Flotilla meet-ups strike a chord with members
By Rear Commodore David Spencer
Grand Bend was the site of the GLCC’s annual April Launch gathering held April 10-12 at the Oakwood Resort. The Launch mixed business and pleasure in a delightful setting.
Nestled along the eastern shore of Lake Huron, Grand Bend (H-4) is one of several popular beach towns along Ontario’s Bluewater Coast. Home to about 3,000 year-round residents, Grand Bend’s summer population swells to 25,000-plus throngs of day trippers attracted to the silky smooth sand beach and the hotels, bars, restaurants and entertainment venues clustered nearby.
The Friday afternoon skies were gloomy after a heavy morning rainfall, but GLCC members’ spirits were warm and welcoming as they gathered in the hotel’s Terrace Room for the welcoming social.
Saturday morning dawned cool but bright and sunny as the Board of Directors and several guests gathered for a light breakfast and the business meetings of the Great Lakes Cruising Club and Great Lakes Foundation.
In addition to administrative discussions, the GLCC board heard encouraging news about some new marketing initiatives that have attracted far more new members this year than we have seen in recent past years. We still recognize that our current membership sharing their enthusiasm about our Club with their cruising friends is the best way to attract new members, but some of our web-based marketing tools are now showing positive results.
We also heard about the planned Hop On/Hop Off Meet-Ups to the Mackinac Island Rally, the Rally at the Soo and the Rendezvous at Duluth / Superior. This new activity has proven to be popular. Lots of members are expressing interest, including several new members and many who haven’t participated in previous GLCC activities.
Based on recommendations by the Great Lakes Foundation grants committee, the Foundation board approved several grants to worthy organizations dedicated to preserving the richness of wilderness cruising areas across the Great Lakes, as well as fostering the art and culture of cruising.
Saturday afternoon’s destination was the Lambton County Heritage Museum where members toured exhibits describing the natural, cultural and economic history of the area. Highlights included the development of the petrochemical industry south of Sarnia, ON; the construction of the Sarnia/Port Huron, MI St. Clair River Railway Tunnel completed in 1891; and the construction of the first span of the Bluewater Bridge in 1938.
With lots of sunshine and a couple of hours before dinner, some group members headed 20 minutes north to explore Bayfield’s (H-5) attractive downtown. Although it was early in the season, it felt almost like summer with brilliant blue skies and most of Bayfield’s unique shops and restaurants open welcoming early spring visitors. Even the ice cream shop was open, although the lineup wasn’t as long as on a typical hot afternoon in July.
Saturday evening was back in the Terrace Room for a buffet dinner. The Rev. Sue Camaiore offered a blessing for the meal, followed by a spirited toast by Rear Commodore Eric Sunstrum to the United States, to Canada and to the Great Lakes that we share.
The fully illuminated Great Lakes chart (used at the Toronto International Boat Show) was the perfect backdrop for Rear Commodore Dee McClure to outline how the Hop On/Hop Off Meet-Ups to Mackinac Island Rally, Rally at The Soo and Rendezvous in Duluth came to be and current interest by a large number of our members. Her presentation also tested Rear Commodore Dave Spencer on his knowledge of the location of the Lake Michigan ports.
After dinner, many gathered in the Gazebo Lounge to continue socializing long into the night. The Gazebo Lounge gathering felt very much like a mid-summer happy hour at an anchorage or “docktails” at a marina: informal, unplanned, unstructured and lots of fun.
If the fun and camaraderie of the April Launch is any indication of the GLCC event-filled summer coming up, Club members are in for a great cruising season.