All Catalina Fleet 69  Lake Travis, Austin, Texas  NEWS

Upcoming events are on our fleet home page http://www.catfleet69.org.  Note: Some links to photos on this page don't work because of changes to Google Photo albums.

April 2024 Cruise:

April 2024 Meeting: Places to Sail in the USA. A terrific presentation by Todd that described places to sail in the US, including Puerto Rico, where a passport is not needed for travel. He told us about itineraries, when to go to avoid crows, and the weather and water conditions. The locations included New England (Newport and nearby islands), Lake Michigan (Traverse City), California Channel Islands, Puerto Rico & the Spanish Virgin Islands, and Lake Superior (Apostle Islands.) There were 38 attendees (including 4 on zoom).  Travis level 630.89'. The meeting was led by Joy.

March 2024. The "Sailin' on the Green" St Patrick's Cruise was a fortunate success with good weather and a great turnout. Hosts were Steve and Cheryl with assistance by the crew of C30 Rendezvous. Travis level was 631. 25' and winds were shifting from the NE to SE at 4 to 7 mph, so we set anchor towards the south side of the canyon that is formed at this lake level in Barry's Cove. With ten boats (16 represented), we set 4 anchors in all. All came up without problems. In attendance were 39 sailors. We had corned beef and cole slaw, along with a  wide variety of delicious dishes provided by attendees. There was a delightful assortment of Irish music. We then played a game and green prizes such as kiwis, candy, and Lucky Charms were handed out.

March 2024 Meeting: The Good, Bad, and Ugly of Anchoring on Lake Travis. Steve gave an excellent presentation on the various aspects of anchoring in Lake Travis. He discussed the essentials of a Good Anchoring package. Then he covered the good and bad ways to "set" an anchor. There are obstacles in our lake, such as tree stumps, whole trees, rocks, ledges, abandoned dock cables, and even other anchors. Sometimes you lose one, sometimes you find one. It's important to know what obstacles you might face in various favorite anchoring locations. A total of 44 attended, including 4 on zoom, 39 in the room, and a baby. Lake Travis Level was 631.44' and fairly steady. It's 38.1% full. The meeting was led by Cheryl.

February 2024 Valentine's Cruise. It was a beautiful February day with sunny skies, light wind and a high temperature of 56. Hosts were Cindy and Paul on their Catalina 270. They provided the honey roasted ham and a kale+ salad, while others brought salads, breads, and sweets. We then played a challenging Valentine's Trivia game, which was won by Joe. We left the raft-up around 5:40 and enjoyed a lovely Violet Crown sunset. There were 4 boats (C30, C270, C250, and C25) and 13 sailors, included one new member and a returning member. Travis level was around 632'. A fun time was had by all!

February 2024 Meeting: Sailing in Tahiti. Brian G talked about their Sailing Charter in Tahiti, which is part of an archipelago in French Polynesia. They sailed on a Lagoon 52 catamaran with at least a dozen people. They sailed in November and found the area to be uncrowded. The weather was pleasant with occasional showers, similar to the Caribbean. The topography is “old volcanic” with worn down mountains and lagoons surrounding the islands. They began in Raiatea, then Bora-Bora, Taha’a, Huahine, then back to south of Taha’a, and Raiatea (charter base). He showed photos and videos and we could see that the sailing, scenery, and snorkeling were all beautiful. In attendance were 38 people, including 2 guests (speakers) and 3 on zoom. Travis Level was 631.52'.

January 2024 Cruise: The January "Sailing and Sandwiches Cruise" was planned for Saturday the 27th but the day was cool with winds forecasted to be 15 with gusts to 30. So Saturday was canceled and Sunday was offered as an optional "Let's Go Sailing" cruise. As it turned out, at least 2 and maybe 3 fleet boats went sailing on Saturday. (C25 and C22 with an unidentified C22 nearby.) Maybe 4 members total. On Sunday, there was an AYC Frostbite Series race. The weather was sunny, 65 degrees, with winds 10 to 15 from the NW to SW. Eight fleet boats raced (C30, two C25s, three C22s, Capri 25, and Capri 22) and 17 members participated on board Catalinas, Capris, and a Hunter. After some frosty and wet January weekends, it was great to be out on the water. Travis level was 631.34'.

January 2024 Meeting: Let's Sail in 2024! Commodore Harry led a well-organized and informative planning meeting for 2024. We discussed the meeting program and cruise plans for each month. It'll be fun! In attendance were 30 members, including one new member and 5 recently new members. Lake Travis level was 631.1'. Weather was mild, but the cold freeze is coming on Sunday!

December Holiday Party 2023:  The All Catalina Fleet holiday party was held at AYC. In attendance were 59 sailors, including 2 guests. We recognized the five new member families who joined in 4Q23. Annette did a great job as the host. We recognized the 2023 Officers (Marie, Harry, Sheila, Diana, Robert) and the 2024 officers  (Harry, Christy, Diana, Sheila, Robert), as well as the Appointees (Clay, Cheryl). Congratulations to Clay for receiving the Stough Award. We then did the Nice Nautical Gift Exchange (blankets, ropes, lights, books, libations, etc). Gifts were brought for Blue Santa and will be delivered by James. It was a mild evening, around 65 degrees and little wind. Travis Level 631.23'.

November 2023 Cruise: Hot Toddy. We had high hopes for clear weather, but the cool rain and drizzle came in around 10am and stayed. We preferred warm and dry, so we opted to meet inside. There were 23 attendees including three guests. Fun was had by all as we concocted variations of hot toddies and snacked on sandwiches and other goodies. The event concluded with a competitive game of nautical trivia.  Hosts were Marie and Louise.  Lake level was 632.28’.

Also worthy to note:  Fleet member Christy donned on her scuba gear and successfully retrieved the anchor stuck in October from a depth of 22’ in South Travis Landing.  It had been wedged in a rock ledge and the chain was wrapped around a tree stump. Yay!

November 2023 Meeting: "That Boat!" by author and boat builder, David Nichols. All of us, with what might be called the "boat gene," have had many affairs with "that boat" - the one you just had to have! Author, sailor, boat builder and nautical designer, he joined us to talk about the “boat gene” and all the pleasures and miscalculations it can cause.  He spoke about how “she’s so worth it”, every step of the way despite issues and problems that can arise. He shared pictures and told his story about navigating his new boat from Tampa to New Orleans via the inter-coastal waterway.  He told us about his book "The Brotherhood of Pandora." The meeting was then opened up to other fleet members to share their “boat gene” stories.  In attendance were 33 people. 2 on zoom. 31 in person. 4 "guests" in person. Travis Level 632.27'. We had some good rain during the last month. Need more.

October 2023 Cruise: After watching the Annular Eclipse in the morning, Fleet 69 went sailing. It was a beautiful autumn day with temperatures in the 70's and winds 12 to 18 from the North. Because of the wind direction, we rafted up in a new location, the south cove of Travis Landing. There were 5 boats (C30, C270, two C25s, C22) with 14 sailors. The food was pot luck snacks. The cove seemed like a good location until we attempted to retrieve the anchor. It was likely caught in underwater cables for nearby docks. Hosts were Steve & Cheryl. Travis level was 627.95'.

October 2023 Meeting: What's in Your Sailing Bag? Harry led an interesting and educational interactive session on what one should take along when sailing, whether it's a local day sail or an extended cruise. For this exercise, we decided to have a weekend on a boat in Puget Sound, and listed everything we should and could take along. It was also a lot of fun to compare notes, remember, and learn. In attendance were 28 people, including one guest and 4 on zoom. Travis level 628.11. 

September 2023 Breakfast Cruise: The 38th Annual Breakfast cruise was held at Keller's Marina, partly because of the falling lake level of 629.33', a level not seen since Spring 2015. Many thanks to our Batter Blasters Clay, Robert and Jeff, and assistants Marilyn and Patti. There were 27 attendees (1 guest.) Winds were generally in the teens. The high temperature was 102 degrees, making it the 80th 100+ degree day this year! We had a wide range of breakfast foods and drinks. A fun time was had by all, again!

September 2023 Meeting: Catalina Factory Tour. Marie shared a wonderful and interesting presentation about how Catalina sailboats are made. She visited the boat building facility in Lago, Florida, and told us about the plant facility, the boat building process, company leadership changes, and fun facts. John G provided a brief history of Frank Butler and his contribution to Catalina Sailboats. (Click here for details.) There were 25 attendees (one on zoom). Travis level is going down more than a foot a week now and is at 629.97'. .

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August 2023 Cruise: Wok 'n' Roll Reinvented. This year Akiko was the "chef culinaire," with assistants Norma (egg rolls), Sheila (Asian Broccoli Salad), and Robert (Char Siu Pork). Steve was the creativity assistant with Souvenir Menus that included history of each dish. Many thanks to Robert and Sheila for once again opening their home to the fleet. Main dishes included Beef & Broccoli, Poor Beijing "Duck", Fried Rice, Shanghai Pork Belly, Shrimp in Chili Sauce, and Stir fried Eggs and Tomatoes. Others brought delicious salads and desserts. While many of us sail in mornings and evenings during this heat wave, it was nice to be in A/C comfort. So far, as of 8/13/2023, Austin has had 53 days of 100 or more degrees, including 36 days in a row so far. There were 33 attendees, including 4 guests. Travis Level was 634.3 and falling about .1 feet a day.

August 2023 Meeting: Catalina 25 Selection and Renovation. Jeff & Marilyn told the story of their two-decade quest to find, renovate, and launch their Catalina 25 sailboat, Winging It. Their detailed narrative and photos covered the discovery of  a boat with the features they wanted (1989-90, wing keel, etc.) in Abilene, the preparation to trailer it  to their home, the ten-month-long-ice-storm-interrupted cleanup, repair, and renovation, and the eventual launch. It was a very informative and entertaining presentation.  There were 22 attendees including 3 on zoom. Travis level was 634.71'.

July 2023 Cruise: The forecast was 105 degrees so the fleet decided to meet at an air conditioned restaurant overlooking Lake Travis. The chosen location was Beachside Billy's in Volente, which offered a great view of the growing Starnes Island, A/C, and a shaded deck with fans. There were 13 members in attendance. Thanks to Marie for researching lakeside restaurants and making the reservation. Lake Travis level was 636.45.

July 2023 Meeting: Weather for Sailors, by Joe. We're going sailing - on Lake Travis, in the BVI, anywhere - and everywhere we need to know the weather conditions. No fear. Joe described weather patterns in North America created by air flow, land features, and the earth's movement, the types of clouds produced with these patterns, and he related it to our ability to anticipate weather conditions that can be expected when we are sailing. He handed out copes from a presentation he attended long ago on "Weather for Private Pilots." In attendance were 31 members, including 2 on zoom. Lake level 636.74'. All the docks at AYC are now out on the point.

June 2023 Flor de Caña Cruise: We want to send a special thanks specific members for volunteering to host the 16th Annual Flor de Caña Cruise in June.  A lot of planning, preparation, and effort goes into this type of cruise, so we all want to thank them for all the work they put into setting up this cruise. Even though the heat became a big deterrent for sailing, along with the low RSVP rate, we hope to enjoy a Flor de Caña cruise in the future. Many thanks for all you did!

June 2023: The heat index was to be 110, so the fleet opted for a Sail and Swim Cruise. There were 4 boats, C30, C270, C22, and C27. Two boats went for a sail before joining the raft-up. The usual Travis Landing Cove was occupied by jet ski racing so we anchored in a small cove to the NW. The depth was near 60'. We swam and we ate. There were 17 sailors in all, including 2 guests. The winds were south 5-15 and the air was 95 to 92. The anchor came up OK, but was loaded with hydrilla, an invasive plant that has recently invaded our lake. A raft-up with the fleet was a great way to spend a hot summer evening...in and on the water. Thanks to our host, Marie. Lake Travis Level was 638.5'.

June 2023 Meeting: Knots of Fun, by Steve. We're going sailing - on Lake Travis, in the BVI, anywhere - and everywhere we sail, we need knots. If you don't have a good knot when you need it, you might think your sailing day is not so fun. No problem. We have lots of knots: hitches, bends, bindings, stoppers .... over 5,000 knots. Have hope. We only need a handful for most jobs, so we'll have lots of fun - Knots of Fun! There were 29 members attending, including 2 on Zoom. Joe reported that the Lake level is at 639.02 feet; the lake is 46% full and is up about 6 inches.  The 6 month projection, through December 2023 is 642 feet.  The lake level is being held between 639 and 640 feet.  The lake has been around this level for the past 6 months as well.

