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July 9-10, 2005
All Islander Rendezvous
Telegraph Harbor Marina
Thetis Island, BC
Canada

(If you like, you can skip down through the prose and go straight to the pictures below!)



This was one wonderful rendezvous! Bert & Carey Vermeer set a new standard in Islander rendezvous with the First Canadian All Islander Rendezvous at Telegraph Harbor Marina on Thetis Island, July 9-10, 2005. From the beautiful event logo, information pages for each boat, stick-on decal momentos and terrific organization, Bert & Carey made it look easy. We still don't know how they managed to squeeze aboard Natasha all the goodies: the 60 pounds of charcoal, piles of potatoes, bushels of salad makings, all the great signs, and still kept two big, decorated cakes perfect right to the table.

Be sure and click on the logo above to see all its glorious detail. Drawn by Pandora Nash-Kamer, it combines the traditions of the northwest with the Islander logo into a powerful image reflecting the spirit and vitality of both this rendezvous and our extended family of Islander owners.

Getting 17 boats to a rendezvous is quite a feat in itself, but this crowd came from many miles in both directions to get here. From as far south as Point Roberts and Sidney - about 30 miles, clear north to Campbell River - about 50 miles, and across the Strait of Georgia to Gibsons - another 30 miles northeast, there was a lot of water under the keel. The table below provides the vital stastics for the 17 boats that actually made it (if you count Vanishing Animal as a drive-in boat!) If you missed this one, you missed a very special event.


Thetis Island Rendezvous July 9, 2005 Attendance

Boat Type Year Owner Home Port
         
Asia I-29 1970 Shawn Dunand Nanaimo
Avalon 1 I-30 II 1976 David & Arwen Malysheff Sidney
Blue Max I-30 1975 Tage & Barbara Thomsen Stamps Landing
Easygoin' I-34 Ketch 1972 David & Anne Dakin Campbell River
Free Spirit II I-30 II 1974 John & Janet Jensen False Creek
Frendy I-36 1977 Charlie & Jennifer Park Garden Bay
Holole'a I-36 1980 John & Marion Rodall Ladysmith
Lady Frost I-30 Tall 1973 Barry Patchett & Gwen Jewett Ladysmith
Lynnie I-28 1977 Brian Arthurs & Curt Willard Pleasant Harbor
Natasha I-30 Bahama 1978 Bert & Carey Vermeer Sidney
Natasha I-30 Bahama 1978 Dick & Marjorie Cooksley Sidney
New Spirit I-37 PH 1970 Greg & Leslie Mathews Genoa Bay
Passat I-30 Bahama 1982 Jurgen & Karen Hobein Point Roberts, WA
Taku II I-36 1978 Charles & Deborah Stephens Gibsons
Vanishing Animal I-36 1973 Rick & Sandy Van Mell Brisbane, CA
Watersmeet I-36 1972 Ewart & Marsha Nelson Comox
Wild Hare I-30 1973 Bob & Lisa Everson Richmond
Wyndham I-30 Bahama 1981 Derek Dunwoody & Graham Whitehead Oak Bay
         
(Logo Artist)     Pandora Nash-Kamer pandora@fix.net  
         
  Boats that tried, but didn't make it:  
         
Auldra I-41 1974 Steve & Celly Cory Anacortes, WA
Caralina I-28   Jim & Hanne Wilding  
Here's the Deal I-41 Freeport 1977 Alex & Heide Karre Semiahmoo Bay
Instead I-30 II 1976 Charlene & Brad MacBerg Fanny Bay
Contigo I-36   Bill Crysler Sidney



As usual, boats started arriving Friday afternoon and rafted up at the sturdy, well-protected docks of Telegraph Harbor. The grounds included the office, store and little restaurant, large grassy area, shuffleboard court, and great covered pavilion with handy big, brick barbecue pit. A fine place for an Islander gathering.

