July 2-5, 2004 Sequoia Yacht Club Cruise

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

Mix perfect weather with 18 boats represented, 45 crew and guests, pour into the Port of Redwood City and you get a delightful Sequoia Yacht Club Cruise. It was fun and foodie - meals from Friday night through Monday morning - with lots of good cheer, everyone chipping in, and happy kids and dogs. Even a raid by a Pirate Ship only added to the festivities!

Three boats headed south from Sausalito and the San Francisco waterfront around 0900 Friday morning. In the light going early in the day, Don & Barb Henderson aboard Kindred Spirits, Escape Bruce & Carol Hunter, and Snowflower, Skipper & Nancy Wall motored south under the Bay Bridge, heading for the San Mateo bridge about 16 miles away, and the 6 miles farther into Redwood Creek, the Port of Redwood City and Sequoia Yacht Club. They arrived around noon, settled into their slips and celebrated a smooth passage with a small libation.

Back up the Bay, just before the first group arrived, Rick & Sandy Van Mell had Vanishing Animal under way from Brisbane Marina, only 8 miles from the San Mateo bridge. They too had light winds until the entrance to Redwood Creek when the summer thermal started to fill in over the marshes and salt flats of the southern extremes of the Bay.

Sequoia Commodore Larry Mayne and the volunteer Officers of the Day made us welcome in their lounge overlooking the harbor. They provided beverage service, we brought goodies to share with anyone around. Meanwhile, back in Sequoia's great volunteer galley, Larry was pulling together an informal lasagne, salad and French bread dinner, finished off with ice cream, chocolate sauce and whipped cream. What a deal! The host Commodore cooks us dinner as a great way to start off a July 4th weekend!

Yet it got even better. Seven more Islanders rendezvoused at 1100 Saturday morning south of Yerba Buena Island to ride a 2.5 knot flood tide down to Sequoia Yacht Club. Harry Farrell & Carol Williams on Pacific High ran radio check-in and led the flotilla south. The convoy included Chris Mellor & Kelley Montana & Claire on Spindrift, Art & Betsy Fowler, plus 2 guests, aboard Zenith, Lean Times with Tim, Rhonda and 4 year old Ian Shea, Gary & Pat Salvo on Ophira, Ron & Karen Damsen aboard Woodbine, and Dennis, Judy & Matt Bush aboard Natural High. Along the way they picked up Bill & Jim Higdon's Blockbuster with one additional crew aboard, and finally Endeavor, Brian & Fran Jacobs' DeFever 41 with young David aboard. Paul, Mary & Patrick Tara arrived with Zoop at 1730.

Preparations for a glorious Saturday dinner had started even before the fleet was under way. Sequoia Port Captain Gaylord Van Dyne, his helper Leeyee Su, and Assistant Port Captain Karrie Allen were already in the galley by 0700. Onions, celery and peppers were chopped by the basket full. Beans poured into pans with the addition of chunks of crisp-cooked thick-sliced bacon, molasses, brown sugar and secret cajun spices. Whole chickens were racked in the oven to provide meat for the Jambalaya. Carol Hunter (Escape) volunteered to help carve up the chickens and move on to preparing the turkey for their dip in boiling oil! (More gizzards than she ever wants to see again!) Then there was the red beans & rice, fried calamari, and green salad to make - plus sponge cake and ice cream for dessert.

Meanwhile, Sandy Van Mell (Vanishing Animal), Barb Henderson (Kindred Spirits) and a Sequoia YC crew were decorating tables with red, white & blue July 4th streamers, stars and flags. Rick Van Mell helped set up tables & chairs. What with all the willing hands, the Islander fleet got tied in slips as they arrived and food and decorations were under control in time for the 1745 Kimballs Bacon picture. 33 people and 2 dogs didn't sink Vanishing Animal and we got our pictures.

"Good Old Boat" magazine had graciously sent us complimentary copies of their current issue to distribute among the good-old Islanders, so we even got a picture with a bunch of them held aloft - many thanks to a great magazine that features classic boats and how to care for them!

With the prep work and chores done, the whole crowd adjourned to the Sequoia lounge - bringing their nibbles with them and partaking of the very reasonably priced beverage selection. Mike Bennett arrived by asphalt to represent Getaway and was cheered by all hands. Everyone relaxed and chatted while the turkeys bubbled in the deep-frier out on kitchen porch.