May 2023 Meeting: Vikings: Raiders, Traders, and Settlers, by Todd. We learned that "Viking" is a verb, not a noun. They covered a large range of territory, from current day Russia and Turkey to Greenland. There were 24 attendees, included 1 on Zoom and 1 guest. Lake Travis level was 638.15'.

May 2023: The festive Cinco de Mayo cruise was held on Saturday, May 6 in Travis Landing Cove. Hosts James and Sarah delivered delicious dishes, including “Cochinita Pibil” (slowly cooked highly seasoned pork), freshly heated tortillas, and "Capriotada"(Mexican bread pudding) for dessert. Others brought guacamole, chips, salsa, fruit, beans, and more. Several boats cruised or raced before arriving in the cove. The five boats included a C250, C30, C25, and two C22s. There were 17 sailors including 2 guests. Winds were 10 to 20 from the south. High temp was 88 degrees. Lake Travis level was 638.0'.

April 2023 Catalina Fleet 69 Bird Watching Cruise. The early bird gets the worm, so we left the AYC docks at 8 am and arrived on the north side of Sometimes Island at 9 am. Winds were light from the south. Temps started in the 60's but by mid-afternoon, it was 93 degrees. We saw birds, tho probably not as many as last year. Many thanks to our Audubon birders who had amazing abilities to see, hear, and identify birds. Hosts were Robert and Sheila. Since it was early, we had breakfast pastries, donuts, and muffins. One boat tested the depth between Mansfield Dam Park and Sometimes Island and as predicted, it was deep enough to get to the south side at Lake Level 638.39'. There were 3 boats (C30,C30,C250) and 9 people, including 2 guest birders.

April 2023 Meeting: The 2022 Wooden Boat Festival in Port Townsend, Washington, by Diane and Mark. Web site is https://woodenboat.org/ . It's the largest wooden boat festival in North America where people of all ages and interests can experience the beauty of wooden boats and the maritime culture and history. The next festival is in September 2023. If you go to that area anytime, visit the Northwest Maritime Center https://nwmaritime.org/about/. If you like boats and the Pacific Northwest, you'd enjoy the video and stories about the Race to Alaska. https://r2ak.com/ . In attendance were 22 members (including 1 on zoom) and one guest. Lake level was 638.48'..

March 2023 Cruise: Sailin' on the Green. Ten boats on the water. Most participants sailed near Starnes Island.  Five boats rafted up (C30, C25, C25, C22, C22) Travis Landing Cove and enjoyed green food and socializing. Three sailed/motored by in the cove: C250, C22, RC. Two sailed but didn't come into the cove (C270, C30).  People-wise, there were 16 in the raft-up, 8 in the come-bys, and 7 in the other, for a total of 31 participants.Winds 8-12 NNW to S. Temp 82 degrees. Sunny.  Hosts Cheryl & Steve. It was a lovely spring day. Travis level 638.92'.

March 2023 Meeting: Sailing Beyond Lake Travis, by Linda McD. Linda started sailing as a girl scout and has been actively sailing ever since then. Her list of sailing experiences in all parts of the world, including an around the world race, is impressive. She talked about the various ways a person can get on a boat. Charter with friends in interesting locations. Help with a delivery. Charter with  a sailing company. Connect with offshore racing organizations. Take more sailing lessons. Dare to dream. What's next for you ? Number of members attending was 29.2, including 3 via Zoom. Lake level 639.57.

February 2023 Chocolates and Cherries Cruise. On a warm February day with a high temperature of 76 degrees and mild winds, it was a good day for sailing and rafting-up. There were 8 fleet boats with 20 fleet members(C30, two C270s, C250, C25, and three C22s. We started with southerly 10 knot winds near AYC and sailed to LCRA Mark 4 and along Sometimes Island. We then let out the sails and turned downwind, and soon the wind switched to the north and essentially became zero. Five boats with 14 sailors rafted up in "Travis Landing Cove." At the current lake level of 639.69', the depth was around 60'. We then enjoyed an impressive variety of chocolates, cherries, fruit, and salty crackers. Hosts were Steve and Cheryl.

February 2023 Meeting: Sailboat Chartering in Turkey, by Can. Fleet member Can is an experience sailor who has sailed along the Mediterranean coast of Turkey many times. It's a beautiful place to sail with clear water, good winds, interesting places & cultures to see, and friendly people. He provided his insights as to what a charterer can expect, where to go, approximate costs, how to get there, how to do Mediterranean mooring, and when are the best times to go (May & June, September & October.) We also had a "nautical book swap." In attendance were 29 adults (26 in person, 3 on zoom) and one adorable baby. Lake level was 639.65.

January 2023 Sandwich Cruise: On an unseasonably warm MLK holiday in January (78 degrees), Fleet 69 set sail to enjoy sailing, sunshine, and time with friends. The winds were very light, around 6 from the south, but we all raised sails and managed to keep our boats moving. Six out of seven boats met at Starnes Island and sailed around. In all, there were 25 sailors and one dog. It was called the "Sandwich Cruise" so at least one boat had delicious sandwiches for lunch. The dog had potato chips. Some ducks had crackers. The boats included C30 Rendezvous, Beneteau 36.7 Wanda, C270 Afternoon Delight, C270 Soulstice, C25 1842, C25 Summer Song, and C22 Coyoacan. There were at least three other Catalinas sailing.  It was a good day for Catalinas! Five paramotors must have been on a cruise also, and buzzed by our boats. It was a great day to be sailing ! Lake Travis Level was 639.6'.

January 2023 Meeting: To set sail in the new year, the fleet met at the Red Lotus and via zoom to make our plans for 2023. Total attendance was 31, with 16 in person and 12 members on 9 computers. The latest Covid variant, Omicron XBB.1.5, has been on the rise in Travis County. The meeting was led by new 2023 Commodore Marie. There were 3 adult guests. Travis level was 639.76'. For the next 6 months, LCRA's projection says the lake will range between 637' and 668' and they will try to keep it steady. La Nina still has control over our rainfall, but maybe that will change soon.

December 2022 Holiday Party: The 2022 All Catalina Fleet 69 Holiday Party was a fun and festive evening at the Austin Yacht Club for Austin's Catalina Sailors. In attendance were  50 sailors, including 45 current members. Annette and her crew did a great job with tracking RSVPs, set-up, and clean-up. Many thanks to AYC for the use of the holiday-decorated clubhouse. We shared stories of our adventures and cruises of 2022 and plans for 2023. We talked, we ate, we presented recognitions and awards, and we exchanged gifts. Congratulations to Joy, who was awarded the Stough Award. We installed new officers: Commodore Marie, Vice Commodore Harry, Treasurer Robert, Secretaries Sheila and Diana. Appointees: Historians Clay and Cheryl. A great time was had by all. The weather was cool and the lake level was 640.5', compared with 662.2' one year ago. Happy Sails to all in 2023 !

November 2022 “Chili” Weather Land Cruise: The weather took a turn for the worse for an on-the-water cruise, so we moved it indoors with short notice and planned a chili cook-off. Eighteen Fleet members met at Robert and Sheila's to compete for a First Place People’s Choice prize in the cook-off. Seven dishes were entered into the competition including a Mother’s recipe, Classic deep red beef chili, Green chili stew, Chili beans, Three-meat chili, Smoked pork with black eyed peas chili, and Taco chili. They were perfectly delicious crock pots full of goodness. Others brought salad, appetizers, and desserts. After attendees were able to taste the entrants, ballots were cast for their favorites. A trio of ribbon-wrapped wooden spoon utensils were awarded as the prizes. Lake level 640.3'.

November 2022 Meeting: Central Texas Water Coalition. Speaker Jo Karr Tedder. This is a non-profit that advocates for water policies that will preserve the Highland Lakes as irreplaceable nation resources supplying water for more than two million Central Texans and providing an important economic engine for the tourism industry and Texas. CTWC takes a broad-based approach and multi-disciplinary approach that is based on applying facts, current science, and best practices for water management. Thanks for an excellent presentation. In attendance were 28 people, including 3 guests, 21 members in the room, and 4 members on Zoom. Lake level is 640.29'.

October 2022 Oktoberfest Cruise: Diane and Mark hosted yet another Wundebar Oktoberfest cruise with the most boats since 2005 and the most sailors on the water since 2010. We feasted on sausage, sauerkraut, brisket, and many other German-themed dishes. With eleven boats, we nearly spanned the width of Barry's Cove at Travis Level 640.4'. There were 35 attendees, including 5 guests. The boats included a Cape Dory, two C22s, one C250, two C25s, two C270s, two C30s, and a Beneteau 36. There was a lot of eating and socializing during the short three hours in the cove. It was mostly sunny with temperatures in the 70's. Winds were from the north to northwest at 5 to 8. Anchoring was tricky with at least six anchors. One anchor pulled up a pile of cables and 2 other anchors. One anchor was lost and one anchor was found for a "net zero" for the fleet!

October 2022 Meeting: Mapping the World, by Todd. Starting over 500 years ago European explorers discovered new lands, but they didn't take the time and considerable effort to accurately pinpoint where the new lands were.  James Cook was the transition figure; he was a master explorer and he was a meticulous cartographer.  We  started with his legacy and then included a few famous 19^th century cartographers who made travel and trade safe for the rest of us even today.  We learned how modern day cartographers continue the process--same objectives, just better tools. Attendance: 32 members and one guest at the Red Lotus Restaurant and including 3 on zoom. Lake level 641.50'.

September 2022 Cruise: Breakfast Cruise. Our fleet has been having wonderful Breakfast Cruises every year since at least 1985, and this one was no exception. Hosts Clay, Robert, and new Batter Blaster Jeff flipped, stirred, and grilled. Marilyn was sous-chef and members contributed. Even though autumn started 2 days prior, it still felt like summer with light winds and temperatures in the 90's. We met at Keller's Marina, across from AYC, where we had a couple of shade trees, our own shade tent, our folding chairs, and sturdy concrete picnic tables. Thanks to Todd for the idea and arrangement. We feasted on pancakes, bacon, mini-sausage, scrambled eggs, all kinds of fruit, real maple syrup, nuts, other toppings, and breakfast breads. Beverages included OJ, coffee, and mimosas. One boat sailed in (Capri 25 from AYC) and another went sailing from the marina after the cruise (Catalina 22 JJ). Attendance was 26, including 5 guests. Lake level 643.5'.

September 2022 Meeting: The Care and Feeding of Batteries, by Meryl. We learned all about Moore's Law, types of batteries, what to look for when buying a battery, how to maintain a battery, and how to prolong a battery's life. If you want a lead acid battery, a deep cycle type works best for sailboats. Try to keep multiple banks of the same type. For Li-Ion batteries, use a special charger and do not overcharge. Attendance: 18 at the Red Lotus, 7 on zoom, 25 total.
Lake level 645.23'. 

August 2022 Swap Meet, BBQ, and Bird Walk: On a very hot August day, fleet members enjoyed a "land cruise" in the shade and with access to A/C in Mansfield Dam Park. The day started around 8 am with a Bird Walk. As the day became warm, we headed to the rented pavilion and shade for the swap meet and lunch. Members set out nautical items for free, swap, or sale. Many treasures were found. The pot luck lunch included a delightful variety of picnic foods, including BBQ. Hosts were Diane, Dave, and Sheila. There were 21 fleet members and 3 guests in attendance. Lake level was 645.15'.

August 2022 Meeting: "Sailing Voyage aboard The Elissa: The Historic Tall Ship of Texas." John G gave us an excellent presentation on the Elissa. He showed photos of all parts of the boat, including the hull, rigging, sails, steerage, spars, and more. He explained how the various parts were handled to sail the boat. He also showed a couple of videos of the classic boat under sail. We now know what "Splice the Main Brace" means and will attempt to follow up on that command later this year. Many thanks to John for sharing his expertise. We met via Zoom because of recent concerns with the COVID omicron variants 4 and 5, which seems to be spreading more that before. In attendance were 22 computers and 28 members. Lake level is 645.36' 

July 2022 Meeting: BVI Full Moon Flotilla Panel Discussion and Photo Awards. Several of the flotilla captains, along with some who had never chartered before, talked about their experiences during the recent Full Moon BVI Flotilla Cruise. We heard about where they went, what they did, what went well, what did not go well, how was the provisioning, how about the packing (too much or too little?), did they enjoy snorkeling?, what else did they do, how was the pre-trip preparation, what where their adventures, and how was the race to Anegada. Clay showed and awarded "Photo Journalism Awards" to those who shared photos on our charter Facebook page. The meeting was held at the Red Lotus. There were 36 attendees, including 29 in-person, 7 via zoom, and 3 guests.  Lake level 648.93'.