By Saturday most boats had arrived and the usual Islander camaraderie was in full swing. Bert & Carey greeted each boat and provided them with their information packet and identification sign. Everyone walked the docks and enjoyed tours of each other's boats. The range of Islanders from an I-28 to an I-37 provided lots of new experiences. Who knew that there was an I-34 Ketch! And a great boat it was too. The I-37 featured a double bunk tucked under the saloon floor, with an interior helm station and a nav station forward near the mast. It's head opened with double doors - that also served to divide the boat into fore and aft staterooms.

At least two boats sported reels mounted aft for holding up to 300' of stern anchor/docking line. That's handy when you want to pull your stern over to a nearby rock! With many places throughout the Gulf Islands being sheer rock, this is a handy feature. Another familiar feature was a good cabin heater. Shining stainless and even tile graced the heaters found on almost every boat.

Many boats had used the event logo to decorate things. Shirts were frequent, but Barry Patchett on Lady Frost gets special recognition for making up wine labels and mugs with the logo. He even had a label (or maybe it was someone else's) with a picture of the boat included. Bert & Carey brought their own wine - made with some friends from up to 3 tons of California and Oregon grapes. Good stuff!

In traditional Islander fashion, by 1700 the gang assembled in the pavilion with a delicious assortment of hors d'oeuvres that spread nicely on the end of each table. It was easy to circulate with glass in hand, sample a tasty tidbit, have a conversation and move on to the next table. Always on the lookout for something dropped were Natasha's Trixie, and New Spirit's Siberian Huskey, Lonan. Avalon 1's canine crew of Rafaki & Sable, however, stayed aboard.

Sixty pounds of charcoal made it nice and toasty around the BBQ and did a nice job of roasting the potatoes and piles of meat that everyone brought. It was certainly a feast fit for the finest of cruisers. Bert welcomed all with a gracious word or two, then astounded everyone by producing two sheet cakes fully decorated with the event logo - one whilte and one chocolate. I think there were about two little pieces left after the crowd had snapped dozens of pictures and eaten their fill.

Photographs abounded! Bob Everson rounded up as many pictures as possible onto a laptop, then presented a slide show on Wild Hare's main after it got dark - after 2200! Bob collected about 450 photos and burned them onto a CD for those that wanted them - we've used 184 below.

One of the nicest touches of the afternoon was David Dakin leading us to and from the pavilion with stirring bagpipe refrains. It was a lively tune that put a bounce in your step and a song in your heart. Again cameras clicked away. Somehow we all gathered on the dock ramp for an evening photo to wrap up dinner. Here's a short clip of David: The Piper

Sunday morning Bert & Carey had hot coffee and rolls ready on the dock - much enjoyed by all hands. Then one by one boats headed off to catch the tide south, and for many the tug of work on Monday morning pulled them on their way. It was a glorious weekend, enjoyed by all and sure to be a big hit the next time around. Bert has already reserved Telegraph Harbor for next year - Saturday, July 8, 2006. If you missed this one, don't miss the next one!!

Pictures compliments of Bert Vermeer, Bob Everson, David Dakin, John Rodall and Rick Van Mell.




