Sign up for the Sunfish Sailing Fleet- Learn to Sail.

Learn to sail by joining the new Sunfish Sailing Club in Grand Rivers. This new club will offer a quality sailing program for the youth in Grand Rivers and the surrounding Lakes area. The Sunfish is a popular small sailing dinghy that can be easilly handled by one person.

The program will operate out of the beach area at Green Turtle Bay Resort and will be offered on selected Saturdays. Please sign up today and let everyone you think might be interested know it is time to join the Fleet.

Here is the sign up process: go to the Commonwealth Yacht Club site at http://www.cycgtb.com/ Download the membership application from the home page. Complete the form and mail with the appropriate fee to the CYC Treasurer, Pat Jones, PO Box 654, Cape Girardeau, MO 63702. You can download the fee schedule, but the fees are $25.00 for youth members, $35.00 for adult members and $65.00 for a family membership.That's it! What could be easier.

Sign up today so the club will have your spot for summer. Get on the water and learn to sail.

Light up the Lakes

The Patriotic Lighted Boat Parade in Grand Rivers has to be one of my favorite events of the year. I guess because it combines so many of my favorite things- lights, boats, the lakes, and a tribute to service.

This year’s parade is scheduled for Saturday, May 23 and the club wants your help in lighting the lake from shore to shore. This event is open to all boaters and vessels.

This year, CYC will award trophies and prize money totaling $800 in two categories; Vessels 20 foot and under and Vessel greater than 20 foot. Each category will include first and second place prizes for most wattage, most patriotic, and best display. There will also be a crowd pleaser award. The trophies are sponsored by Lake Realty and prize money is sponsored by Green Turtle Bay Resort. Judging will occur at the Grand Rivers Jetty by Lighthouse Landing.

So decorate your vessels with simple or complex lighting, and patriotic decorations to honor those who have given us our freedoms. Gather your family, friends, organize your pier or office, call your neighbors. Rent a barge; bring your small or large vessels with a few or many lights. Come by land or water and help light the lake from shore to shore.

Register before May 16, 2009 and be early in the lineup. For more information visit the website at cycgtb.com or contact Dave Rittenhouse, Fleet Captain at fleet captain@cycgtb.com or call 618-322-9312.

Not a boater? Join us Saturday, May 23 to view the parade at the Grand Rivers Jetty. The event time is dusk; around 8:45 or 9:00 p.m.

Quilt Man

Congratulations to Larry Krohn of Princeton, IN for taking top honors in the Grand Rivers Spring Festival and Quilt Show. Larry’s quilt won first place. Here are all the winning entries from the event:

Quilt People’s Choice Winners
1- Larry Krohn, Princeton, IN
2- Joyce Puffinbarger, Symsonia, KY
3-Kelly Culp

Wall Hanging People’s Choice Winners
1- Nancy Wilson, Arlington, KY
2- Joyce Puffinbarger, Symsonia, KY
3 - Bethel Downs - Benton, KY

Other weekend happenings included the opening of the Grand Rivers Farmers Market at Moodie Bait Company. The market features fresh seasonal plants from Local Livingston County Farmers.

And the CYC Blessing of the Fleet at Green Turtle Bay Resort. It was a gorgeous day, and the minister was the Rev. Dr. Evans. He used the historical blessings that were used particularly on the Sea of Galilee and he wore a stole that was handmade in Guatemala and used there for similar blessings.

It was another beautiful weekend at the Lakes.

Another Wow Grand Rivers Weekend

It was another wow weekend in Grand Rivers. Friday night we went to the Variety Christmas Spectacular with friends (our second time to see the show- I love it). If you haven’t seen the Christmas show, make your plans now. It is a must see for the holiday season in Grand Rivers.

Saturday night was the Sailboat Lighting contest at Lighthouse Landing Marina and Resort. My husband and I were the judges and with all of the great decorations and bribes, it was a challenge to choose the winners. The celebration included all my favorites; Christmas lights, friends, music, food, bribes, and beverage. My camera did not work in the cold, but you can see pictures and a review of the event on sail boater Leslie Moore’s blog here. If you visit Grand Rivers to see the Festival of Lights, make sure you drive by Lighthouse Landing and see these dazzling decorations.

We finished the evening with a stop at the Commonwealth Yacht Club Christmas Party where we were entertained by Miss Dawn and the Misters.

I love the holidays.

I'm Looking for a Bail Out

So if the big three can ask Congress for billions; surely I can ask my friends for a couple of ideas, right?
As the new recording secretary for the Commonwealth Yacht Club I am responsible for sending out agendas and take minutes. No problem. The officers are also encouraged to write articles for the Green Turtle Bay Resort and Marina publication, The NautiNews. Well, the articles for January are due on the 10th of this month, and I still don’t know what to write about. Most of the club's offices lead naturally into a story. As the leader of the club, the Commodore can write about his plans for the new year. As the cruise organizer, the Fleet Captain can talk about all the activities he has planned for the year. So how do I take the duties of a record keeper and spin it into a fun story on boating and the new year? Throw me a line please.

Boater Friends

About this time of year in Grand Rivers we start seeing many of our boater friends migrate south. Last night we met our friends Jay and Owe at the Commonwealth Yacht Club for their seasonal farewell. Also present were Pat, Jerry, Diane, Marcia, Stu, Diane, Cindy and Frank (did I mention that I am the new recording secretary for CYC).

As another boating season draws to a close, I reflect back to the memories of this season and past seasons that bonded us as friends. Tuesday night dinner clubs at the Green Turtle Bay Pavilion, get-togethers on the pier, parties at the Yacht Club; all are more fun when Jay and Owe are in town. I have never once seen Jay in a bad mood. She has a genuine concern for others and always asks me how my son or mom is doing. Whenever you invite her somewhere the response is, “What can I bring!” She is always ready to help and she has one of the best laughs I have ever heard. What I like most about Owe is his quick wit and one liners. I am privileged to call them friends. To Jay and Owe, thank you for your friendship, travel safe, have a warm winter, and we will see you back in Grand Rivers in the spring.

Weekend in Review

On the weekends, I become a tourist in my own town. This weekend the weather was gorgeous and the events were all about friends and celebration here in Grand Rivers.
Friday night we celebrated Halloween with friends at the Commonwealth Yacht Club Halloween Party. Saturday morning was spent downtown working on Christmas decorations with Chamber volunteers (thank you to Pat, Jack, Martha, Lauren, Clinton, and TJ for all your hard work on Saturday). Saturday night was the 25th Anniversary of the Friends of LBL Dinner. Sunday was our last breakfast of the season at Docker’s Restaurant (they will reopen in the spring), and the maiden voyage of the Frog’s Pajamas (our new old boat). Thank you to our friends Pat, Jerry, Cindy, and Frank. Without you all, I don’t think we would have made it out of the dock.
I think I will let the pictures tell the details as I need to get to work...