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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

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.

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

A safe journey home.