Our 75th A N N RY I VERSA 1934-2009 March 2009 From The Bridge Volume 75 Number 3 CONTENTS As I write this article, snow is going well. Our retention rate seems From The Bridge ..........................2 falling in the greater Cleveland area to have stabilized. I am very aware Great Lakes News and Views.........4 and the temperature is just above of the economic crunch across North Port Captains Logbook .................6 zero. This has been quite a winter America and want to thank each of 2009 Harbor Report Updates........7 and I’m sure we are all looking you for renewing your membership. Cruising the 1000 Islands..............8 forward to those long days of Your support of the Club during Going Mobile ...............................9 summer. In a few days, Paula and I these difficult economic times is Wilderness Rally .........................10 will visit Bullfrog to commence our much appreciated. Toronto Boat Show ....................11 spring maintenance program. The Toronto Boat Show was a Cleveland & Chicago Boat Shows 12 Fortunately, “she” (the boat that is) huge recruitment success. Vice Lake Superior MidWinter Meeting14 My Lighthouse............................16 is in heated storage where the Commodore J.E. Fordyce, Director Member to Member ....................17 temperature will feel like a warm Mel Wallbank, and the many GLCC Welcome Aboard ........................18 spring day. volunteers set the standard for Letter From The Editor ...............19 I am pleased to officially note that signing up new members – nearly Where In The World Are We?......20 at our December Board meeting in thirty. Thank you for your fine efforts. Coming Events ...........................20 Port Huron, Roland Aubé was Although northern Ohio is very confirmed as our new Canadian economically depressed, several Official Publication of the Judge Advocate. Members may new members were added to our Great Lakes Cruising Club recall that this new position on the fleet registry. A special thank you to Post Office Box 611003 Port Huron, MI 48061-1003 Board was approved at the Annual Port Captain Hart and Sherri Phone: 810.984.4500 Meeting in Chicago but no Harding, Rear Commodore Dave Fax: 810.984.4565 Email: [email protected] appointment was made at that time. and Bobbe Miller, and the numerous Home Page: http://www.glcclub.com Roland and his wife Leslie are from volunteers who also made the Elliot Lake, Ontario, and for many Cleveland Boat Show a successful Publisher Great Lakes Cruising Club years have kept their boat Caprice event. Editor at the marina in Spanish. Well Paula and I were in Florida David G. Allen known to many GLCC cruisers, through the 15th of January. Two Office Roland chaired the 2003 days later we were on our way to the Yvonne E. Murray Rendezvous in Spanish and the Lake Superior Regional Meeting in Correspondents 2006 Rendezvous in Sarnia. Last St. Paul, Minnesota. This is always a All GLCC Members year his collaboration with Gib and highlight of the winter calendar for IMPORTANT NOTICE Debby Turner in Little Current GLCC members. Director Niels The membership application included with assured another successful event. Jensen, Rear Commodore Duane this issue of Lifeline – as in every issue – As a practising lawyer in Ontario, Flynn, and other members put is for your use in signing up a new member. Roland will serve as an advisor to together a very nice weekend at the It DOES NOT mean that your membership has expired. It is just a reminder that GLCC the GLCC Board on legal matters as historic Fort Snelling Officers Club. is always interested in new members, and they pertain to our Canadian The program was an outstanding you are the source. Sign up a new operations. presentation entitled “The Voyage of member today! In Port Huron the Board was able the Viking Ship Hjemkomst from Editorial Closing Dates Editorial copy and change of address should to conduct its business in the new Duluth to Oslo.” Paul Hesse was the be submitted no later than the 1st of the GLCC offices. The well-equiped navigator for the crew, who in the month preceding issue date, to the meeting rooms, on-site parking, and summer of 1982, sailed the famous GLCC Office. the proximity to the office and all the replica Viking ship Hjemkomst from LIFELINE (ISSN: 0745-9718), is published in files made for a very functional Duluth, MN, to Oslo, Norway. It was December, March, June, and September by the Great Lakes Cruising Club, P.O. Box 611003, Board meeting. The heavy snow a trip of 6,100 miles and many Port Huron, MI 48061-1003. The subscription falling seemed to be the only adventures. A storm 500 miles east rate is $34 annually, available only to Club negative. of New York created a 14-foot crack