July 2022: Fireworks over Starnes Island: It was a hot summer evening and a good time to watch the fireworks over Lake Travis from various viewpoints. Two fleet boats, a C-25 with 4 sailors and a C-22 with at least 2 sailors, ventured out of a narrowing entrance to Pool Canyon Cove. Carefully navigating their ways around "Keller's Point," they floated around Starnes Island and watched a beautiful show of fireworks. Meanwhile, 6 fleet members were on the AYC point, from where they could see the Starnes Islands fireworks, as well as fireworks from up Cypress Creek, Hippie Hollow, and Travis Landing. With the grand finale, it was well worth seeing. (2 boats with 9 sailors. 8 members, 1 guest, 6 on shore. 650.2')

June 2022 Full Moon BVI Flotilla Cruise:  There are so many stories and tales to tell about our Fleet Flotilla in the British Virgin Islands. We started by flying to St Thomas, which was the most challenging part of the trip. We rode the ferry boat to Roadtown, Tortola, BVI and went to the Moorings Marina to check in and find our boats for the coming week. Some had lunch at Cane Garden Bay. We joined together for a lovely dinner at the Mariner Inn Restaurant, where we were entertained by steel drum music. On Sunday morning, we set sail and headed to the Bight at Norman Island. Some snorkeled, some ate, and some just relaxed. The next day, we went different ways to see different islands, including Spanish Town, Peter Island, and Diamond Cay near Little Jost Van Dyke. Most of us visited the famous Baths. On Tuesday, we docked at Scrub Island and enjoyed the pool and the Trellis Bay Full Moon Party. Then it was off to more adventures, spending the night in Gorda Sound. One boat was at Leverick Bay, 2 at the Bitter End Yacht Club, and 2 at Saba Rock. Early the next day, we left for Anegada, some racing along the way. We toured and snorkeled at Loblolly Beach. Then we celebrated Joe's big birthday on the beach at the Anegada Reef Restaurant. Dinner for 40 and most of us had freshly caught lobster. We were treated to music by our own Joe and Joy, and a special birthday cake. On Friday, we set sail for Jost Van Dyke. Some in Great Harbor and some in Little Harbor. We visited the Soggy Dollar Bar in White Bay. Then we had our Farewell Dinner at Foxy's and met Foxy himself.On Saturday, we took various paths. Some opting for a sail around Tobago Island, some hanging out at White Bay, and some checking out Soper's Hole. Boats spent the night at White Bay, Peter Island, and the Moorings Marina. On Sunday, it was pack up and check out time. We boarded the ferry and most of us left the islands that day. The week went way too quickly, but we did and saw a tremendous amount in just 7 days. We got a good feeling for the islands and their various personalities. We're ready for the next time! It was a Fantastic Fleet Flotilla. 
(6 boats, 48 sailors, 26 members, 653.16' - 651.91')

June 2022 Mostly Moon Cruise:  Hosted by Kacey, Julie, and Emily. The winds were a fair and pleasant 12-15kts out of the south which allowed for an anchorage at Sometimes Island on a mostly quiet Lake Travis on a Sunday evening. The breeze, fading sun, and recurring plunges did a great job of staving off the 100+ degree clear sky day.  The moon was a little slow in rising over the Austin hills and crested just south of the Oasis around 7:15 pm. C-30 "Night Breeze" was able to raft up with C-250 "Flying Cloud" to enjoy the moon-themed smorgasbord of snacks and drinks as the sun and moon said hello and goodbye to each other in a timely fashion. C-22 El Coyoacán made a valiant effort through mechanical challenges to make a race to the moon (and moon pies). During a 'high speed' transfer, reminiscent of pirate smugglers of lost times, Coyoacán and crew were able to take over watch for the night shift with goodies on board to provide some amazing photos to close out the cruise in style.  Overall the event operated like a, mostly, well-oiled machine with each of the three boats and seven sailors being well-fed and thankful to be out on the water yet again. Lake level was reported at 652.89'.

June 2022 Meeting: Safety Briefing for Sailboat Crew, by Harry. Whether you are sailing on Lake Travis, along the Texas Coast, or in the Caribbean, all skippers need to follow the example of airlines and prepare a pre-sail safety briefing. Harry briefed all of us on this topic, and what should be included on a safety checklist. He talked about situations to be aware of and prepared for, such as grounding, collision, line caught in prop, crew overboard, etc. This meeting was held a week early and on Zoom in order to meet the needs of several fleet members. In attendance were 23 computers, 27 members, and 2 guests. Lake level is 653.54'. Even though we got some rain, the lake only went up inches.

May 2022 Cruise: The 15th Annual Flor de Caña Cruise was yet another fantastic cruise. It was hosted by Salvador, Nina, Annette, and Robert. It was an unusually hot day with temps in the upper 90's, so after rafting up in "Zip-Line Cove" in Cypress Creek, most decided to jump in to cool off. Anchoring was a little tricky on the steep and rocky shore, but we managed to hook one anchor that held us all. There were lots of surrounding activities with other boats and people zipping by on the zip-line. We had plenty to eat, including marinated pork, 2 types of cole slaw, salsa, guacamole, chips, fruit, bunuelos, and chocolate brownie cookies.  Also the starring beverage with mixers. At anchor there were 8 boats (C22, 3-C25s, C-250, 2-C270s, and one C-30) and 22 sailors. Winds were south at 12-18 from the south. Lake level was 653.82'.

Boats departed around the times of sun set and moon rise. There was a Total Lunar Eclipse and viewing conditions were perfect. It was a sight to behold from the water. One boat motored over to LCRA marker 2 to see the moon set and rise over the Oasis, then returned to Cypress Creek where 2 Catalinas were rafted up to watch the Eclipse. One boat stayed the entire night. It was a very memorable evening on the water.

April 2022 Early Bird Watching Cruise:  Great morning and early afternoon of birding on the water at Sometimes Islands across from Windy Point. Cloudy skies, temperatures in the upper 60s at the start with light S winds diminishing towards the end of the raft up, lake level 657.73'. With an early start for better birding, we were not disappointed in the number of species we observed. As we motored from AYC, four Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, calling in flight, gave a nice display as they flew past us providing a hint of the good birding we were about to experience. As we motored along the western shore towards our meet up point at Sometimes Islands, two Bald Eagles were spotted sitting near the waterline, one of the highlights of the cruise. These are continuing birds that had been spotted several times in the week prior to our cruise. Robert and Sheila set an anchor that held for the entire cruise, four more boats rafted up for a total of 5 boats (C22, C25, C250, C270, C30) with 18 members and three guests. Travis Audubon Members attended and were very knowledgeable and identified many more birds for us. All who had binoculars were able to observe many of these birds, and we gained experience spotting them and describing to others where to look to find them. We all brought our own lunch and beverages and had a delightful time being with each other, it was a fantastic cruise! In all 33 species and 296 individual birds were reported in this checklist on eBird. https://ebird.org/checklist/S107227289

April 2022 Meeting: The Revival of Sail Power for 21st Century Maritime Shipping, by Mark Z. Mark researched and presented an eye-opening report about the state of Maritime Shipping as it relates to the size of commercial cargo vessels, the amount of fuel they use to operate, the pollution they put into the atmosphere, and the trending remedies to reduce that output. Attendees included 20 members and one guest. Lake level is 658.05'.

• Links: https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:-12.0/centery:24.8/zoom:2 to see real time positions of all these vessels.
•  Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) powered high-speed ferry, the “Eleanor Roosevelt de Balaeria” (Spain):NEW High Speed Catamaran "Eleanor Roosevelt" longest fast ferry in the world (123m)! - YouTube
• China:  rigid telescoping wing sails on VLCC (very large crude carrier) tanker the “New Vitality”.Construction of the world's first aerofoil VLCC New Vitality - YouTube
• Norsepower –  Flettner “Rotor Sails”Bringing sailings back to shipping - YouTube
• Wingsails on transport ship built for the EU Space Agency.AYRO on LinkedIn: This BOAT uses WINGS to ship a ROCKET!
• Inflatable wingsail being developed by Michelin.WISAMO: Engineered by Michelin and powered by wind (Movin On) | Michelin - YouTube

March 2022 Catalina Olympics Cruise. It was a sunny and windy March day, with winds 12-16 with gusts to 20-25. High temperature in Austin was unseasonably warm at 88 degrees. For this cruise, each boat was awarded points for arriving at Marks E and D on time, having safety equipment, and performing various maneuvers such as Mariner Overboard, stopping at a point, heaving to, and anchoring. Irish Ayes won Bronze, #1842 won Silver, and Rendezvous won Gold. Awards were medals and kites. Many thanks to James and Sarah, and Congratulations to all participants! Five boats (one C22, three C25s, one C30) and 14 sailors.  We rafted up in  Barry's Cove. Or tried to until the anchors broke loose. Lake Travis level 659.65'.

March 2022 Impromptu Cruise. The weather looked good for sailing so 3 boats and 8 sailors went for a sail on Wednesday, March 16. Two of the boats, Rendezvous and Afternoon Delight, left the harbor first and sailed towards the Sometimes Islands. They then headed north and met up with Coyoacan near Starnes Island. Lake level 660.02'. AYC Dock 6 was moved to the end of Dock one. 

March 2022 Meeting: Packing for a Sailboat Charter, by Louise and Cheryl. This was a delightful and informative presentation about how to pack for a sailboat charter cruise. The topics included preparation, airline considerations, preparing your phone, luggage selection, how to keep it light and compact, safety, packing lists, packing details, items that can be shared with the crew, and more. It also included a video about he vs she packing styles. Also, some suggestions on how to make a charter a fun and enjoyable experience. This meeting was via zoom with at least 23 computers and 30 people (3 guests). Lake level 660.31 was reported as 660.58'.

February 2022 Flotilla Rally Cruise: Reports are that there was about four hours of sailing in perfect conditions. “It was one of the finest days of sailing I have had in many a month.”  “I hadn't single-handed since before the pandemic, and that part was downright magical.” Winds S to SW. High of 73 degrees. Winds 6-15, gusts to 22. Three boats (22, 250, 270) and 8 sailors. Travis level 661.09'.

February 2022 Meeting: Boat Electrical Systems by Jeff J. His presentation covered many topics, including what makes a complete circuit, how to use a volt meter, using an Ohmmeter, testing fuses, looking for shorts, wiring, connections, and troubleshooting boat problems. He recommends "Ugly's Electrical Handbook" as a reference. If you wish to obtain equipment, the Fieldpiece Instruments test meter is good. Attendance: 27 devices and 34 sailors. Travis Level 661.08'.

January 2022 Frostbite Cruise: Taking advantage of a nice weather day before a cold front blows in on Saturday (40's and gusts in the 40's), the fleet cruised on a sunny Friday afternoon. They met at Starnes Island at noon. One boat with three sailors. Lake level was 661.49'.

January 2022 Meeting: After meeting in person two months in a row, we went back to meeting via Zoom because of COVID Stage 5 in Travis County. Last year we wore masks and were vaccinated once, twice, and boosted, but Omicron took over. Nonetheless, we met and planned our activities for 2022 with optimism and enthusiasm. We had a lot of good ideas and volunteers for our programs and cruises for the year. The calendar reflects that. In attendance were 25 computers and 35 members. Lake level was 661.54. 

December 2021 Holiday Party: The 2021 All Catalina Fleet 69 Holiday Party was a fun and festive evening at the Austin Yacht Club for Austin's Catalina Sailors. In attendance were 40 sailors, including  current members, new members, and guests. We shared stories of our adventures and cruises of 2021 and plans for 2022. We talked, we ate, we presented recognitions and awards, and we exchanged gifts. Robert and Sheila were awarded the Stough Award. We also had an entertaining and very creative "Holiday Nautical Hat" contest. We also installed new officers: Commodore Joy, Vice Commodore Marie, Treasurer Robert, Secretaries Sheila and Diana. Appointees: Historians Clay and Cheryl. A great time was had by all. The weather was cool and the lake level was 662.2'.. Happy Sails to all in 2022!

November 2021 Brunch Cruise: This year our Annual Breakfast Cruise was a Brunch and in November. It was perfect! Many thanks to Batter Blaster hosts Clay and Robert. We met in the picnic area of the beautifully renovated Arkansas Bend Park. We had it all... eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, beverages, and lot of toppings including nuts, blueberries, and strawberries. We also had delicious apple crumb cake (thanks, Sheila!) and jalapenos stuffed and wrapped (thanks, Akiko!). There was one boat, who docked in the south cove. In all, 17 sailors were there and had a great time. Partly sunny skies (but we were under the trees), light wind, and around 72 degrees. Lake level 662.75'. 

