Leo
wanted the smaller, shallower draft boats to form a raft in the
northern cove of Millstone Point Harbor. The harbor is small and
the northern portion is narrow. Dick and his dingy were enlisted
to help get Endure into position from the water while Bill
Slater helped from land as Leo gave instructions. Joe was a bit
hesitant about getting his boat in there but with everyone's help,
he managed to get Endure safely in place with a spider
web of lines running from the boat to shore.
Next
we were joined by Ann and Bob Dixon aboard Venture (CD
Intrepid 35). We rafted Venture to Realization's
starboard side.
Leo then asked Mike to move Machts Nichts to begin the formation of the southern raft, which would begin behind Realization but Mike opted to move Machts Nichts to the anchorage in Jordan Cove where he was later joined by Charles Link and Sonja Kenyon aboard Sonja (CD27) and then by Carol and Dave Stump aboard Hanalei (CD30C).
Carina (CD27), with Nancy and Sam York then arrived. Leo
directed Sam to raft up in front of Endure in the north
cove. This put Bruce Halley, Bill Slater and Dick Feffer back
to work taking lines from boats to shore and crawling around in
the poison ivy to get them secured. Then Leo moved Heather
Ann from the floating dock at the end of the pier to join
the northern raft . Leo backed that boat the entire distance.
If only we had score cards, on a scale of 1-10, that maneuver
definitely deserved an 11.
Nora
and Peter van der Kam arrived with their little Cape Dory 10,
then Juanita (CD33), with Siris, Peter and Jane Coombs
aboard, pulled up to the floating dock that Heather Ann
had vacated. The space next to the fixed dock was left vacant
awaiting the arrival of Pegasus (CD40C).
The fact that Leo got most, if not all, the different captains to cooperate to get their boats into their designated spaces was truly a feat and test of patience, seamanship and character. It was great entertainment for the rest of us.
Once
all of the boats were in place, the crews were left to their own
devices. Leo told the crews that breakfast would be served in
the pavillion at 0700 to a collective moan and then told me that
there would be an officers meeting at 0600. 0600! What?
We went into the town of Niantic to Constantine's for dinner with the MacDonalds, Slaters and van der Kams. We later heard that Bill Comella had whipped up one of his gourmet meals for the boats in the northern raft.
Saturday
morning I was up bright and early in order to be on time for the
officers meeting at 0600. I walked up to the pavillion but there
wasn't anyone there except the caterers who were just getting
set up. It was a bit windy and cool so they moved breakfast into
the Red Barn. I walked over to the north end of the cove to see
if anyone from the raft, mainly Leo, was up and about. Joe Focarile
emerged from Endure and asked if breakfast was ready. He
was also concerned about possible chafing of his lines on the
rocks ashore so I returned to Realization and brought him
two rubber chafe guards. We then walked up to the Red Barn for
breakfast.
After breakfast, Roger Winiarski of Bristol Bronze gave a lengthy, very informative and interesting talk on the properties, advantages and disadvantages of different metals.
Click on the links below if you'd like to know more.
Last modified: 5 September 2000