members. Copyrighted by The Great Lakes The dues renewal process is in the hull that almost caused the Cruising Club. Periodicals postage paid at Port Huron, MI and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send change of address notice to LIFELINE, Great Lakes Cruising Club, P.O. Box 611003, Port Huron, Michigan ON OUR COVER 48061-1003 Sugarloaf Harbour Marina in the City of Port Colborne, Ontario. © 2009 GREAT LAKES CRUISING CLUB Photo by Theis Bognar 2 ship and crew to return to America. For detailed information about the ship’s crew, construction, and voyage, please see www.hjemkomst- center.com/ship/main/.htm. It is a very interesting read for both sailors and land lubbers alike. We are in the process of making the final arrangements for the 2009 Rendezvous. The Rendezvous will be held at Sugarloaf Marina, Port Colborne, Ontario, from 11–15 July, 2009. Port Colborne is at the Lake Erie end of the Welland Canal. The marina has great facilities and the surrounding area has lots of attractions as well. This is the heart of the award-winning Ontario wine country and only minutes from Niagara Falls. We are looking Canadian Judge Advocate Roland Aubé with Algoma and Manitoulin forward to an excellent Rendezvous M.P.P. Michael Brown. and an opportunity to celebrate GLCC’s 75th Anniversary. Michèle Fordyce is chairing this year’s event and would be happy to hear from any of you if you would like to help out at the event. We look forward to seeing many of you at this Rendezvous. More details can be found elsewhere in Lifeline and a special insert will provide you with registration details. We are hopeful that some 80 boats, cars and rv’s will gather for this event. I know Michèle has some new ideas that she wants to incorporate into Rendezvous ‘09. On Friday evening, 1 May, 2009, Rear Commodore Ted Smith will host the 35th Regional Meeting at the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club. The featured speaker will be Ronald G. Smith, US Chief, Customs and Border Protection. He will discuss Sugarloaf Marina in Port Colborne will be the scene of the 2009 Rendezvous. “Reporting Requirements for Private Boat Operators in the Great Lakes Region.” Recently there have been a number of changes relating to Port Huron, Michigan, home of the Captain Brad and Pat Somers are crossing back and forth from GLCC’s new headquarters. This planning a terrific weekend. Please Canada and the United States by past summer, Earth Voyager mark this event on your calendar boat. Last summer a number of traveled extensively throughout the and plan to join in on the fun. It has members experienced the Great Lakes on a tour entitled, been several years since we were in procedural changes and were “Healthy Lakes, Healthy Lives.” This Windsor for this meeting and I am surprised with the amount of vessel traveled over 3,800 miles hopeful that the activities planned in information now available to the bringing the message of the and around our annual meeting will Border staff in both countries. importance of Healthy Lakes to interest a growing number of club Following Grosse Pointe, the ensure the healthy lives of the members to participate. annual 2009 Southwestern Ontario people, animals, and marine life Paula and I look forward to seeing Regional Meeting will be held on within this region. many of you this year. Please stop Saturday, 2 May, 2009, at the Recently, I completed the by the Bullfrog and say hello. Holiday Inn, Sarnia, Ontario. negotiations and executed the The speaker will be Wayne Jurs, Agreement for our 2009 Annual Captain of the Earth Voyager, the Meeting to be held 23–25 October, fastest sailing vessel on the Great 2009 in Windsor, Ontaro. Director Lakes. This vessel’s home port is Gary and Sharon Henrich and Port Jim Richlak “Bullfrog” Commodore 3 night it was blowing 40-47 knots all night long with gusts to 55 knots on occasion. In the gusts, the autopilot Great Lakes was struggling to keep the boat tracking and would round up into the News and Views wind. This morning the seas were huge, maybe 25 feet and confused but nothing we couldn’t handle normally. I was exhausted and complete repairs without outside laying in my bunk and crash, the Great Lakes assistance, Derek was forced to boat went over and I ended up on Water Levels retire from the race and headed for the ceiling with all kinds of articles Hobart in Tasmania where repairs whizzing past me. The boat came An excellent web site for the are currently being completed. upright immediately and the current status of water levels for His description of the race ending carnage inside was immediate. each of the Great Lakes is available event is quite dramatic and follows I rushed on deck and my heart as an automatic email.