November 2021 Meeting: Annapolis Boat Show. Steve W. (of sailatx.com/) gave an interesting report on a recent 2-day visit to the Sail Boat Show in Annapolis, Maryland. He showed photos of the scene, the crowds, and the boats. The show also has lots of booths of vendors selling anything you need for a sailboat... from bottom paint to radios to clothing. It's a lot of fun and if you ever get the opportunity to go, it is a worthwhile and enjoyable trip. There were 25 members attending the meeting in the Red Lotus Restaurant. Lake level was 663.13'. We nominated and elected the 2022 Officers: Commodore Joy, Vice Commodore Marie, Co-Secretaries Diana and Sheila, and Treasurer Robert.

October 2021 Cruise: OKTOBERFEST 2021. It was a beautiful Autumn day for our Oktoberfest Cruise, hosted by Diane and Mark. We had good food, good music and most of all, we were rafted up outside with OUR FRIENDS. The temperatures were around 70 degrees and winds were 12-15 with gusts to 20. We anchored far into Cypress Creek East, hoping to avoid the north winds, but it was still gusty. In all there were 10 boats (two C22s, three C25s, one C250, one C270, one C30, an invited Pearson 31, and a Sunfish!) There were 30 attendees, including 5 guests.
Lake level 663.3'.

October Meeting: Provisioning Your Cruising Boat, by Harry. Harry is a very experienced leader of sailboat charter cruises in the British Virgin Islands and elsewhere. He generously shared his knowledge and experience about how to provision a boat with about 8 people for 7 days. 

TOP 10 SUGGESTIONS:

#10 – Work off a detailed menu (Recommendation: Plan for simple meals. 3 dinners and all lunches and breakfasts on the boat)

#9 – Use an ice chest instead of the refrigerator for cold drinks, water, and beer

#8 – Buy 18 – 24 gallon jugs of water

#7 – Make sun tea every day

#6 – Consolidate trash into a large bag instead of several smaller ones (saves money as you pay per bag)

#5 – Do not over-buy on food (one of the most common mistakes)

#4 – Throw away all packaging and boxes away to prevent a potential roach problem

#3 – Someone needs to be the galley boss to make sure everyone helps to keep counters clean and disinfected and keep track of the inventory

#2 – Use an ice chest (rotate ice)

#1 – Everyone should have their own water bottle, which can be refilled with ice and jug water. This saves on plastic and helps everyone keep track of their own water bottles.

In zoom attendance were 21 computers with 27 members. Lake level 663.33'. Here is the lake forecast: www.lcra.org/download/lake-travis-projections/?wpdmdl=9373 .

September 2021 Cruise: This month was a flotilla sail because of COVID Stage 5. One report said that 2 Catalina 25s met near Starnes Island and sailed around and into part of Devil's Cove. It was fine that day (after Labor Day, after all.) On the radio they heard the JJ Boat, a Catalina 22 rarely seen at a cruise. We look forward to hearing more about the sailing that day. There were about 6 sailors on 3 boats. Lake level was 664.01'.

September 2021 Meeting: "How to Sail across the Atlantic in a 10' Boat," by John G. He didn't really do it himself, but he did read the book  "Alone Against the Atlantic" by Gerry Spiess and Marlin Bree.
Gerry Spiess was an Minnesota school teacher who sailed his 10-foot (3.0 m) home-built sailboat Yankee Girl solo across the Atlantic Ocean in 1979 (3800 miles) and across the Pacific in 1981. It was a very carefully planned design and implementation. There were 22 members attending the zoom meeting (COVID Stage 5). Lake level 661.1'.

August 2021 Cruise: There were no signs of Friggatriskaidekaphobia for a group of Fleet 69 sailors, as they sailed between LCRA markers 5 and 8 on a Friday the 13th afternoon and evening. The temps were in the 90's and the wind varied from 7 kn in the afternoon to 18 by sunset. There were 3 cruising boats: C30, C25, and C22, with 9 sailors. There were 3 fleet members racing on Catalina Capris of lengths 22 and 25. So, one could say there were 5 boats and 12 sailors. Or not. In any case, it was  pleasant time to go sailing and be with friends. The sunset was gorgeous. Lake level 666.1'.

August 2021 Meeting: Diane detailed a 10 month trip on a Catalina 350 sailboat, which they took through the Erie Canal and the Atlantic Inter-coastal Waterway from Cleveland, Ohio to Port Charlotte, Florida. They spent 1 year preparing for the trip. They left Cleveland on August 31^st, and sailed to Buffalo, through the Erie Canal, down the Hudson River, in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of New Jersey, the Delaware River, the Chesapeake, along the East Coast ICW, to the Florida Keys, Fort Myers, ending at Port Charlotte. The stories, history, photos, and experiences were fascinating. The meeting was back to Zoom because of COVID Stage 5. In attendance were 25 devices, 32 sailors, and 2 guests. Lake level is 666.22'.

July 2021 Wok n Roll Land Cruise: It was yet another fantastic Wok n Roll Land Cruise. Many thanks to our incredible cooks and hosts, Norma, Akiko, Clay, Sheila, and Robert. We played it safe since it's still COVID time and wore masks and spent much time outdoors in a beautiful back yard. It was wonderful to spend in-person time with our favorite sailors and talk about cruises we have done and cruises we will do! There were 27 in attendance and 5 received personal delivery of meals. Lake level was 666.7'.

July 2021 Meeting: "LCRA Highland Lakes Water Levels and Flow Management" by Joe. In the 1930s Sam Rayburn and Lyndon Johnson were instrumental in forming the Lower Colorado River Authority to tame the lower Colorado River and to bring power to rural Central Texas. The lakes would provide drinking water to the area as well as electricity. There are five main dams on the lower Colorado River in Central Texas: Buchanan, Inks, Wirtz, Starcke, and Mansfield. Irrigation for four coastal families of rice farmers must be provided as set in law by the Texas Legislature. LCRA functions: Allocate, Control, and Store water. In complex operations, LCRA calculates inflow + demand + status of Colorado River below Mansfield Dam in order to determine dam releases for drinking, irrigation, storage, and recreation.

There are 250 coastal rice farming operations using ground water, but those four families must still receive water from the Colorado River. The LCRA Board of Directors approved a new reservoir to provide water to them, and maintain higher levels in Lake Travis. Arbuckle Reservoir in Wharton County is nearly complete. This new reservoir will help LCRA maintain a more constant level on Lake Travis.  See LCRA website for more complete information: https://www.lcra.org/. There were 30 attendees, including 2 guests. In Person! Lake level 666.64'.

June 2021 Cruise: 14th Annual Flor de Cana. After 16 months of COVID-19 restrictions and meeting in a 2D world of Zoom meetings, our fleet was finally able to raft-up IN PERSON and 3D for our 14th Annual Flor de Cana Cruise. There was no wind, the temps were around 100, but no one cared. We were together, on the boats and in the water. We had so much catching up to do. For the first time, we anchored in the quiet cove near Cypress Creek Park. It took about 30 min of motoring to get there, but then it was just us, some herons, and kayakers. There were 7 boats (C30, C27, 3-C25's, C250, and a C22) and 17 fleet members. Robert cooked up a fantastic meal with marinated pork with tortillas, rice & beans. Others brought sides, including cole slaw, desserts, fruit, and cheese puffs. The cruise founder, Salvador, attended via What's App. It was a fantastic and memorable cruise. Lake level 666.2'.

June 2021 Meeting: "Sea Scouts" and "The Opening of the Arctic Ocean." Sea Scout Gabi gave an excellent presentation on "all about Sea Scouts" as one of the requirements for advancement in Ship 911. Then Mark told us what he has learned about the opening of the Arctic Ocean, starting with an interesting book he read by James Stavridis titled "Sea Power: The History and Geopolitics of the World's Oceans." Attendance was around 31 with 4 guests. Lake level is up to 666.14'. We've been meeting via zoom since April 2020. We're planning to meet in person next month! Yay!

May 2021 Cruise: Sailing Lake Travis. The cruise was postponed twice and was finally held on Memorial Day Sunday. There were lots of power boats of course, but by late afternoon the winds were good and many boats had left. The best sailing was around Sometimes Islands. The busiest was between Starnes Island and the Power Lines. Participants included 4 sailors on a C30 and 2 sailors and a dog on a C22. So it was 2 boats and 6 sailors and a dog. Thanks to recent rains, the lake has come up a bit, though not nearly enough, to 661.6'.

May 2021 Meeting: Secrets of Lake Travis Coves, by Robert. Robert drove his fishing boat to each of the locations mentioned in the program. He took photos of each location. He also included screen shots of his GPS at each cove. If I documented the locations here, they wouldn't be secrets. Thanks! Lake level 659.75’. Up 1.75’ since last month’s meeting. 22 attendees.

April 2021 Cruise: On a beautiful April spring day, 15 sailors on 6 Catalinas (C30, C270, 3-C25s, C22) sailed in the first Fleet 69 Coddiwomple Cruise. We sailed in a purposeful manner towards vague destinations, in the areas of the LCRA mark 9 near the power lines and Starnes Island. The high temperature was near 90, south winds were 8 to 15 and gusty at times. Because of COVID stage 3, we didn't raft up, but it was fantastic to sail with and among friends again. Lake level was around 657.8'.

April 2021 Meeting: "Cruising in the Abacos, Bahamas" by Harry Polly. Harry gave us an excellent overview with photos, stories, and maps of cruising in the Abacos Islands. The waters are shallow and are protected from the Atlantic by a long barrier reef, making for pleasant sailing. The people are friendly, the snorkeling is great, and the islands are fun to explore. Elbow Cay with Hope Town has a candy cane light house that is the last kerosene-burning lighthouse in the world. It has to be lit with a match. At the right time, you can see a Junkanoo parade. Go to Man of War key and buy bags made out of sail cloth. It's all different now because of recent devastating hurricanes and cruisers now go to other islands in the Bahamas. There are around 800 of them. In attendance were 23 computers at one time or another. 31 attendees if you count 2 quick appearances. No guests. Lake level 658.02'.  Lake forecast link here is between 640' and 660' by October 1.

March 2021 Cruise: Sailing of the Green. The cloudy & cool day turned into a sunny and warm spring-like day. Winds were light to moderate. This was a flotilla style cruise in which we met at Starnes Island and sailed up the lake and into Sandy Creek. Some of us ventured into Long Canyon. We were "wearing our green" for the St Patrick's theme. There were 5 boats that arrived at various times from 1 to 5 pm. 11 sailors. 658.8'.

March 2021 Meeting: "Searching for the Northwest Passage" by Todd. He gave a compelling presentation about the search for the NW Passage, a shortcut by sea from Europe to Asia. How much of a shortcut? Huge, tens of thousands kilometers, it’s a BIG deal. Currently, tankers that burn fossil fuel contribute to climate change, so it would be beneficial to travel the shortest route possible. Many attempts failed, usually tragically. Roald Amundsen, a Norwegian explorer, finally navigated a NW Passage 1903-1905, with a small, maneuverable ship and 7 men. Taught by Inuits, they learned to live off the land, even building igloos to survive the winter.
In attendance were 31 sailors, including 2 guests. 26 devices. Lake level 658.66' and steady. LCRA forecast for 9/1/21 is between 640 and 660, depending on wet or dry conditions.

February 2021 Cruise: On the Water After the Big Freeze Cruise: The week before the cruise, Austin endured record cold temperatures, 6 inches of snow and ice all combined with power and water outages. Leaking pipes and fallen trees were still being dealt with by many in the fleet over the weekend. Strong Southerly winds brought dramatically warmer temperatures for the cruise on Sunday. The day started cloudy with gusty winds of 15-20 mph. The winds later moderated to 5-8 mph, the clouds cleared, temperatures reached 74 and it turned into a perfect day of sailing. COVID stage 4 was in effect. A total of 5 boats with 9 sailors joined the cruise. COVID stage 4 was in effect so most met up at Starnes Island and sailed as a flotilla back down the lake towards Cypress Creek.  Boats included a C30, two C25's, a C-Capri-22, and a C22's. Lake level 658.85'.:

February 2021 Meeting: Delivering a 52' Catamaran from Florida to the BVIs, by Jonathan. Jonathan gave an interesting presentation about sailing on a Fountaine Pajot Saba 50 foot, 17 ton catamaran named "Good Vibrations" from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to the U.S. Virgin Islands. He found the crew position via https://gosailingapp.com/. Departure date was in November 2020 and 6 – 9 days were allotted for sailing to the final destination. Five sailors. They traveled 1100 nautical miles (1265 statute miles). Winds were a constant 8 – 12 knots.  They had 250 gallons of fuel with an extra 150 gallons. Along the way, they often fished and caught a wahoo, which gave them meals for many days. He showed examples of the navigation tools that were used on the trip.  The captain used an I-Pad and backup laptops to control the boat. They used GPS chart plotter, radar, autopilot (Auto Guidance), AIS (Automatic Identification System), and Predictwind (IridiumGO!) (here's a sample) for navigation. In attendance were 26 sailors (1 guest) on 19 computers. Lake level 658.9'. Water temp 55. Air temp in the 20's and falling to the single digits over the next few days. Brrr. (Little did we know that the Big Freeze of 2021 was about to hit Texas. Massive power outages for days. Water unavailability then non-potable. Then broken pipes.)

