Our GLCCSchool instructors earned their skills

Posted by GLCC Office
 January 9, 2026

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos: 

   Top row:  Larry Brandt, Dave Carr, Charlie Ellins

   Middle row:  Deb and Mike Hervey, Niels Jensen, Ric Mixter

   Bottom row:  Bill Rohde, Dave Spencer, Eric Sunstrum, Steve Wyckoff

            

On the water, experience counts. A lot. Experience makes cruising safer and much more pleasurable. Our featured GLCCSchool instructors for January, with the programs they offer, are:

 

Larry Brandt

  • An Introduction to Marine Radar

Hailing from America’s Pacific Northwest, Larry Brandt is a U.S. Air Force veteran who worked in the aviation navigation industry. Now retired, Larry and his wife enjoy cruising in both power and sail while Larry spends time writing and instructing for Starpath Navigation Inc.

 

Dave Carr

  • An Introduction to Cruising Lake Superior
  • Cruising Lake Superior’s Canadian Shore

From their home in Midland, ON, Dave Carr and his wife have spent the past 35 years cruising the Great Lakes. They are especially fond of the big waters on Lake Superior, including its more remote Canadian north shore.

 

Charlie Ellins

  • Cruising the Beautiful Trent Severn Waterway

Charlie Ellins lives along the Trent Severn Waterway near the town of Orilla. His first trip on the Waterway was from Trenton to Orilla when he was 14. Charlie is Port Captain of the Waterway’s entire 386 kilometers and has made the end-to-end journey numerous times.

 

Mike and Deb Hervey

  • Cruising America’s Great Loop
  • Cruising the Triangle Loop
  • Cruising the Down East Loop

Mike and Deb Hervey have a passion for long-distance cruising. They began cruising as high school sweethearts and haven’t stopped. They have cruised under sail and under power in the Great Lakes, and around New England, the East Coast, the Gulf of Mexico and America’s inland waterways. This cruising couple brings a wealth of knowledge to every presentation they make.

 

Niels Jensen

  • Cruising Lake Superior’s South Shore
  • Cruising Lake Superior’s Apostle Islands
  • Wilderness Cruising at Lake Superior’s Isle Royale
  • Video Logging your Cruising
  • Cruising with Grandkids
  • Currents in the Great Lakes

Niels Jensen is a long-time, active member of the Great Lakes Cruising Club. Originally from Denmark, Niels and his wife, Vicki, sail their Pearson cutter Freelance out of Bayfield, WI, into Lake Superior, through the other four Great Lakes, and beyond.

 

Ric Mixter

  • The History and Future of the Soo Locks

Ric Mixter logs thousands of miles each year as one of the most requested Great Lakes historians. He brings to the GLCCSchool his knowledge, energy and passion in his webinars about Great Lakes history. Ric’s mix of words, photos and videos make him a great storyteller of and promoter for the Great Lakes.

 

Bill Rohde

  • Navigating Locks
  •  Make the Leap to Overnight and Long-Distance Cruising

Bill Rohde is the founder of the GLCCSchool. He is an accomplished cruiser with a resume a mile long. Bill and his wife, Judy, have traveled by sail and power throughout all Great Lakes. They also have taken the St. Lawrence River, up and down, to the Intercoastal Waterway, on to the Bahamas and the Caribbean. When it comes to cruising, Bill has forgotten more than most boaters know.

 

Dave Spencer

  • Cruising the Georgian Bay and Thirty Thousand Islands
  • Cruising the Remote Waters of Northern Georgian Bay
  • Anchorages of the North Channel

Dave Spencer and his wife, Kathy, cruise out of Midland, ON, in southern Georgian Bay. This strategic location allows them to spend their summers exploring the Georgian Bay and the famous North Channel. They enjoy finding one more under-explored anchorage and adding it to the GLCC Harbor Reports.

 

Eric Sunstrum

  • A Cruising Guide to Lake Ontario’s Bay of Quinte and Thousand Islands
  • Cruising the Beautiful Trent Severn Waterway

Eric and Cynthia Sunstrum live in Ottawa, ON, just a stone’s throw from the Bay of Quinte and Thousand Islands where they keep their boat, Northern Whisper. Eric is an active member of the GLCC, serving as Rear Commodore for Lake Ontario. Eric and Cynthia have spent more than 20 years discovering this beautiful section of the Great Lakes.

 

Steve Wyckoff

  • Cruising Grand Traverse Bay

Steve makes his home in Traverse City, MI. He spent his professional life teaching earth science and computer science, and was a district technology director. However, his passion is sailing and cruising in the North Channel, San Juan Islands and the Caribbean. Steve brings his own brand of humor to every presentation he makes.

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