February 2010 Commander's Notes In This Issue Happy New Year everyone, • Commander's Notes t is hard to believe 2010 is upon us. Ten years ago we weren’t sure if our computers would • Book Review skip into the millennium. Here we are a decade later more reliant than ever on technology Iespecially in the boating world, with lots of exciting changes and innovations. To discover all the latest gadgets check out the upcoming Atlantic boat shows in Halifax (Feb. 18 – 21) • Buy and Sell and Moncton (March 26 – 28).

Mark your Calendar for: Before you know it, spring will arrive. The ice will break up on the Saint John River, the ducks and geese will return from down South, and winter weary boaters will begin to nose through • The Loop boating magazines in earnest, feeding their desire to get back out on the water. To hold you over A Sailing Adventure until then, we are fortunate to have the Amelia’s coming over from PEI for a mid-winter boating fix. On Feb. 20th, Joe and Mary Beth will be giving a presentation on “The Loop;” a trip which took them on the St Lawrence, the Great Lakes, to Mississippi, the Gulf of Mexico, the ICW, and up the Atlantic coast. It is guaranteed to be an adventurous tale. Why not plan on attending with friends and family (I gave my wife and kids tickets for Christmas). It is a great way to spend an evening with those you cherish, and at the same time, raise funds for the Fredericton Youth Sailing School.

Being a northern boater, you have no choice but to embrace winter (okay, you have a choice but if you’re here you might as well stop grumbling and find something fun to do outside). How about joining us for an old-fashioned sleigh ride at Oakland’s Farm in New Maryland on February 25th at 6:30, come a bit early. If you haven’t had the pleasure of riding through the woods with Scott and his team of horses, you won’t want to miss this event. If you have had the pleasure, then you already know how much fun we’re going to have. • Sleigh Ride February 25, 2010 Registration for boating courses is low. If there is a course you want to take, please register now. If there are courses that you would like to see offered, please let us know. Remember everyone Bring the Kids! must have their PCO card now. Do your part by supporting our mission. Tell everyone you know that the CPS is here and ready to offer boating education and safety to all who are interested. Check the web site for updates.

Hope to see you all at the presentation and sleigh ride!

Noah was a brave man to sail in a wooden boat with two termites.”

Shawn Bilerman Commander

•fredericton Power and Sail Squadron• The Bridge 2009/10 BOOK REVIEW by John van Abbema Commander Shawn Billerman 454-4409 RACE TO THE POLAR SEA [email protected] The Heroic Adventures of Elisha Kent Kane Past Commander Ginette Ouellette by Ken McGoogan 459-2898 ISBN: 978-1-58243-532-9 [email protected] Executive Officer Kirstian Moore n the mid 1800s the world's scientific community believed there 451-6432 was an open sea at the North Pole. They also believed that Sir [email protected] IJohn Franklin, who had not yet returned from his voyage to find Treasurer Alan Scott the Northwest Passage, was still alive. The race was on between 454-5345 England and America to rescue Franklin and to find the Polar Sea. [email protected] This is the story of Elisha Kane, the young American adventurer Secretary Chris Bubar who nearly succeeded in winning the race. 363-3983 [email protected] Sir John Franklin had left England on his epic voyage in 1845. He and his crew spent three icebound Training Officer John Henderson winters in Canada's Arctic. Determined to make it on their own, they shunned help from the native 457-2746 Eskimo and they all perished, unknown to the outside world, by 1848. Elisha Kane participated in [email protected] two search expeditions; the first in 1850-51 as senior medical officer; and the second, in 1853-55 as Membership Officer Peter Carlisle captain. He was only 33 and had already had a lifetime of arduous adventure. 472-2803 [email protected] His second voyage is really the heart of this book, describing his crew's remarkable icebound PR Officer Michelle Horncastle survival over two winters and the astounding 83 day race to rescue, by sledge and small open michelle.horncastle@ boats, over 1300 miles of Arctic ice and sea. He and his men were malnourished and frost bitten. fredericton.ca Some had had their extremities amputated and some had mutinied, but were taken back into the 452-1148 fold. In spite of his own chronic illnesses, Kane was able to guide them to safety and a jubilant Social Officer Danielle Grasse homecoming. Kane’s successful outcome is attributed to his recognition and acceptance of the 457-2813 Eskimo way of life. His ability to develop alliances with the native people and to learn and adapt to [email protected] their ways is still talked about in Greenland today. Asst. Social Officer Bonnie Mockler 474-2484 Ken McGoogan is an internationally acclaimed Canadian author. He has published four biographies [email protected] on Arctic explorers and currently teaches writing at the University of Toronto. A meticulous Publications Officer Janice Haig, researcher, he is a stickler for correctness, and some readers may feel overwhelmed by all the 453-0153 details presented in his books. However, the detail is necessary for one to grasp the full context of [email protected] these historic voyages. WEB Master Adam Baker Thanks to Don Young for recommending this book for review 260-0966 [email protected] F O R S A L E Boat Pro Officer Doug Korth 357-2011 1980 28’Carver Mariner 1986 22 [email protected] with Flybridge Efficient sailer, inboard diesel, comfortable Asst. Boat Pro Officer Ed Korth cruising accommodation for two with 357-7869 standing headroom, separate enclosed . [email protected] Price: $27,900. Nauti-Pro Officer Ginette Ouellette Paul Blanchet 459-3915 [email protected] [email protected] MAREP Dave Gamblin Parts for Sale 459-7709 165 Hours on rebuilt twin engines 2004 I have for sale SL Horizon 1500 12V m a r i n e r s @ r o g e r s . c o m Bridge seats 6 to 8 and boat sleeps 7 to 9 windlass, 400 ft 3/8 in BBB chain, 45 lb Environmental Officer Dino Kubik comfortably. plough anchor (not CQR) 457-0341 PRICE REDUCED for a quick sale. New cost over $3000.00. Offers ??? [email protected] First $25,000 will take it. District Commander David Nickerson Contact Larry at 451.5566 457-8257 (cell) For more information and photos please call or email [email protected] 506-459-5762 or email: [email protected] [email protected]