January 2021 New Year's Cruise: Didn't happen due to weather, though some members sailed at other opportune times.

January 2021 Meeting: Planning the Year Ahead. Our first meeting of the year was held via Zoom, but with optimism for the year as the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out has started. Commodore Meryl revealed our theme for the year: "All hands on deck for first rate seamanship, little skylarking, and clear sailing."(Webster defines Skylarking in nautical terms - to run up and down the rigging of a ship in sport; frolic, act up, clown around. ) After some social time, we discussed what we would like to have for meeting programs and cruises this year. Many ideas were discussed, both new and old favorites. This year we'll learn more about boat deliveries, the Northwest Passage, the Abacos (Bahamas), Secrets of Lake Travis Coves (and where to not run aground or how to get off aground), Sea Scouts, swap meet, star gazing, solo sailing, sailing with a team, and fiberglass. For cruises we'll have (or hope to) our traditional Flor de Cana, Breakfast, Oktoberfest, and Wok n Roll cruises. This will be fun! In attendance were 20 members. Lake level 659.25'. 

December 2020 Holiday Party: The 2020 Fleet Holiday Party was held via Zoom, as were the majority of meetings and cruises in this year of the COVID-19 pandemic. We couldn't gather in person, but we did the best we could in these circumstances. We started with our "social time." After a song by Joy and a toast by Walter, we  reviewed the year with slide shows by Cheryl. We recognized the 2020 contributors: People who were officers, gave a meeting program, or hosted a cruise. They received caps and/or fleet logo tote bags. The treasured Stough Award was awarded to Louise, for her outstanding efforts to keep the fleet alive and active throughout the year, while encouraging others to enjoy the sport of sailing. Thanks! To make the party more fun and festive, we had a funny hat contest. Winners were Walter the pirate, Diane with the bicycle hat tree, and Clay with the wide-brimmed hat with sailing ornaments. We were split into several "chat rooms" so we could have table-like conversations with 3 or 4 other people. A good time was held by all. Congratulations to our 2021 officers: Commodore Meryl, Vice Commodore Joy, Treasurer Robert, and Secretaries Diana and Sheila. Cheryl and Clay will continue as Historians. There were 23 computers and 34 people. Lake level was 659.25' and falling. A year ago it was 670'.

November 2020 Hot Toddy Not Cruise: It's been a warm (70's and 80's) and dry autumn with variable winds. On the day of the cruise, a cold front was in the forecast for mid-afternoon. Two boats from AYC, C30 and C270, attempted to sail in winds 0 to 5. After over an hour, they returned to the docks. Soon thereafter, a C22 headed out to the lake, hoping to catch better wind when the front arrived. Around 3 pm, the wind shifted to the north and quickly increased from 0 to 22, with gusts to 26. "It was blustery . . . we crossed a consistent line of "whoa"/¿"woe"" and they motored back to the dock. The wind eventually settled down to the mid to upper teens. By then, all boats were safely back in their places. There were 3 boats, 6 sailors. Lake level was 659.5' and falling.

November 2020 Meeting. "Sailing Travelogues" by fleet members. Presentations included sailing in the Cyclades of Greece, Belize, San Juan Islands, British Virgin Islands, Lake Travis (end to beginning to end), Tahiti (ocean passage to Tikeahau, an atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago), Abacos, and the Florida Keys & Biscayne Bay. In all there were 20 computers and 30 attendees, including one guest who later joined. Lake Level was 659.74'.

October 2020 Cruise: It was a beautiful Autumn day for an Oktoberfest Cruise. Temperatures were in the 60's with clouds giving way to sunshine. Wind was light, from 0 to 5 from the S to SE, so we opted for Barry's Cove rather than drifting to/from Arkansas Bend. C25 "Summer Song" was the first to anchor in a 32' deep depression in the ever-narrowing cove. They were joined by a C25, Capri 22 "Güneş" and C22 "Coyoacan". Masks were worn. They had 3 anchors. Meanwhile, three boats sailed in & out of the cove, decided to not raft up, and found enough wind to enjoy a peaceful afternoon of sailing. That included C270 "Afternoon Delight," C270 "Soulstice," and C30 "Rendezvous." In all, there were 7 boats with 14 sailors. Lake level was 660.7'.
 

October 2020 Meeting: History of Circumnavigation by Sail, including single-handed, by John G. John's presentation was partly based on the book "A Brief History of the Circumnavigators", by by Derek Wilson. He also provided a list of books and movies on this topic, so we can continue to learn more. The quest to find a western route to the Spice Islands began in 1519 and resulted in the first circumnavigation of the Earth. Ferdinand Magellan led the Spanish expedition, but was killed in the Philippines in the second year of the Expedition. Juan Sebastian d'Elcano from Spain completed the journey when he arrived in Spain in Sept 1522. Starting with 5 ships and 265 crew, the voyage ended with one ship and just 19 surviving crew members. Subsequent circumnavigations were attempted and succeeded, but there were also many failures until the discovery and treatment of scurvy. Ex. Sir Francis Drake, 1577-1586, started with 164 crew and returned with 59. We learned more about Captain James Cook (1st East bound circumnavigation), Sir James Ross (Ross Sea & Ice Shelf), and others from several European countries. Then there were single handed circumnavigations and eventually races around the globe, including the 2018 50th Anniversary of the Golden Glove Race. Jean-Luc Van Den Heede finished first at age 73 in 121 days. See his story here: link. At the meeting there were 19 computers, 27 attendees, including one guest. Lake Travis level was 661.48' and slowly falling.

September 2020: Flotilla Cruise: On the Water, Socially Distanced, and Almost Full Moon at Arkansas Bend. Saturday was a perfect sailing day with 78 degrees, partly sunny, and south winds 10-15 mph. A total of 11 boats with 22 sailors joined the cruise. Most met at Starnes Island and cruised together to  Arkansas Bend. Eight of the boats enjoyed the afternoon by anchoring and swimming at appropriate distances in Arkansas Bend cove. Five boats stayed overnight and included 2 new member boats. Temperatures in the mid-70s with a light breeze overnight made for perfect sleeping in the cove. On Sunday morning, the winds picked up to 10-15 mph with gusts over 20 mph, and we enjoyed refreshing morning sails back to our docks. Boats included two C30's, C270, C250, three C25's, C-Capri-22, and three C22's. Lake level 662.19'.

September 2020: Zoom Cruise: BVI Full Moon Flotilla 2022 discussion. We had a zoom meeting led by Louise and Harry to discuss plans for a Fleet 69 cruise in the British Virgin Islands in 2022. This was an initial meeting to discuss boats, itineraries, costs, plans, questions, and more. In attendance were 26 sailors and 18 computers. We started with "social time" and were very pleased to see Keith and Sue ! Many thanks to the organizers who have looked (and continued to look) at various options and plans. Lake level was 662.37'.

September 2020 Meeting: We were fortunate to have three topics this month! First, Todd told us about how he and Patti double-handedly lowered the mast of their Catalina 25 at the dock. The purpose was to replace parts at the top of the mast. They then decided to use the adult method of raising the mast. They took it to Sail and Ski Marina and employed a professional to do the job. Secondly. Sea Scout Emma talked to us about the invasive species Zebra Mussels. Her presentation was informative and well done. This will give her credit towards earning the Quarter Master rank, which is like (and more) the Eagle rank in Scouts. Thirdly, Chris S, Skipper of Sea Scout Ship 681, told us about the apps and devices the scouts use to navigate, track their paths, and read the lake depth. Thanks to all ! In attendance were 33 sailors, including 30 members and 3 guests. Lake level was 662.72'.

August 2020: Hooky Sailing Cruise: To escape the heat and the weekend crowds, we had a Fleet Hooky Cruise on Tuesday morning, 8/18/20. There were five sailors on 3 boats: Catalina 30 "Rendezvous", Catalina 270 "Afternoon Delight", and "the purple" Catalina 22. Winds were light from N to NW at 0 to 4.  Temps were still in the 80's. We motored & sailed from AYC to Starnes Island where we found enough wind to use our genoas. All in all, it was fun to get out on the water, be socially distant with friends, and breathe the fresh air. Lake level is 664.32' and falling. 

August 2020: Trivia Land Cruise: Cruise and Game show host Louise divided the sailors into two teams and led a fun game of nautical trivia. Team B had the help of a treasure chest, wing keel and full spinnaker to be the first across the 25 point finish line. Navigation errors and a yellow quarantine flag denied Team A the win. Questions included the following: Where did Napoleon die? What is the "rake of the mast." Tell a story. How many feet in a nautical mile? Flood vs ebb tide. Bermuda's parent country. When to use a plow anchor. Who was in charge of US Lighthouses until 1939? Name of Joshua Slocum's boat. Deepest lake in the world. Where did Columbus land first in the new world? In attendance were 5 computers with 8 sailors. Lake level 664.66'.

August 2020 Meeting: BVI Bitter End Yacht Club 2.0. Harry P has made about 45 trips over the years to teach sailing to students. His presentation began with photos of some of his charters and scenery of the British Virgin Islands. He found that docking at the Bitter End, which is in Virgin Gorda Sound, gives people a chance to walk ashore or visit restaurant and store. Nice cabins, beautiful beach. Over the years there has been hurricane damage, but nothing like the total destruction caused in 2017 by a category 5 hurricane, Irma, with winds of 177 mph, and gusts up to 225 mph. He played a portion of a video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeqNYIopw80) from Peter Isler showing the destruction and interviews with members of the Bitter End owners, the Hoken family. They shared plans for rebuild of the resort, and are calling it Bitter End 2.0. https://beyc.com . In attendance there were 20 computers, 29 members, and one guest. Lake Level is 664.90' and falling.

July 2020 Cruise: Sailing Annapolis to Solomons Island and Hampton plus The History of the Fleet Breakfast Cruise:  With COVID 19 social distancing still in effect, the cruise was held online. Our first host of the afternoon, Steve W, shared his recent experience sailing on the Blue Heron. Blue Heron is an all new design Catalina 425 that has been named Cruising World Magazine’s Domestic Boat of the Year as well as Sail Magazine’s Best Mono-hull Cruising Boat 40 to 50 ft category. Especially of note was a video demonstration of the powered, in-mast furling feature. In-mast furling along with the self tacking jib should make life quite easy aboard this beautiful new yacht! Steve’s friend owns the boat and is cruising the East Coast. Steve and his brother joined the trip in Annapolis, stopped Solomons Island, MD (crab cakes!) and ended their part of the voyage at Hampton, VA.

Co-hosts Cheryl and Clay then chronicled the long running Catalina Fleet 69’s Breakfast Cruise. The Breakfast Cruise has been ongoing for 35 years. Cheryl presented photo albums from 1985 thru 2005. During that 21 year time span, there were only two years without the Breakfast Cruise! Back then, Long Canyon was the popular place to go, where at many lake levels, they could tie up to shore and step off the bow. After developers closed access to land, they moved to Arkansas Bend, where some could come by boat and some by car. Many boats spent the night. Clay then shared pictures and interesting notes for the years 2007 thru 2019.  For the “younger” sailors in the fleet, these memories provided a wonderful window into the rich history and traditions of Catalina Fleet 69.

In attendance were 13 computers with 16 sailors.  Lake level was 667.72’

July 2020 Meeting: "Catalina Sailing Adventures with YouTube." In this program, Clay told us the history of YouTube and how its videos can help sailors learn more about all aspects of sailing. He told us about features of YouTube, which include searching by keywords, creating playlists (so you can find your favorite videos), and subscribing to channels (so you can follow your favorite video creator). We learned that quality helps to make a video much better. We looked at several types of videos that interest us. The areas include how to fix up an old boat, what type of boat to buy (including tours and factors to consider), how to take down a mast on a Catalina 22, where to go cruising, and how to splice lines. For entertainment (and information) we watched a few video clips of people who live the cruising life, whether they are single-handing, sailing to the Tortugas, or visiting interesting places in the world. There’s also nautical history to discover, especially by visiting sites connected with maritime museums. San Diego, Chesapeake, and Mystic Seaport are ones we mentioned. Thanks! There were 23 attendees on about 15 computers. Lake level is 668.87’ and falling.