[Click to enlarge]
Welcome!
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Marina Office
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Host ship Natasha
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Bert, Cary,
& Trixie Vermeer
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Bert Relaxes
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Cary does too.
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Their beautiful stove
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And handy inflatable.
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from Sidney, BC
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Wild Hare
Bob & Lisa Everson
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I-30 Wild Hare mascot
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Marshall is checking out ...
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a cat!
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While skipper Bob ...
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and Lisa relax.
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from Richmond, BC
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I-29 Asia
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from Nanaimo
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I-36 Holole'a
John & Marion Rodall
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starboard side
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from Ladysmith.
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I-28 Lynnie
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from Pleasant Harbor, WA
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Early arrivals
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Sandy Van Mell
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I-30 Tall Rig Lady Frost
Barry Patchett &
Gwen Jewett
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Looking good, while ...
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Gwen relaxes.
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Barry's got goodies!
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Neat label!
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And only Islander banner!
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from Ladysmith
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I-30 Blue Max
Tage & Barbara
Thomsen
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Pretty
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Dressed in style ...
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Tage Thomsen
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from Stamps Landing
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I-30 Free Spirit II
Janet & John Jensen
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Ready for fun.
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From False Creek
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I-34 Easygoin'
David & Anne Dakin
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Look close ...
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Yes, It's a Ketch!!!
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Miizzen holds the table!
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Clever anchor line reel
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Reel in use
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from Campbell River
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I-30 Passat
Jurgen & Karen Hobein
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Nice
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from Point Roberts, WA
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I-36 Fendy
Jennifer & Charlie Park
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Clean
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All dressed
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Ready ring
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Great locker...
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for propane.
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Sharp stove ...
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and tiles.
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New dripless stuffing
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Hidden compressor
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Fixed table
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from Garden Bay, BC
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I-30 Wyndham
Derek Dunwoody &
Graham Whitehead
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Cozy
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from Oak Bay
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Bert gives Rick his tag
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Sandy ties it on.
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Aft flap!
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I-37 New Spirit
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Greg & Leslie Mathews
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Cozy wrap
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Leslie with Lonan
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Inside helm
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Clever double bunk
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Nav station midships
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Another great stove
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from Genoa Bay, BC
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Trixie checkin' things
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I-36 Watersmeet
Ewart & Marsha Nelson
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Snug, and ...
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In top shape!
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from Comox, BC
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I-36 Taku II
Charles & Deborah
Stephens
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Relaxing below
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John stops by
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San Francisco YC!
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For those cold nights
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Stern view
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Farralones flags
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Lazy afternoon
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I-30 Avalon 1
David & Arwen Malysheff
+ Rafaki & Sable-
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from Sidney, BC
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Sequoia YC burgee
from San Francisco
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with mascot ...
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on Ed Copeland &
Janine Hanson's
Lady Faye
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Compare masts!
Watersmeet - black
& Taku
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Anne & David relax
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Another anchor reel
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The best!
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Great fleet
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We can do this!
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We're here!
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Nice selection
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Happy Islanders!
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Time for food
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David pipes us ...
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in for the BBQ
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He's worth a shot!
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Greg, Leslie, Louis & Sandi
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Barry's thirsty ...
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and gets company
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In the pavilion
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Smiles
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Marshall waits for mom
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Where's mine?
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Well dressed bottles
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Bert, Charles,
Deborah & John
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Bob is hungry
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Tage, Jennifer & Charlie
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Deborah, Sandy & Shawn
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Janet, DAvid & Arwen
compare notes
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Dick, Marjorie, Carey & Greg
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Greg, Leslie & Lonan
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Charlie, Barbara, Tage,
Shawn & Jennifer
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Curt, Brian,
Ewart & Marsha
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John Rodall & John Jensen
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Rick & Sandy
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Sandy makes a point
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Janet is happy
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Lots of ...
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great plates of
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hors d'oeuvres
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to taste,
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sample and
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enjoy.
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Barry's logo.
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Great grill ...
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and fun too.
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Speech time ...
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Everyone gathers ...
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waiting for ...
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Bert's welcome & tribute ...
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and CAKE!
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White & Chocolate
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Lots of pics
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from ...
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all angles.
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Any for us?
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Bert & Carey cut ...
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Slice ...
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and serve
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Looks good ...
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tastes great.
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Deborah & Charles relax
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Joined by Arwen ...
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and Janet.
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Bert & Marsha
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Ready to wrap
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Late sunset
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Glorious evening
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Thanks again Bert
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Time to go
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David pipes ...
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us out.
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To the dock ...
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down the dock
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Last call
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A sweet note
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Dock crowd
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Dock crowd too
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Crowd three ...
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and four!
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Day fades in
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cotton clouds
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Main slide show
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What's for breakfast?
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Coffee & buns
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Good hot coffee
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Trixie had a rough night!
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Breakfast in comfort
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Asia departs
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Fendy departs
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One big sucker!
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A safe journey home.



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