Shallow Water Sailors Spring Cruise 2001
Page 2

Sailing Up Church Creek
 

Part of the Poor Man's Trawler Report, by Bill Zeitler, stated: "What a sight it was to see all those tanbark sails beating their  way up Fishing Creek and then into Church Creek.   It was interesting for me also in my converted motorized PMT (Poor Man's Trawler) Bay Hen....in that I had to either tack and / or gybe along with everybody to both stay with the group and not to crash into somebody !   I always try to stay back a little for, even though my Honda 5 is quiet, as an ex sailor I know the joy of peaceful sailing.

"We all tied up at the pier of Old Trinity Church, circa 1675, and had a wonderful tour and lecture about this very interesting old place and grounds."

 
Part of the Newcomer's Report by Morry Kapitan, states:

"Linda and I had a fantastic time at the SWS Spring Cruise.  Hats off to Jake, John, Norm, and Ken for reconnoitering such a great cruising spot.

"After discussing our weekend, several items stick out most as things we will remember about this cruise.  First are the wonderful people we met.  We especially enjoyed the evening raft-ups with great conversation and music. Talking to the owners of many different types of boats and seeing them up close was great fun as well. Forget about the big boat shows.  The SWS Spring Cruise is the place to be if looking at and talking about small boats is your thing.

"The second experience we will remember is the vision of the nineteen SWS boats tacking up Church Creek for Friday's overnight anchorage. We happened to join the procession in about the middle of the pack.  Looking up and down this lovely and historic creek, seeing nothing but sails crisscrossing the water, and hearing nothing but the birds and the wind in the sail was really something.  If I looked past the few waterside houses, I could imagine what sailing this creek was like 100 or more years ago.  Truly an impressive and memorable sight."

 
Jake Millar reported on the nature along the way:  "After saying a bunch of hellos and admiring (both) Norms' new boat(s) I sailed out of the campground creek and headed for Church Creek. There was a huge school of baitfish breaking surface out in the middle of the river, probably stripers pushing the bait to the surface; but while all that free food was jumping around, 5 or 6 osprey came in to take advantage - what a show!  Spotted 2 bald eagles on the way into the creek, one perched on a dead pine and the other circling above.  Saw several Loons swimming and diving in the creek and the river. 

Here's Jake paddeling quietly along a march, one of his favorite pastimes


Here is a shot of Dana's Seaward Fox in the company of a Bay Hen and Dovekie.  Dana says of the trip, "What a trip!  What a crew!  What great weather!  2001 had everything, new boats, new SWS members, a pretty river to cruise."

 
Here is the "other Norm's" new boat.  Norm & Diana H-T in Annika recently imported from Sweden.  The first and only import of the Litorina design.

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