|
Cruising Update
Well, it was probably in the cards – this still being 2020 – that our final cruise of the season would once again be affected by the weather. Gale conditions forced us to give up our slips at Beaufort on Friday of the Halloween Cruise so those in port could stay another day. Conditions improved on Saturday, but most members had decided to cancel their plans.
Despite the unsettled weather, six NSA boats sailed to Beaufort anyway, while a number of members came by car. The result was a well-attended and festive Halloween costume social on the docks hosted by our cruise captains, Pat Thomaier and John Messer. I’d like to thank Pat and John for going down on Wednesday and negotiating with the dockmaster about slip availability. They were also able to show off their new-to-them Beneteau 411, Wild Goose.
While 2020 has been challenging with most cruises affected in some way by weather or Covid-19, I think on balance it was a good year. We managed to make it to most of our favorite ports and anchorages, even if the events were shortened. And we practiced safety while still enjoying socializing. In other words, we adapted – as good crews do – and made the best of it. And as they say in baseball, there’s always next year! I’d like to thank our all our volunteer cruise captains for 2020, even though in a few cases their cruise was canceled or altered: Wade Ellison and Amy Clifton, Tracy Vail and Robert Pugh, Jeff Kenyon and Pat Sordill, Chuck Gordon and Sharon Stephenson, Scott Westwood and Sandra Emerson, and John Messer and Pat Thomaier. Well done. Thanks for your service.
Halloween Cruise
Cruise
Captains:
|Pat
Thomaier and John Messer
S/V
Wild Goose
Whether to sail or not to
sail, that was the question for the Halloween Cruise. Nineteen boats
registered, only eight chose to ‘take arms against a sea of troubles’
while others ‘their currents turned awry.’ Still, the seas calmed and the
sun shone. One way or another, thirty sailors reached the Beaufort docks
by Saturday at 4, for our last cruise social of the season. Witches, a wizard,
pirates, a cat and a dog—costumed or not, NSAers enjoyed the day at one of our
favorite destinations. Sunday morning provided those few who
sailed with mostly fair weather for the return trip, with just a little
excitement (30 kts- yikes!) crossing the Neuse.
|