June 2020 Meeting: Engines: Outboard, Diesel, and Electric.
First, Pat F talked about the "Care and Maintenance of gas and diesel engines." For all engines, he recommended that you run your engine regularly.  For gas engines, Pat recommended to keep the fuel tank full, use non-ethanol gasoline and a gas stabilizer. Ethanol is hard on non-fuel-injected engines, especially on the crank seals on a two stroke.  On outboards, the water pump impeller should be changed every three years.  He discussed carburetor cleaning methods and recommended new spark plugs every year for easy starting.
Steve W talked about his Catalina 270 LE which he uses for his charter service. After the diesel engine gave out, he decided to replace it with an electric one. He obtained his motor conversion through Electric Yacht, which focuses on re-powering sailboats.  He purchased four 96-pound batteries and built a wooden box to house them.  His motor weighs approximately 65 – 70 pounds. He was able to install the motor and batteries himself with the help of a couple of friends. He reports that his engine is very quiet and he is able to charge it at the dock.  There are plenty of gauges to keep track of the engine's performance. It's been able to go 7 knots and has had no problems or limitations on range. There were 22 attendees, including speakers. Lake level 672.23'.

May 2020 Cruise: Virtual Nautical Trivia. Louise hosted the online cruise via Zoom.  In attendance were 11 computers with 16 sailors.  Our game host divided the sailors into two teams and led an entertaining game of nautical trivia.  Team B enjoyed fair winds and following seas and finished with the most points.  Unfortunately, Team A was becalmed and set upon by pirates denying them the win. Among the questions were story telling, such as "The first time I saw the ocean" and "The first time I went sailing." Questions included, which lake is Gitche Gumee? What cruise line owned the Titanic? Which is bigger, St Thomas or St Croix? What is the eye of the wind? What is the name of a racing Catamaran Class? How long is a league? How many rudders on a skiff?  It was great fun. Lake level was 671.91’.

May 2020 Meeting: “Sailing and Seamanship – Ancient Origins” Todd gave us an excellent presentation about seafaring in the time of the Romans and the story of Paul as told in the Bible in Acts. We learned that many elements of modern navigation existed in that time. They understood the prevailing winds, currents, depths and sea floors. They used landmarks, lighthouses, range markers, lead lines, clouds, birds, and the sun and stars. They sailed eight months of the year, avoiding winter weather, aka “mare clausum.”  Paul sailed on 2 types of ships. One was smaller and sailed along the coastline from Caesarea to Myra (Turkey). He then boarded a cargo ship called a “Corbita.” They were large, up to 200’ long, and had 2 sails: a square main sail and a small foresail. It sailed best downwind and well enough on other courses no higher than a beam reach. Roman mariners steered to the lee sides of land, avoiding the dangerous windward sides.  Forced south by a contrary wind, the sailors found the lee of Crete and landed there. It was late in the year but they set out again. Soon a strong nor’easter arrived. The sailors dropped sails and secured the ship, lying ahull.  For 14 days and nights, they drifted 476 miles. When soundings showed a nearby coast, they prepared to abandon ship. When the ship struck, everyone swam to safety.  They had reached Malta, and after winter, Paul was taken on to Rome. At the meeting there were 28 attendees. Lake level 672.01'.

April 2020 Cruise: April Bird Cruise. Hosts Sheila and Robert's original plan was to sail to Arkansas Bend Park and observe the lake birds from both boat and land perspectives. However, Texas is still under the "shelter in place" rule due to the CoViD-19, so our cruise was held via Zoom instead. Sheila started the cruise by telling us how she got interested in Bird watching (started with a cardinal) and how she continues to get information from local and online resources. She and others have a variety of bird feeders in our yards. She showed us pictures of birds that are commonly found in back yards in our area. Then she showed summer birds, since summer seems to be arriving early this year. Fleet members then showed photos of birds they have seen in and around their neighborhoods. Others talked about birds they have seen. Carolina sparrows, wrens, purple martins, hummingbirds, cardinals, bluebirds, blue jays and more. We also talked about references (see photos), including Facebook "what's this bird", iBird pro, Travis County Audubon Society. In attendance were 22 members. Lake level was 674.22'

• References: 
  
• Texas Parks and Wildlife (lots of photos): tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_br_w7000_1673a.pdf
• Travis Audubon Society reference: https://travisaudubon.org/tx-backyard-birds-galleries
  
• Chapter on backyard birds in the book Attracting-Birds-Texas-Hill-Country
  
• PDF file with a checklist of birds compiled from eBird.org. These birds have been spotted around this time of year at Lake Travis and reported on the site. Lake Travis eBird Checklist

 April 2020 Meeting: "First Aid for Sailors" by Kimery. After "sheltering in place" because of the COVID-19 virus for a couple of weeks and counting, it was fun to have a zoom virtual meeting with the fleet. We're a close-knit group, with some members who have belonged to the fleet for decades, and some who have just joined. We all share the love of sailing and the camaraderie comes naturally. Kimery, owner of the The Expedition School, gave an excellent presentation. Besides offering unique adventure opportunities, Kimery and her team have helped prevent injuries and save many lives in their community as a first response medical team. Medical situations: If not if by when. Be prepared. The presentation began with a question. "What do you carry on your boat for First Aid?" She recommends 5 types of kits:

• First Aid Kit - include items for injury and wound care
• Medication Kit - chewable aspirin for heart attack and Benedryl for allergic reactions
• Repair Kit - zip ties, duct tape, WD-40, and tools
• Survival Kit - communications device such as radio and cell phone, water, batteries, food, flashlight
• Nutrition Kit - items to replenish electrolytes, sodium, and calories to fuel the body (think sugar snack and salty snack such as pickle juice and salted almonds) Everyone should have a boat tow number on their phone. Be aware of the signs of heat stroke and hypothermia.
  

See the web site for Texas Parks and Wildlife link here.
COVID-19 information link here.

In attendance were 33 members, one guest, and our speaker. Travis level 673.5'.

March 2020 “Spring St. Patrick’s Day and Wearin’ O The Green Cruise” was unfortunately canceled due to the Coronavirus 2019 and the need to maintain "social distancing" and sanitary precautions. Hosts were Mark and Diane. The plans sounded like a lot of fun so maybe we can try again later. Travis level is still around 670.0'.

March 2020 Meeting: "Trips, Traps, and Shortcuts of Bareboat Chartering in the BVIs" by Harry Polly. We learned about many things to consider when chartering in the BVIs or anywhere. Rule #1: Everything is alright, until it's not! Bring water bottles. No glass. Use an ice chest to hold beverages for the day, to minimize opening the frig/freezer. Bring paper charts and navigation tools. Rule #2: Two ways to do things, smart (which is also easy) or hard! Get a catamaran. Have  a detailed sail plan. Have a chain of command and don't try to do all by yourself ! Rule #3: I cannot tell you what works but I sure can tell you what doesn't! Get a briefing on your own chartered boat. Have a meal plan and share the work. Cruising guides are great. Link to Soper's Hole status. Thanks! There were 30 attendees and Travis level was 670.0'.

February 2020 “el Velero de Amor” "Love Boat" Cruise: It was an unusually warm, mostly sunny 75 degree day for our February “Love Boat” cruise. The winds were calm at noon and some of us sailed and some motored across the lake. Eight boats with 26 sailors rafted up in Barry’s Cove. Three members enjoyed their "first cruise" and were very impressed. Hosts James aka “Capitán Esteban” and Sara aka “Julieta la Directora de Cruzeros” welcomed each arrival with a lei and later fired up their grill to prepare “Angels on Horseback” - bacon wrapped hot dogs on a half bolillo, schmeared with refried beans with onions and garlic and then chipotle mayo on top. Other sailors brought sides and sweets to share. After dining, James called six rounds of “Loteria”, Mexican picture bingo and then handed out several rounds of nautical door prizes. Finally our hosts served cocoa with marshmallows. The wind picked up to 8 mph during the afternoon and all enjoyed a refreshing sail back to our docks. Boats included a C30, C270, C27, three C25s, and two C22’s. Lake level 670.5’. Many gracias to our hosts! (report by Meryl)

February 2020 Meeting: "Race from St Petersburg to Havana" by fleet member Steve W. He presented his experience as crew aboard a Catalina 425 sail #1 "Blue Heron," competing in the Cruising A division. The first race was in 1930. There is a sporting exception that allowed these boat to enter Cuban waters, but legal documents are still required. The race is 285 nautical miles from St Petersburg, down the west coast of Florida due south to Marina Hemingway in Havana. it took them about 60 hours, sailing from Monday  to midnight Wednesday. The crew adhered to a detailed schedule as to who's on the helm and who's not. After arrival, there were tours, festivities, and a boat parade. He showed photos, videos, and shared stories of the boat and the voyage. Thanks! By the way, he is the owner of 2 interesting web sites (including blogs, podcasts, and a charter business): https://www.sailatx.com and https://www.sailwithsteve.com.

January 2020 New Year's Resolution Cruise. It was a pleasant January day reaching 61 degrees, partly sunny, with south winds varying from 7 to 10 mph. Five boats with 18 sailors, including a new member, rafted up in Barry's Cove, where we all shared our sailing resolutions for the new year. Everyone brought their own sandwiches and drinks, but a few brought some goodies to share, such as sweet and sour meatballs and delicious caramel chocolate brownies. Everyone stated his/her 2020 Sailing resolution. They included: Participate in more fleet cruises this year; Keep a sailing journal or logbook; Have fewer boats and get them in better shape; Trailer the boat out of town for a cruising adventure; get more sailing certifications; and Sail faster! Boats include a C30, C270, C25, and two C22's. Lake Level 670.94'. (report by Meryl :-))

January 2020 Meeting: We kicked off the approximately 46th year of Catalina Fleet 69 with lively discussions about programs and cruises for 2020. We began as a Catalina 22 fleet, but as members added or moved to larger boats, we became the All Catalina Fleet 69. Look at the calendar page to see the plans we have for the year. In attendance were 35 sailors, including 2 guests who later joined, and 4 members attending their very first meeting. Welcome to all! Lake level 671.0', which is 3' above "average" and steady.

December 2019 Holiday Party: The 2019 All Catalina Fleet 69 Holiday Party was a fun and festive evening at the Austin Yacht Club for Austin's Catalina Sailors. In attendance were 67 sailors, including experienced and novice sailors, "old" and new fleet members, and guests (12). We shared stories of our adventures and cruises of 2019 and plans for 2020. We talked, we ate, we presented recognitions and awards, and we exchanged gifts. We also installed new officers: Commodore Louise, Vice Commodore Meryl, Treasurer Robert, Secretaries Sheila, Diana, and Cheryl. Appointees: Historians Clay and Cheryl. A great time was had by all. The weather was mild and the lake level was 670.0'. Happy Sails to all in 2020!

November 2019 Hot Toddy Cruise: Hosts: Louise and Walter. It was a rare beautiful autumn day with temperatures in the 60's, mostly sunny, and winds around 10. It was a good day to sail to and from Barry's Cove. We enjoyed a wide variety of hot beverages, including spice tea, hot chocolate, and special concoctions with honey, cinnamon, and more. We intended to play a nautical trivia game but got distracted by lively conversations and discussions. So it was postponed to 2020. There were 7 boats with 15 sailors.C270 (7 people), C22, C25, C25, and C250. Lake level 671.4'.

November 2019 Meeting: Shackleton's Boat Journey. John G gave a presentation on Shackleton's Boat Journey by Frank Arthur Worsley, navigator of the ship Endurance and part of the 1914 journey after the original boat (Endurance) was crushed by Ice (in 1915), leaving the 28 men stranded on pack ice.  The crew drifted on the flow ice for over a year. They managed to launch the 3 life boats and reach Elephant Island some 60 miles away. The focus of the talk was the dangerous journey in freezing weather on one of the row boats which the crew had managed to jury rig into a sail boat. Six men made the journey in 30 degree weather to South Georgia Island some 650 nautical miles away in about 16 days. Read Wikipedia to learn about the other parts of the journey, including how the crew got over the mountain to the whaling station on the other side of the Island, as well as the voyage to rescue the remaining 28 crew members.
We also announced the winners of the 2019 photo contest, the first one since 2014. Categories and winners were the following: Scenic - Sue and Diane. People - Cheryl and Clay. Other - Dianna and Todd. Congratulations to everyone for submitting a competitive set of photos "of a boat or from a boat." ! Prizes were West Marine gift cards.
There were 39 attendees, including one guest / former program speaker / C22 owner. Lake level 671.3' and steady.

