1. The first Annual Club Cruise Planning Meeting -- I'm the Fleet Captain (Job description: organizer of Club cruises). I have this job literally only because no one else wants it and only until someone does. For 2017, Lene and I can't even go on the Club Cruise because we will be cruising ILENE up in Canada, but I'm pleased to try to keep the spirit of cruising alive in the Harlem. Cruising with the Club has been in decline the last few years. Maybe it's because of me, but I don't think so. I think that fuel prices have deterred the power boaters, that membership has been in decline due to the economy, that many of the twelve to fifteen boats that used to cruise together in the late 80's have been sold due to retirement, illness or death, and that the remainder of us just don't have the strength and stamina that we used to have.
A lot of good ideas came out during the meeting. Let's not even try to have a sixteen day cruise, our historical norm, or even a nine day one. Let's instead plan a five day cruise, including a non-holiday weekend, with relatively short and easy mileage each day, at least one lay day, and at least one each of a dock, a mooring and an anchorage. I will call all of the newer members with boats large enough to cruise, let's say 25 feet, and personally invite them to participate and try to answer their fears. This could give them the confidence to try, with the hope that they will enjoy the experience. First step: P.C, Bruce will create the first draft of the five day itinerary. I am more optimistic than I was before the meeting.
2. Immediately following was the membership meeting with reports from all the officers on the good work they are doing, not just keeping our old house upright but improving it, and without a dues increase. We owe so much to the tireless expert efforts of our Board Members and Officers.
3. Next a segue to our St. Paddy's Day Irish dinner party. Lots of excellent food, family style at each table and a guest appearance by this elegant guy.
Sunday, the 19th was Corinthians' Day. This is a Club without a clubhouse. We all keep our boats elsewhere and the club runs social programs.
1. A delicious end extensive lox-and-bagels-and-a-lot-more brunch in the elegant apartment of Past Master Bob Ebin in The Beresford on Central Park West at 81st Street. In addition to the food the apartment was full of art and many sailors who always love to talk with each other.
2. Bob's daughter, Lauren, is a professional art historian on the staff of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. That museum took over the old Whitney, on Madison Avenue at 76th St. when the Whitney moved downtown to a newer bigger structure neat the Highline. We walked through Central Park for a tour of the exhibit of Marsden Hartley's Maine work. Though Hartley was not a great painter, in my humble opinion, his work had special interest to those of us who have cruised Maine waters. I realized how much better Lauren was at leading this event as compared to my feeble efforts last moth. Here is Hartley's tipsy view of Portland Light;
This is the Kennebec River:
Camden Hills (from the East side of Pennobscot Bay)
Finally this is by one of Hartley's mentors, Ryder. We saw his "Under a Cloud" at the Fifth Avenue Met last month. See two posts back.
No, all is not fun and games: work continues on restoring ILENE for the 2017 season. But that is relatively boring so I will save it up for a while.
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