Maybe too much relaxed, as a gang of Priates from the 71' gaff-rigged ketch Royaliste appeard on the scene and rounded up the attention of everyone present. Captain Gary Bergman declared, "Ye' have stumbled into a lair of loathesome pirates, swashbucklers and buccaneers... and we want t' make ye' one of us!" Attended by Raul Quiri (1st mate in striped pants), Claire Warren (quartermaster/event coordinator for Tales of the Seven Seas & the Royaliste) in black, Connie Silvers (foredeck captain, wench in black and white) & Don Hatcher (foredeck crewman in white) they proceeded to select among us the most prized (and plump?) to carry off. Their cutlasses and flint-lock pistols at the ready convinced us they were serious. We negotiated terms and agreed to search for prisoners the following afternoon at 1700 hours aboard the Royaliste. (Those who would enjoy learning more of this merrie band can click http://www.theroyaliste.com for more about the ship and http://www.talesofthesevenseas.com/Who.html for their colorful website.)

That settled, galley swabs Gary Salvo, John Melton and Dennis Bush drew knives and began slicing up the beautiful, crisp turkeys. After many trips, all the food was arrayed on the long buffet table and hordes lined up to enjoy the repast. After a long day of fun in the sun, most trundled off to their bunks while a handfull enjoyed one last nightcap before turning in by 2200.

All this fun and the weekend not yet half over! Sunday morning the 4th again found a volunteer crew in the galley. Again led by Sequoia Commodore Larry Mayne, the crew assembled a fine pancake, scrambled egg, hash brown and sausage breakfast that greeted Islanders and Sequoia members alike as they arose at a leisurely pace.

Lunch, of bergers, dogs, corn on the cob and beans was ready by noon for those few who still had stomach room. Smokey & Laurie Stover were enroute with Evanescence, to arrive by mid-afternoon. The Islanders, meanwhile, were concocting their own pot-luck contributions and assembled at 1445 for rides over to Peter & Louisa Szasz's home in near-by Redwood Shores. (That makes Midnight Sun the 18th boat represented.) Whether seated in their lawn chairs overlooking their idyllic waterfront, munching goodies from yet another table of delicious food, playing with one of several small boats, or just petting one of the dogs, this was not to be missed. Ian Shea, at age 4, repeated his skippering performance taking Dad Tim for a ride in the little electric motorboat - a feat he first performed in the same boat three years ago at age 18 months! (See the archives for Sequoia 9-1-01 or click http://www.islander36.org/sequoia01/MVC-727S.JPG.) Claire Mellor and Patrick Tara eloped for thier own motorboat ride - it was great to see these bright kids having fun on the water. Peter, ever-the-racer, Szasz coached each one on how they should move up to bigger, faster boats!

But alas and alack, 1700 hours was fast approaching and time to rescue the captives from the Pirate Ship Royaliste. With a quick double caravan of cars the kids (and those who felt like kids) were transported back to the yacht club and a chance to storm aboard the ship. Some were threatened with being sent aloft, others held at sword-point, but eventually the mighty Islander crew managed to subdue the pirates and sent Royaliste on her way.

The last of the Szasz revelers were squeezed past the police lines now blockading the over-stuffed parking lot to get in place for the fireworks show. Even though it was only 1819, crowds filled the waterfront -with the first bang yet three hours away. After a little quiet time, all assembled aboard Endeavor at the end of F Dock for a front row seat on the fine fireworks display.

Monday morning found Rick & Gaylord once again in the galley by 0715. This time a simple French Toast & Little Smokey breakfast between 0800 and 0900 stoked the stomachs of perhaps 2 dozen Islanders and club members as the fleet prepared to depart on the last of the ebb. All managed to get safely away by 1000, despite a minus 1.5 foot tide that exposed extensive mudbanks for miles around.

It was, all agreed, another fine Islander Rendezvous - and all hands heartily thank Sequoia Yacht Club for great hospitality, friendship and service. We'll sure be back again!

Pictures are compliments of Barb Henderson, Bill Higdon, Dennis Bush & Rick Van Mell. An additional 50 pictures from Ron Damsen, are on a separate page: Ron's Pictures. Click on images to enlarge, click "Back" to return.