Oktoberfest 2019 Cruise: Ach du lieber it was a wunderbar cruise. It was a beautiful autumn day with temperatures in the 60's and winds 5-10. Two days before, it was in the 90's and the day before, the 50's. Hosts Diane and Mark provided 2 types of sausage as well as a mini-keg of German beer and oomp-a music. Others brought sauerkraut, red cabbage, German potato salads, fruit, German chocolate cupcakes and brownies, pumpkin cookies, and other German-themed sides. All delicious. We played a mug holding contest to see who could hold a large glass mug of water with one arm extended for the longest time (2 minutes?) Rafting up in Barry's Cove were 2 C-270s, one C-30, 2 C-22s (with new members on first cruise), one C-25, and one Capri 22 (Lake it or Knot, attending her first cruise with new owners!) In all there were 7 boats and 19 attendees. Lake level 672.5'.

October 2019 Meeting: Tips for Taking Pics on Lake Travis and the PBJ Sailing Series at the Austin Yacht Club, by professional photographer and AYC member Bill Records. Bill pointed out that the Texas sun is about the worst lighting you can find for photos. In addition to the sun, taking photos of sailboats on Lake Travis is tough because of all the white (caliche, sails, boats - everything is white!). His suggestions are to use a fast shutter speed and try to take pictures in the early morning and early evening when the light is less harsh. And, to be in the right place at the right time to get a great photo.

The second part of the presentation focused on the AYC PBJ Summer Sailing Series for kids 4-10 years old. We were treated to several photos of adorable 4 and 5 year olds sailing Optis. We also learned a bit about how you teach sailing such a young group and the history of the series as a way to increase membership. For more information about the programs offered by AYC, go to austinyachtclub.net. There were 32 attendees, including our speaker and one guest. Lake level 672.6'.

September 2019 Breakfast Cruise. We've been having Breakfast Cruises for at least 31 years. In 1988 it was the Mimosa cruise. It's always a popular favorite and this one met the high expectations. Many thanks to Batter Blaster hosts, Clay and Robert. We met up at the renovated Arkansas Bend Park, which now has picnic tables, grills, steps, shade, walking paths, playground and bathrooms with running water, soap, and hand dryers! We had pancakes, bacon, mini-sausages, eggs, fruit, toppings, pecan rolls, and more. There were plenty of trees for shade so even tho it was another 100 degree day (!) in September, we stayed cool enough. Three boats (C30, C250, C22) with 4 sailors spent the star-lit night with bows tied up the shore and anchors to keep them off the shore. In the morning, 4 cars and a C25 arrived. In all, there were 13 sailors. At lake level 674', we had to wade or swim to get to shore. A few feet higher or lower, depending upon where you tie up, it might be possible to step off the bow of a C22 onto land.

Note: The weekend before, there was an informal Full Moon Cruise at Arkansas Bend. There were 3 boats (C22, C250, C270) and six sailors. The weather was perfect. It all just shows that the Catalina is a wonderful boat for cruising and sometimes racing! Come join the fun.

September 2019 Meeting: Sailing Travel Stories. Todd told us about sailing with friends from Narragansett Bay to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Island on a 42' Jeanneau. It was in the month of May, when the weather was cool but pleasant, and very few other boats were in the anchorages. Joe and Joy told us about their sailing time on Lake Erie from Cleveland with fleet members Dave and Dianne on a Catalina 35. Gary and Paulette and Louise and Walter talked about a June cruise in the BVIs and USVIs on a two Moorings 48 foot catamarans. They were part of a flotilla of 9? boats, which included crew who were getting certified in ASA 103, 104, and 114. This included the 36 mile and 5 hour sail to St Croix. Harry, the Flotilla leader, gave us more information about the cruise. James and Sarah told us about their fun trip sailing their very own Catalina 22 from Rockport to Port Aransas in March. More details coming.
It was a popular meeting with 37 attendees, including 34 members (one joined that evening) and 3 guests or visitors who plan to join this fun and informative fleet! Lake level is 674.9'. Water temperature is 85.5 degrees! Air temp has been around 100 all week.

August 2019 Wok n Roll Land Cruise: We've been doing this biennial favorite for about 25 years. The first year it was done outside on the shores of Lake Travis, cooking shrimp puffs and stir fry dishes on a propane-fired stove. After that year, we decided to do this inside with A/C and during the hottest month of the year. Norma and her cooking and host team of Akiko, Robert, Clay, and Sheila put on an incredible buffet of delicious dishes. They included Roast Duck flavored tofu egg rolls, salad with ramen noodles and mandarin oranges, BBQ Pork (Char Siu), Kung-pao Fried Shrimp, Sweet and Sour Meatballs, Chicken with Mushrooms and Broccoli, Pepper Steak with Cashew Nuts, Fried Brown Rice with Eggs, Jasmine White Rice, Almond Jelly, Almond Cookies, and Fortune Cookies. Many many thanks to this team for all the work and effort they put in to make this an incredible meal. In addition, attendees brought delicious appetizers and salad. There were 37 in attendance and Lake Level 677.72'.

August 2019:  "Update on Sea Scouts: Ship 0441, Lake Travis" , presented by 2 leaders, Jeff and Dee, and 3 scouts.  Many thanks for a well-presented program about Sea Scouts, the local Ship 441, and photos and stories of their adventures this year. We were impressed by the Ship's dedication and monthly activities. They've been to Sea Scout Training in Galveston, sailing on Lake Travis and other lakes, rock climbing, kayaking, Port Aransas, and most of all a expedition trip to Atikokan, Ontario (Quetico and Crownlands). The latter involved canoeing, portaging through muddy waters, and camping in the great outdoors without any of the modern conveniences and connections. In attendance were 26 members, 1 visitor who will join, and 5 speakers. Total 32. Lake level 678.6' and falling.

July 2019 Cruise to the Gnarly Gar. Host, Robert. It was a fun cruise to the renovated Gnarly Gar restaurant (http://www.gnarlygar.com/) which is on the north side of Lake Travis, across from Lakeway and near Point Venture. Near LCRA Marker 17. The 11 attendees, including 2 guests, enjoyed brunch and burgers. Most of us went by car in the 100 degree heat, but one Catalina 250 sailboat came from AYC (mile 6). The wind was on the nose at every turn and the motor-sail took about 2.75 hours. There was a good following wind for the sail home, which took about 2.5 hours. We didn't see any gars in the water, but there were plenty of catfish, ducks, and live music to entertain us. It was fun and worth another visit. Lake level 679.89' and falling.

July 2019 Meeting: First Aid, CPR, and Safety Outdoors, presented by Kimery, founder and director of the Expedition School https://www.expeditionschool.com.  Here are the notes: First Aid. She has extensive experience in providing first aid/CPR training. Whether on the water, single track mountain bike terrain, or open water swims, Kimery and her ES team has helped prevent injuries and save many lives in their community as a first response medical team. AND she has a Catalina 22! The key to water safety is to develop layers of protection by learning CPR, first aid, wearing life jackets, and being prepared.  Kimery suggested that people read about “real life scenarios” to help prepare for outdoor emergencies. There were 10 attendees. Everyone must have been traveling this week! Lake level 680.7'.  

2 years Before the Mast – by  Richard Henry Dana, Jr, recommended by Clay. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/335397.Two_Years_Before_the_Mast
Endurance --by Alfred Lansing, recommended by Walter. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/139069.Endurance
Heavy Weather Sailing – by Peter Bruce, recommended by Warren. https://www.amazon.com/Adlard-Coles-Heavy-Weather-Sailing/dp/0713668679

• Tall Ships: http://www.galvestonhistory.org/events/tall-ships-galveston-2
• Participating ships: http://www.galvestonhistory.org/events/tallships/participating-ships
• The Parade: http://www.galvestonhistory.org/events/tallships/parade-of-sail
  
• Tall Ships Challenge, Gulf Coast 2018: http://www.sailtraining.org/tallships/2018Gulf/TSC2018index.php
• Go sailing on a Tall Ship! http://www.galvestonhistory.org/events/tallships/sailing
• Race from Galveston to Pensacola. Berths are available for passage from Galveston to Pensacola and New Orleans

June 2016 Meeting: China’s Maritime Disputes, by Todd, Maritime History Lecturer.The History of this conflict and the US’s Pivot to Asia. Here are some additional references: “11-dash line,” Suzerainty, United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. 29 attendees, including 3 guests. Lake Level 692' and falling, and closed until noon on Friday, 6/10/16.

May 2016 Cruise: Turnback Canyon Regatta. For the first time in 5 years (2011), thanks to the (more than) full lake level, this popular regatta "got back" to Lago Vista. On Saturday, over 60 boats sailed 20 miles up the lake in moderate southerly winds (reaching and downwind) to Bar-K Park in Lago Vista. It took 4 hours for the Catalina 30s. We anchored our boats, tied to shore, swam to cool off, and went to Lago Fest, which included plenty of  food (BBQ, Mexican, Cajun) and music (including the Beatles cover band, The Eggmen). After an entertaining lightning show to the north, rain storms rolled in, and sailors retired to their boat cabins, tents, or other accommodations. On Sunday, the upwind sail was challenging with light and shifty SE winds and power boats everywhere. The race course was shortened at LCRA Marker 14, near Hurst Creek. That was 4.5 hours in a C30. Race participation included 3 fleet boats and 5 fleet members (should have been 6, ask Clay.) At Lago Fest, there 11 fleet members and family/friends. Lake level 684'. Photos.

May 2016 Meeting:  "Basic Navigation and Piloting - a Path to Earn Your ASA-105 Certification," by Captain Harry, who is an ASA 101, 103, 104, 105, and 106 instructor and a US Sailing Small Boat Sailing Instructor Level 1. This was a very informative presentation on Navigation, Cruising locations, Useful tools and references, and opportunities for expanding knowledge and gaining certifications. He has led navigation courses on boats in the Caribbean twice a year for many years. Students on board take on the serious roles of Captain, Helms-person, Navigator, and Engineer, all in rotation so everyone gets experience and testing on navigation, including night-time.
Basics: Where am I and how do I get to where I want to go?
Types of Navigation: Line of Sight, Dead Reckoning, GPS, and Celestial. All are important, and it is also important to gather information from multiple sources, to verify & correlation for accuracy. Do not depend on the GPS alone. Confirm your position with the depth. Get your head out of the boat. Work well with the team.
References:
U.S. Chart No. 1 describes the symbols, abbreviations and terms used on all NOAA, NGA and international nautical charts, as well as the symbols used to portray NOAA ENC® charts on ECDIS. http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/chartno1.htm
How to Read a Nautical Chart, by Nigel Calder. amazon.com/How-Read-Nautical-Chart-Understanding/dp/0071779825
The Weekend Navigator, by Bob Sweet. amazon.com/Weekend-Navigator-2nd-Robert-Sweet/dp/0071759964. Read what the the U.S. Power Squadron and the U.S. Coast Guard trust as the definitive authority on electronic navigation.
Attendees: 17, including 16 members, 1 guest, including our speaker.

April 2016 Cruise: Olympics Scramble Cruise. We met North of D Marker near Barry’s Cove and Starnes Island. A temporary buoy was set up for On-the-Water Events, including being on time, hailing on the radio, sailing around the buoy, and heaving too. We then went to Barry's Cove for the following events: anchoring, rope toss, crew starting the engine, finding first aide kit, finding and properly putting on life jackets. All this included snacks and sandwiches. Many thanks to our hosts, Todd & Patti, Robert & Sheila. Sunny, light air, but we managed to sail anyways. Six boats, including 5 sailboats and a power boat. 14 people. Lake level 684' (or almost). Photos: Google.

April 2016 Meeting: "Amazing Restorations of Older Catalina 22's" by Jon F and James D.

March 2016 St Patrick's Irish Green Cruise: The Luck of the Irish was upon us as we had a beautiful March day for sailing. Five boats and 18 sailors enjoyed the afternoon in Barry's Cove. We had Irish stew, Corned beef sandwiches, Green bars & cookies, Irish veggies, and more. Temps were in the 70's and winds around 10. Co-hosts were Steve, Cheryl, Cindy & Paul. A fun time was had by all. Lake level was 679.43' (and rising to 681' one week later.)