•fredericton Power and Sail Squadron• A Presentation Sponsored by Fredericton Power and Sail Squadron & The Fredericton Yacht Club “The Loop” – A Sailing Adventure Presented by Joe and Mary Beth Amelia

ll his life, Joe Amelia dreamed of top of Lake Ontario, then Georgian Bay, the an anxious time for us,” she says. going on a swashbuckling sailing North Channel and to Lake Michigan and Aadventure. So in 2008, he decided Chicago. Another time, while traversing the Great to make it a reality. The Crapaud resident From there, they took the inland rivers to Lakes, they hit rocks and had to pull up on quit his job as a truck driver and invited his Mobile, Ala., where they sailed the Gulf Drummond Island. “The , the and wife, who had just retired from the bank, to of Mexico to St. Petersburg, Fla., before the tiller needed to be replaced. So we spent join him heading to Marathon and The Keys. two weeks getting an insurance estimate and on an extensive cruise. “I shared the dream Originally the couple had also planned to two weeks getting the repair work done,” with Joe, but my feeling was let’s get sail to the Bahamas. “But the weather said Mary Beth. But rather than fret about started and be on our way,” laughs Mary was not nice enough so we sailed to the the delay, they relaxed and settled into their Beth Amelia. Dry Tortugas instead, then back across the new locale. Experiences like this one helped Gulf of Mexico, crossing Florida through them develop patience and confidence. “We Although the decision was a spontaneous Lake Okeechobee then back to P.E.I. via the learned that we’re capable of so much more one, it was not entered into lightly. “We had Atlantic Ocean, finishing the journey on June than we thought we were,” says Joe. Mary planned the trip for five years and received 17th.” Beth also discovered something else. “That our sailing certifications,” he says. Together, we can live in a small space for a year and they started packing for the trip — stowing As sailors, their jobs were set out for them. both come out alive,” she says. away a mountain of food, clothing, supplies “Joe would do all the navigation and get the and safety equipment in the storage lockers charts ready the night before. My role was Throughout the trip, they relied on America’s aboard the Pot ’O’ Gold, a 30-foot Great Loop Cruisers’ Association Morgan Centreboard sailboat with a “Originally we had planned a trip down the (AGLCA) to provide them with gasoline engine. “Originally we had Panama Canal and up the west coast, but information and assistance vital to their planned a trip down the Panama Canal successful completion of their trip. and up the west coast, but then we ran then we ran across an article on the Internet “At the end of the trip they received across an article on the Internet about about travelling around America’s Great a BaccaLooperate degree from the travelling around America’s Great Loop, Loop, so we changed our course,” association. The degree is given in so we changed our course,” says Joe. recognition of completing a trip around The cruise, which was comprised of the America’s Great Loop comprised of the Atlantic and Gulf Intracoastal Waterways, galley slave,” says Mary Beth with a laugh, Atlantic and Gulf Intercostals waterways, the the Great Lakes, the Canadian Heritage “It was an incredible experience,” says Joe, Great Lakes, the Canadian Heritage Canals Canals and the inland river systems, could who shared the captain’s wheel with Mary and the inland river systems,” says Beth also be done in a year. They also liked the Beth during overnight sails when they’d take McCue of the AGLCA. idea of strength in numbers. turn about doing three-hour shifts. The Amelias also relied on a satellite- “We learned we would be one of 25 couples Although they enjoyed living on board, tracking device to visually track their voyage doing the same journey at the same time,” swimming and catching fish off the boat to on the Internet and send the information says Joe, adding the group had a celebration cook for supper in their galley kitchen, there back to family and friends. In addition, the when they arrived in Marathon, Fla. were some not-so-bright days. “We had couple kept in touch through email and by With their plans in place, the couple said taken the sails down for the trip through writing weekly updates in their blog. Now goodbye to their families and set sail from the Rideau Canal and were relying on the back at work, Joe says the journey is still Charlottetown on the morning of June 2, motor. But soon our boat started overheating with him. “When we pick up a magazine and 2008. “It was so exciting. It was something because there was so much reed read an article a memory comes back of the that I had dreamed about my whole life undergrowth. We just had a screen on our wonderous event that we will remember — getting on a sailboat and taking off to raw water intake and the valve would plug always.” places unknown. And now it was coming and the vent would overheat. So Joe would true,” says Joe. have to shut the boat down and then I’d from The Guardian, Charlottetown steer but there was no control over the boat. The 54-week voyage, took them from P.E.I. “We started going the way the current was around the Gaspé, up the St. Lawrence taking us. Whenever we saw a boat coming River to Montreal, then the Ottawa River, he would turn the boat on for a few seconds the Rideau Canal, Trent-Severen, across the so we could get away (from them). That was