Escape departs foggy Sausalito	Snowflower & Escape in light going	Wing & wing down the South Bay	Approaching San Mateo Bridge
Dressed for the 4th of July	Spindrift & Zoop dressed at A Dock	Rail to rail colors	B Dock gets Blockbuster
Ophira's on C Dock	Woodbine too.	Lean Times gets D Dock...	with Natural High, Kindred Spirits & Endeavour
Don & Barb Henderson mellow out.	Flags Fly...	Wall to wall (Snowflower)	Weekend Sequoia chef Gaylord Van Dyne & Leeyee Su
The Holy trinity of cooking - celery, onions & peppers	Sizzlin' gizzards	Resting Jambalya chickens...	until Karrie gets to them!
Carol Hunter tackles the turkeys	"Yes Gaylord, I know the oil goes to there."	Now how does this work?	Saturday afternoon delights
Gathering for The Picture..	more crowd..	Nancy's happy!	"Way up there?" say Nanci Melton & Laurie Stover
"Now smile this big," says Harry	33 Kimballs Bacon lovers don't sink the Animal	Give a cheer for "Good Old Boat"	It must be the Jelly Bellys that keep Bill Higdon 84 years young!
Sequoia YC welcomes the I-36ers...	& Commodore Larry Mayne keeps Sequoia solvent!	2001 Bartender & guitar player Tony Wiseman & Indra Ong welcome us to Sequoia	"Thanks," says Commodore Farrell, Carol, Gary & Pat
Ron & Karen Damsen, Don Henderson, and Carol Williams & Harry Farrell	Rick with Nanci & John Melton	Mike Bennet (Getaway) arrives	Nancy Wall, Judy Bush & Karen Damsen
Nanci & John Melton, Carol Hunter & Dennis Bush agree.	Don Henderson is talking to Bruce Hunter, as Brian does to Fran Jacobs	Barb & Don Henderson with Bruce Hunter	Paul & Patrick Tara celebrate with Claire Mellor
Laurie Stover spreads 7/4 goodie bags...	and Ian flags down mom Rhonda	Tony & Indra	Deep Fried Turkey coming up!
That's hot to handle too.	But Gary Salvo & John Melton carve away...	watch the fingers Dennis!	Jambalya coming up!
Smokey, Sandy & Nancy chow down.	Good eats table...	almost finished...	boy, that was good.
Is Patrick being a gentleman and serving Claire?	"What's for me?" asks Teak	Betsy's back says it all!	(In case you couldn't read the bottom line!)
Szasz' flags fly	Peter welcomes Chris Mellor & Kelley Montana	Peter & Louisa Szasz with Tim & Rhonda Shea	Tim & Rhonda Shea tell Louisa they're staying...indefinitely
Great Gatsby on the lawn	Oh, it's Pat Salvo & Sandy Van Mell!	Gracious Living 2	A deck full of fun.
Pat, Skipper, Gary & Nancy smile	A happy crowd	Cody wants attention from Bruce Hunter	Harry & Carol relax
Ian takes Dad Tim for a ride...	Hi Captain Ian (age 4)...	but Peter suggests a larger, faster boat!	When can I go for a ride?
Chris prepares motorboat for Patrick & Claire to joyride	Claire Mellor & crew Patrick Tara	"Daddy, Peter says you should get me a bigger boat too."	Dennis & Judy Bush (Natural High
Bill & Jim Higdon with Blockbuster crew	Carol Hunter & Bill Hidgon	Gary Salvo, Dennis Bush & Paul Tara hog the shade	Rick Van Mell with Chris & Kelley
Ron & Karen Damsen relax aboard Woodbine	Dennis swings Patrick Tara for a ride	I have to go home with the girls????	Pirate ship Royaliste slips alongside...
and captures the clubhouse!	Sizing up the booty	I think we should take these...	Don't think of escape!
or I'll run you through	We'll be kind to the prisoners.	Let's get aboard and rescue our crew.	We've got to get by the crew
"They've taken Tim and Ian," cries Rhonda	"Mommy, over here," cries Ian.	What do you mean, "Go Aloft"?!	Aloft!
Security check point...point	Rick, obviously, is terrified.	The well-dressed Pirate	Pirate Lass
Ian & Tim hold pirate lass at bay	Cathead's cat!	Royaliste mascot Billy Bones rides again.	Buccaneers driven off by mighty Islander Fleet!
Bruce Hunter and Barb & Don Henderson await fireworks.	Smokey & Laurie Stover Evanescence	Smokey's buddy	Ian's B'day present...
He likes it!	Laurie Stover's ready to celebrate	Judy & Dennis Bush have great seats	Glorious 4th!
Ka - Bang!	Thanks Sequoia YC - Great Weekend!

An additional 50 pictures from Ron Damsen, are on a separate page: Ron's Pictures.