food. Becky reported that after wine expenses of $247.31, the profit to the Club was $1036! Please call Marty or Becky to order a VHS tape or DVD of Showtime for $7.00.
CASINO NIGHT - AUG 23, 2008 - Arlene Adams will give more information at the August meeting. If you would like to volunteer to help or have auction items to donate, contact Arlene and/or Barbara Dodd. Tickets will be $10 and remember; no one under 21 will be admitted. Please invite your friends, neighbors and relatives to join us.
Amber Herl has a couple of ideas for new activities and will report on them in the early autumn. One event would be story time around a campfire. Start thinking of stories you could tell about past occurrences that new members do not know. Amber thought people could pay to hear a story and other people might want to pay to keep the story from being told! The second activity would be a spin off of Daytona Beach Boat Club’s traveling manatee statue. More info to follow in the fall.
CRUISES - John Valich, Cruise Master
SARASOTA HOTEL AND MARINA - JUNE 21-22, 2008 - Mike Hall reported that 7 boats and 24 people attended this cruise. On boats:
Double Nickels - Mike and Nancy Hall
Big Bob Eagle - Bill and Margaret Barrett
Mental Floss - John, Cindy, Ben and Samantha Valich
Awe$ome Duck - Dave and Becky Smith
Bob’s Garage - Bob and Susan Beckner and guests Chad and Melissa
Sweet Sue - Gale and Susanne Guyer
Options - Phil, Sandy, Ronnie and Amber Herl
By car:
David, Susan and Emily Hutchinson and guest, Carol Rogers
The story about Guyers not being at TA truck stop on I-4 when the group departed could be told at Story Time in the fall and would include their entire adventure getting to Sarasota. We launched at Gulfport. Mike told about the Coast Guard stopping us in Tampa Bay to keep us away from a freighter. Nancy impressed the Coast Guard by wearing her life jacket on board. The weather was pretty nasty after we stopped at Moore’s Stone Crab Restaurant on Long Boat Key so we lingered at the restaurant to wait out the weather. We had more rain in Sarasota Bay, but we arrived at our destination safely and got tied up about 3 pm. We ate dinner at Anna Maria Oyster Bar and had a great time. On Sunday, we left about 8:45 am trying to stay ahead of the weather and we did. We got back to Gulfport a little after 11 am. On the way home, we stopped to eat (again) at Cracker Barrel and while getting parked, Mike Hall clipped the bumper of a Mazda with the left side fender of his boat trailer. Mike put a new fender on the trailer, scrapped the old fender and donated the $10.30 he got for it at the recycling center. Other than the above incidents, it was a wonderful cruise.
TWIN DOLPHIN – JULY 3-6, 2008 – Mike Hall reported that Halls, Littrells and Guyers would leave the TA truck stop on I-4 at 11:00 am Thursday, July 3 and launch at Gulfport. Valichs and Kears will travel to Gulfport after work on Thursday. Smiths and Emrys will depart on Friday morning, July 4. After everyone arrives at Twin Dolphin on Friday, the marina has invited everyone to a party by the pool. Bring a covered dish at 6 pm. Fireworks will happen at 9 pm. On Saturday night, July 5, the plan is to eat at the marina restaurant. The group intends to depart early Sunday morning for the trip back to Gulfport. John Valich and Dick Littrell will bring their Power Squadron supplies and inspect boats at the marina on Saturday. If you need a new inspection complete with sticker, see John and/or Dick.
IMPROMPTU CRUISE – JULY 26, 2008 - John Valich reported that he would like to lead this cruise from Williams Park in the Alafia River across the tip of Tampa Bay to the Convention Center in the Hillsborough River at sunset. The group will eat at the restaurant at Channelside. John will send more information later in the month.
SILVER SPRINGS CRUISE – AUGUST 2-3, 2008 – Jim Walker will get information out to members around the middle of July.
HONTOON ISLAND CRUISE – AUGUST 16 AND/OR 17, 2008 – John Valich reported that this will be a two day cruise. You can go both days and stay at the park or motel across the river or you can go for just Saturday or just Sunday. More information to be given at the August meeting.
John reported that he went to the Town Hall meeting on Tuesday. Adam Putnam was there. Discussion followed on the necessity for any boat on the waterways to obtain a permit from the EPA to cover deck runoff. After the meeting, Amber Herl e-mailed everyone to give them the following link. Use this link to let Congress know that recreational boaters are in support of the Clean Boating Act. If the Clean Boating Act is passed it will exempt recreational boaters from the EPA’s permit requirements.
The link is:http://www.boatblue.org/takeaction.aspx
John also gave an update on the delta project. Mike Britt says the city is investigating ways in which to get rid of the delta. One way is to dredge the entire lake which requires permits from Swiftmud. If anyone has any ideas regarding this subject, contact John.
RENTALS – Dick Littrell, Chairman
There is a reservation on July 19 and a rental on August 2.
WAYS AND MEANS – Margaret Barrett, Chairperson
Ways and Means Committee is on vacation until fall.
GROUNDS – David Hutchinson, Chairman
David reported that he has trimmed the bushes.
HOUSEKEEPING – Pat Wells, Chairperson
Pat reported that the next workday would be Saturday, August 9, 2008. Please note that the starting time will be 9:00 am. Discussion followed on a few items which need to be addressed including the flowerpots in the side yard. Don Cook donated the pots to the Club, but they are blowing around and have to be picked up before the yard can be mowed. Please pick up the pots and take them home if you can use them.
RECYCLING – Frank Ingraham, Chairman
No report.
SUNSHINE – Susanne Guyer, Chairperson
Susanne reported that Arlene Morris came home from the hospital on Thursday. The Club sent flowers to her house. Thank you to Jim Walker and Barrett’s for donating to the flower fund. Margaret gave an update on Arlene’s condition and the need for three rounds of chemotherapy to begin in two weeks with three weeks between each 6 hour session. Margaret suggested that we might want to send another basket later on in the summer to cheer Arlene up.
TELEPHONE – Margaret Barrett, Chairperson
Margaret reported that she will have the cell phone with her while traveling for the next few months and will be in contact with her committee members. If members need to be contacted by the telephone committee, please call Margaret at 206-7451 and she will activate the committee members who are: Nancy Hall, Susan Hutchinson and Frank Ingraham.
MEMBERSHIP– Amber Herl, Chairperson
Ronnie and Amber will try to keep up with the membership list and changes while she is going to school this fall. If anyone can help, please contact Commodore Smith.
WEBSITE – John Valich, Chairman
Send information to John. If you have any new ideas, you would like to see on the website, contact John. John will write the Nautical News in Margaret’s absence and post it on the website. Bob Beckner is advertising the Club on Craig’s List and a few other local sites. Any assistance with these projects will be welcome.
YEARBOOK– Nancy Hall, Chairperson
Nancy needs pictures for the yearbook. Please share the pictures you take at events and cruises.
New Business
Nancy Hall asked with the dead parts of the big tree could be removed before some of it falls on the clubhouse. Discussion followed. Commodore Smith said that the Board would discuss the problem at the next Board Meeting, July 30. Sandy Herl will bring the name and number of a good tree trimmer to the meeting.
Mike Hall explained Roar and Soar at Fantasy of Flight in Polk City to be held November 8 and 9, 2008. Discussion followed on taking the concession trailer out there for the event. Mike said that the organizers are saving a lakeside spot for us. He explained some of the particulars and then asked what the members thought. There was general agreement to have the concession stand. More information and a volunteer sign up sheet will follow.
The meeting was adjourned and the 50/50 drawing was held. Bob Beckner won $19.00