•fredericton Power and Sail Squadron• oe & Mary Beth were both born and raised in Chatham, Ont. They moved to PEI in 1987 to raise their 3 young Jchildren there, where Mary Beth’s family is from. They have now been married 35 years, all three children are grown, and they have 2 grandchildren.

Mary Beth’s career was in the banking business, retiring as a personal banking officer from the Bank of Nova Scotia where she worked in the Crapaud branch where they lived for the last 23 years. She retired early to do the boat trip they had been planning for several years.

Joe’s career life was not as stable. He owned and oper- ated a catering truck service for 12 years after moving to PEI, then moved to supervision with Cavendish Farms and Diagnostic Chemicals on the island. After a large project closed, Joe achieved his “big truck” license, and started running long haul across North America.

After the year long boat trip, Joe is back trucking long haul, and Mary Beth travels with him full time.

Joe has had 2 articles printed in “the Porthole” section of Canadian Yachting Magazine, with two more coming.

•fredericton Power and Sail Squadron• The Fredericton Power and Sail Squadron in partnership with the Fredericton Yacht Club are pleased to present: “The Loop” -A Sailing Adventure with Joe and Mary Beth Amelia

Date: Saturday, February 20, 2010 Location: St. Francis of Assisi Church (2130 Route 201, Lincoln, NB)

Time: 5:30 pm (Cash Bar), 6:00 pm (Meal), 7:00pm (Presentation) Cost: $25.00 per person (includes presentation and a full Turkey Supper) $10.00 per person (presentation only) Tickets now available at Joy for Framing, 368 Queen Street, or by calling 460-2230. This is a fundraising event to benefit the Fredericton Youth Sailing School.

Think about jingle bells and dashing through the snow....

Come and join your fellow members of the Fredericton Power and Sail Squadron for An Old-fashioned Sleigh Ride. Bring your kids! Hot chocolate and doughnuts after to warm us up!

Date: Thursday, February 25, 2010 Time: Sleigh Ride starts at 6:30. Please come a bit early!

Place: Oakland Farm, New Maryland (come straight into New Maryland and it is the first left after Springwater Lane. It has a big, blue sign at the end of the driveway.) Cost: $6 for each adult and $4 for each child 12 and under

•fredericton Power and Sail Squadron•