For all of mankind’s history, we have loved to listen to great story tellers. If you’re like the rest of us and love a great story, you will not want to miss this brand new GLCCSchool webinar – Up From the Briny Deep. This fascinating tall, but true tale will be told by diver, boater, journalist, historian and Great Lakes adventurer, Ric Mixter.

The recent discovery of a long-ago lost steamer still loaded with salt, brought to the surface the importance of Great Lakes salt production to the world. Deep beneath the Earth salt manufacturers have found high quality salt deposits in New York, Ohio, Ontario and Michigan. All of this salt is thanks to vast inland sea that covered North America 400 million years ago.

Salt mining and shipping is an important part of Great Lakes commerce. In its heyday 100s of ships crossed the Great Lakes carrying this important cargo and over 70 those ships were lost to our deep icy waters. Join Ric Mixter as he takes you diving on these wrecks and tells the story of the mariners who risked it all to bring our Great Lakes salt to the world.

Don't forget all the GLCCSchool webinars are free for all GLCC members.

All Great Lakes Cruising Club members and guests are welcome June 1 at the 2024 Lake Erie Picnic. The picnic is at Herl’s Harbor Marina, east of Port Clinton, Ohio (E-16.8). It starts at noon, but earlier arrivals are just fine. The site has a large sheltered backup location in case of rain. Prepare to tell tall boating tales, renew friendships, and welcome new GLCC members.

Dan and Fawn Johnson, Manitowoc, Wis. (M-49): The Johnsons have spent most of their lives boating and sailing the waters of Wisconsin and the Great Lakes, specifically their home port of Manitowoc, Wis. They own a 40-foot Endeavour (S/V Royal Coachman III) and have sailed most of Lake Michigan, the western shores of Lake Huron, and the southern shores of Lake Erie. In August of 2021, they started the Great Loop and almost exactly one year later crossed their wake and went gold.

This year the GLCC is introducing a new feature where members can display their membership card on their mobile device or print them from their PC. Please note that each person in a membership will have their own card. There will not be a way to have a card with both names on it.

Sections of the St. Lawrence Harbor Reports have received significant updates based on the travels of GLCC members and friends who made the journey down the Seaway over the last couple of years. These updates will be helpful for those heading out as well as those who are heading into the Great Lakes via the Seaway.

Port Clinton, Ohio (E-20): Denny Schurdell has been a life-long teacher. He is retired as a visual arts teacher, K-12 and college. He coached for many years in wrestling, cross country and soccer. Denny has degrees from Kent State University, La Verne College, and Cleveland State University. He belongs to the Sandusky Yacht Club, and is a former member of Bay Point Yacht Club and Harbor Bay Yacht Club. He is a founder of the former Catalina sailboat association-LECOA (Lake Erie Catalina Owners Association).

I bet you didn’t know the GLCC has a YouTube channel. We’ve had one for several years but it hasn’t been very active. Until now. Kelly Hillman and Rear Commodore Rob Hillman have reinvigorated our channel with fresh new videos mainly aimed at providing a sneak peek into upcoming classes in the GLCC School. They intend to keep making and posting new videos throughout the season to keep members and non-members up to date on items of interest to our club and upcoming GLCC School classes and activities.

We have big news in this winter Lifeline! From FREE webinars for members, summer activities well into the planning stages and all the boat show info. It’s a very exciting time to be a GLCC member. Rochester, N.Y. (O-6), is our featured harbor, and it has lots of interesting attributes.

It's the off-season and time to start planning your adventures for the next boating season! Will you venture into new waters?
The latest list of Harbor Report with significant updates is available with more to come in the near future.

Fall is coming but GLCC's Summer was a summary of adventures around the Great Lakes as GLCC’s numerous events were quite lively and entertaining. Inside the covers of this fall’s Lifeline, are full reports of all that happened, what’s happening and what’s coming up! We’re looking forward to the Lake Erie Regional Dinner Meeting in Cleveland, Ohio (E-10) and our late October Annual Meeting in St. Clair, Mich. (D-8) and hope to see you there.