Fall 2011.indd - Annapolis Yacht Club

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Cruising the Chesapeake Camaraderie: Alive and Well at AYC Bob Baker A group of cruisers enjoy cocktails at the Tides Inn. Photos courtesy of Lynn Hendershot, Hank Spector, & Bill Parlatore. CAMARADERIE: ca•ma•ra•der•ie, n. Goodwill, mutual trust, lighthearted rapport, and friendship among people who share an experience. Also, comradery. Regardless of how you spell it – camaraderie or comradery – is an important attribute and the degree to which it is evident is a valuable indicator of a great yacht club. It is a word often used to describe the friendships, interaction, and light hearted fun among our members. It is considered by most to be an outcome to the team building developed by our highly competitive racers. But, it is not limited to racers - we are fortunate to have a continually expanding list of opportunities for our members to develop camaraderie through competitive and non-competitive activities. Within the cruising fleet, camaraderie is evident at Club events and off-the-water cruising fleet activities, but never more than at the large number of on-thewater cruises and rendezvous orchestrated by the cruise committee and accomplished by experienced cruise leaders. Past Commodore Jeff Scholz says, “While I was Commodore, Cyndee and I supported as many activities of the Club that we had time for. I was a racer first and a cruiser when we had our lobster boat. We both fondly recall the cruises to The Tides Inn, the Baltimore Inner Harbor, the Newcomers’ Cruise, and the year-end dinner at the Club – memories of finely organized events where it was obvious everyone enjoyed each other’s company with good natured fun and camaraderie.” One of the best cruises with a wide range of activities is the annual Labor Day Week cruise to a major Chesapeake Resort – usually The Tides Inn or Bay Creek. These destinations in the southern Bay lend themselves to a voyage with nights on the hook in lovely anchorages and sitting in the cockpit sharing experiences. Either destination may test rusty seamanship skills and make for lively, tall stories of survival and informal match racing between sailors. Alan Herdershot says, “The trips are always interesting, if not frightening! I remember leaving the good old Potomac in high winds and seas, hearing others slogging along and finding out, after the fact, that some folks actually were tossed about so much that they commissioned a crew member to sit in front of the refrigerator to keep it closed and the “stuff ” inside!” Peter Thornton adds, “The 2009 Southern Bay Cruise ended with the Tides Inn Cruise. We turned into Carters Creek and pulled into our slip in the pouring rain after a strenuous fight up the Bay in very stormy weather. Unlike most marinas, the Tides provides towels in its dockside bathrooms - unlimited, big, fluffy towels. You can imagine our delight.” 8 AYC BEACON VOLUME 3, NO. 2
The Tides Inn and Bay Creek resorts have landside accommodations for those who arrive via land yacht; group dining and pool/bar side hijinks; antiquing and fine dining; and other sports - golf, kayaking, croquet, bocce, biking, and hiking. In the words of Jack Hildner, co-leader of the first cruise to The Tides Inn, “We always considered the annual trip to The Tides Inn to be the premier cruise for the year. Golf on the par three ninehole course was always lots of fun because we purposely organized teams with experienced players with those who were new to the game, played best ball, and encouraged coaching. Partying at the pool was great for camaraderie as was the introduction of croquet which is now a standard activity. Good friends, good times, and good memories make trips to The Tides Inn very special.” Fran Spector adds that “After our first annual kayaking event, Pat Henry was awarded the prize for the 'Most Miles Traveled' because she couldn't get her boat under control and kept wandering farther away from the group. She must have paddled twice as far as the rest of us.” All events on these cruises are open to all and the events are tailored to a wide range of skill levels. Events recently added are croquet and bocce. These competitions are fierce and the awards are highly sought after and coveted for years. In the words of Frank Wagner, “You never know what might happen. There is a formal croquet field at the Tides. After discovering that proper equipment was available, Karen Kimberly organized a great match which has continued over the years at many different locations. Some of the teams of two consisted of experienced golfers who thought they had an edge in croquet, but this turned out not to be the case. In our first match, Karen led her team to a victory so lopsided that all the rest of us just looked on in envy.” Expansion of the Cruising Fleet has resulted in more and diverse cruises. Added this year was the K-9 Cruise – a local rendezvous where the unusual admission fee was to be in the company of a canine. It was well attended and a great success for all best friends and their captains. The competition was spirited and showed that some elements of camaraderie are evident in the spirited behavior of these nautical canines. In the words of coleader Pat Brooks and Scuffy, “We have talked about this type of event for years; it is a great addition to the events held by the cruising fleet. Woof, woof!” So, is camaraderie alive and well? You bet it is and it is cruising under the AYC burgee. Kayaking on Carters Creek. Cruisers enjoy a friendly game of golf at the Tides Inn. Our four-legged friends loved the first annual Canine Cruise. VOLUME 3, NO. 2 AYC BEACON 9
Page 1 and 2: THE ANNAPOLIS YACHT CLUB BEACON VOL
Page 3 and 4: Contents RACING CRUISING JUNIORS 11
Page 5 and 6: Celebrating Annapolis Yacht Club |
Page 7: Introducing our Newest One Design F
Page 11 and 12: Tenacious racing in the AYC Fall Se
Page 13 and 14: Expanding Horizons Cruising the Bri
Page 15 and 16: Connection to the Community The Ann
Page 17 and 18: The much coveted America's Cup has
Page 19 and 20: Connection to the Yachting World Th
Page 21 and 22: “This committee is really about m
Page 23 and 24: eventually becoming a force at the
Page 25 and 26: Membership Development Understandin
Page 27 and 28: I was asked to be on the Board so I

Fall 2011.indd - Annapolis Yacht Club

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