March 2016 Meeting: Co-Commodores Gary and John talked about Polynesian Navigators.  Starting around 1500 BC, sailing was a key part of the Polynesian culture. They sailed to South America, North America, Indonesia, Easter Island. Historians have found corresponding languages, food, etc. all over. They used the sun and stars to navigate. Also, proximity to islands was determined by winds and clouds (Color reflections off of islands), waves and swells, birds (40 miles from island if small) and fish. Notches on boat that line up with the stars and the circle (latitude.) Paid attention to where they had been. Canoe had a spiritual connection.
In 1976, a group decided to recreate the Polynesian sail from Hawaii to Tahiti. They had help by a master navigator. The Hōkūleʻa was the name of the sailboat. In 2007, the Polynesian Navigation Society graduated 17 Master Navigators.
* For an excellent presentation on this subject titled "Never Lost," go to and study http://www.exploratorium.edu/neverlost/ .
* Read about the Hōkūleʻa  and the Polynesian Voyaging Society: http://www.hokulea.com/. The site has numerous interesting links. It was built in Honolulu, Hawaii and launched on March 8, 1975.  It is now approaching Cuba after having sailed over 140,000 nautical miles across the Pacific. Length: 62 feet,  Width: 20 feet.  Hōkūleʻa is the Hawaiian name for the star Arcturus.
* Mau Piailug, was navigator from a small island called Satawal, in Micronesia. He was key in the education of Polynesian Navigation. Here is a video tribute to him, complete with chants: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGzc38ODWEg.
* Learn about the 32-point Star Compass: http://pvs.kcc.hawaii.edu/ike/hookele/on_wayfinding.html.

February 2016 Valentine's Cruise: Our newly engaged couple and sweethearts, Lane and Mary, hosted this cruise in Barry's Cove. Reports say that there were 5 boats and 19 people in attendance. They told stories of first sailing adventures with sweethearts. High was 71 and southerly winds were 5-12 with early gusts to 17. Lake level 677.6'. 

February 2016 Meeting: Sailing Photography. Bill R is a professional photographer and an active member of the Austin Yacht Club. He has combined those skills and takes many photos of the regattas and kids programs at the club. He proceeded to show us great photos of many regattas, kids, races, and close ups of participants.
His advice when photographing is to put the camera away between 10am and 4 or 5 pm. The light is more interesting before or after those times. He prefers photos that are 2x3 format. For Junior and other sailors, remember "Tiller Towards the Trouble." There were 4 photos entered in the contest although there was no clear “ winner” announced. 20 members attended. Lake level 677.6' and steady. No rain since January 6.

January 2016 Bloomin' Cedar Fever Cruise: On a sunny and cool January day, 3 boats and 7 sailors sailed to Barry's Cove and rafted up. It was a very pleasant day to be on the lake, with very few boats around. Even tho the temps were in the 50's, the winds were light and we did not feel cold. We enjoyed hot chocolate, hot tea, hummus dip with veggies, Alouette dip and crackers, chocolate liqueurs, brownies, and shrimp. There was no specific host. Lake level is a beautiful 677.5' and steady.

January 2016 Meeting: Officers for 2016 are as follows: Co-Commodores Gary and John G. VC James. Treasurer Robert. Secretary includes a crew of 12, coordinated by Cheryl. Appointed positions include Cruise Director Diane and Historians Cheryl and Clay. The meeting was held at Mangia's on Mesa. Attendance included 32 members. Lake level 677.35. Gary led the meeting, Kimberly took minutes. The program was to talk about what program topics and cruise themes (and dates) we'd like to have this year. Many ideas were bounced around. The calendar will be updated when specifics are determined. It was a great start to the new year.

December 2015: Fleet Holiday Party. On a relatively warm and humid evening, 40 members met at the Austin Yacht Club to celebrate the past year, renew acquaintances, and look forward to the coming year. For the record, 46 were originally expected, 40 attended appetizers, 36 had dinner, and 34 were there for the gift exchange. The Catalina 22 Fleet 69 (racing at AYC) was also included. Several fleet members belong to both Catalina Fleets. Ten attendees are members of AYC. Cheryl coordinated the event with decorations by Diane, Kimberly, and Cindy. Joe and Robert prepared the meats. Co-Commodore Steve led the recognitions. Last year's Stough Award recipient Diane awarded the 2015 Stough Award to Steve and Akiko. Congratulations! Read all about it here. Many many thanks to all the Fleet Contributors in 2015. Photos. Lake level 674.7'.

November 2015 on Lake Travis Cruise: One boat braved the threat of rain and went sailing. In spite of the forecasts of a 40% chance of rain, there was essentially none. It was cloudy and cool, with temps in the 60's, and winds were light. One boat, not sure how many crew. Say 4. Lake level 671.5.

November 2015 Kemah / Galveston Bay Cruise Weekend was planned for Saturday and Sunday, November 7 & 8. Twelve participated. On Friday we did the pre-charter walk-thru of "Paradise," a 42' Hunter center-cockpit sailboat from Windward Sea Ventures, based in Kemah. Friday Dinner (Nov 6) at Joe Lee's was an excellent choice by our "local knowledge expert."
On Saturday the forecast and result were cold (60's), windy (gusts in the 20's), and rainy. We went shopping, eating, and touring. Went to the new location of Boaters' Resale and found good bargains. Went to West Marine, of course. Lunch at T-Bone Tom's. Some of us went to the San Jacinto Monument and the Battleship Texas. Others tried to go to Galveston to see the Elissa, but it was closed because of the motorcycle rally. Dinner was at Baytown Seafood in La Porte.
On Sunday, we were ready for sailing. It was a perfect day with temps in the 60's and sunny to partly cloudy. Winds in the teens. We sail up towards the cruise ship channel and observed a cruise ship preparing to depart. Did not see any dolphins and even the pelicans were rather sparse this day.
Sunday dinner was Monument Inn.
Monday, we had ten. Winds were lighter but we had expert light-air sailors aboard, so we found the wind and had another fun day of sailing.
Some then left for home, and the remaining 6 had dinner at an Italian restaurant that is popular with the astronauts, Frenchies.
Many many thanks to John G, who was the organizer, skipper, and boat charterer of record. And thanks to all who participated! Lake Travis level 671.1.
November 2015 Meeting: The Speaker was Flotilla Commander of the U.S. Coast Guard, Berhilo Galvan. He had some interesting stories about safety and rescues of Lake Travis and the Highland lakes. The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed, all-volunteer component of the United States Coast Guard. The Auxiliary was created by an Act of Congress in 1939. The Auxiliary conducts safety patrols on local waterways, assist in Search and Rescue, teach boating safety classes, conduct free vessel safety checks for the public, provide boating safety literature to dealers, as well as many other activities related to recreational boating safety. The Coast Guard considers the Auxiliary its primary resource for recreational boating safety outreach and prevention.
Gary led nominations and elections of 2016 officers. Co-Commodores: Gary and John G. VC: James. Treasurer: Robert. Secretary: A crew, one per month.
Attendees: 22. Lake level: 671.5. 

October 2015 Mediterranean Competition Cruise: The first-ever Catalina Mediterranean Travis cruise included boats from France, Montenegro, Gibraltar, Lebanon, Greece, Morocco, Slovenia, and Spain. Each boat was decorated and crews brought food, costumes, decorations, music, and knowledge of their countries. Nick & Jessica were the judges (They are the proprietors of Cafe Malta, a Mediterranean Restaurant in Southwest Austin & well traveled Mediterranean explorers.). Competition was tight but Mark and Diane of Morocco were the winners. Many thanks to our hosts Steve and Akiko for this clever and fun idea. There were 8 boats, 2 cars, 24 fleet members, and 2 guests. We met at Sandy Creek Marina. Travis lake level was 665.7' and falling. Near record temperatures were in the 90's and winds were light.

October 2015 Meeting: Chuck Wheeler of The Sailboat Shop talked about on the season that was and what is trending. Lake level 665.8'. 25 attendees, including our speaker.

September 12-13, 2015 Breakfast Batter Blaster Cruise: It had been 5 years since we've had a breakfast cruise at Arkansas Bend, North Cove (map) and it was great to be back. Many thanks to our Batter Blaster Team, Joe, Clay, John, Robert, and Joy. At lake level 667.4', there was plenty of water. Each boat dropped a stern anchor, tied the bow up to shore, and some were close enough to allow cruisers to step off the bow onto the shore. We also had a LBRB (Little Bitty Rubber Boat) that served well for transporting people and things. The weather could not be better, as a break in the hot (upper 90's) weather dropped 10 degrees day and night, and there was a nice breeze. Saturday: There were 5 boats and 7 sailors. There was also a truck and trailer with grill, cooker, and smoker. For dinner we grilled burgers, hot dogs, bratwurst, chili, and steak. There were also educational aspects to the cruise. We used our VHF radios to communicate while boats were under way. As boats approached the cove, sailors on land and sea used signal mirrors to communicate. After sunset, we enjoyed the lights of the stars and airplanes. Steve used a flashlight beam to point to constellations, planets, and bright stars. Binoculars were also used. Overnight, the temps dropped into the 60's but the warm lake water (85 degrees) kept us warm. In the morning, 11 more sailors arrived in 1 boat and 5 cars. Total attendance was 18 with 6 boats and 6 vehicles. Driving to the park is fairly easy: https://goo.gl/maps/VWMbe and driving directions. The Batter Blaster Team cooked up eggs, pancakes, bacon, little smokies, and served syrup, orange juice, coffee, and mimosas. Others brought fruit (including Akiko's beautiful fruit tray), bagels, breads, and more coffee. We enjoyed it all under the tent and in a circle of folding chairs. Afterwards, the boat people went for a swim. Then, we all enjoyed a delightful sail back to our marinas. Many many thanks to our hosts and everyone involved. Let's do it again! Photos.

September 2015 Meeting: Our speaker and fleet member, John G, presented a slide show of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (CBMM) and the Tall Ships in Philadelphia this summer. At the CBMM they saw various boats that are unique to the east coast such as the skip-jacks, a flat bottom boat used to harvest oysters and a log canoe. The Tall Ships Festival in Philadelphia main attraction was the French ship replica L'Hermione sailed by Lafayette in the Revolutionary War. The warship was 217 feet long, 40 feet wide with a draft of 16 feet and could reach 13 knots speed with all sails being used, and had 32 cannons. Lafayette and his navy played a major part in the Revolutionary War blockade of Chesapeake Bay and the defeat of the British. Tied along the shore of the Delaware River were a 16^th century galleon replica; the "Eagle" a coast guard boat built in 1937; the battleship "The New Jersey" which saw action in World War II, Korea, Vietnam and the Persian Gulf retired in 1991; a 1925 wooden gaff rigged schooner, and restoration of 1888 Elf and a copy of the 1812 "Lynx," a privateer ship. The "Sagres" departed for Portugal under full sail from the docks. Quite impressive. Pointers: The Philadelphia-Camden Tall Ships Festival 2015, Philadelphia Independence Seaport Museum, and the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum,  tallshipsphiladelphia.com/ships/ .
There were 24 attendees, including 2 guests and new owners of a Catalina, Karen & Dale. Welcome! Lake level is 667.5' and falling.
p.s. Watch out for the power lines over Lake Travis. Details here.

August 2015 Wok n Roll Land Cruise. It was hot and the winds are light in August, so Norma and Clay cooked up a storm of Chinese dishes at the home of Robert and Sheila. This was the 8th time they have put on this buffet of Chinese delights for the fleet. We had tofu and vegetables egg rolls, prawn chips, Cantonese roast duck, BBQ Pork (Char Siu), sweet and sour chicken wings, pepper steak with cashew nuts, shrimp and seafood with vegetables, fried brown rice with Chinese Sausage, steamed Jasmine rice, fortune cookies, almond cookies, Oolong Tea. Attendees brought appetizers, salads, and desserts. There were 33 attendees. Lake level 669.4'. Photos.

August 2015 Meeting: Capt. Greg, Rear Admiral of the Austin Sailing Society, gave us a talk on anchoring. He not only talked about 'how to' but how the darn things work and will cover some of the newer fangled devices that are out there. He covered everything from the basics (which we could all review by reading one of those basic sailing books we all have at home) to the more advanced cruising situations that involve tides and other boats in an anchorage. Take your time to find the right anchorage. Practice effective communications between bow and stern. Have the appropriate size and type of anchor, chain, rode, and number of anchors. Different bottom surfaces have different requirements. Greg recommended googling Tom Neale's articles, which you can find online in such places as Sea Savvy. 28 attendees. Welcome to new members, Lydia and John! Lake level is 669.5'.

August 2015: Balloons over Lake Travis: This was the 25th year of this event, usually held the first or second Saturday of August at sunrise. Sunrise was at 6:54. Balloons first became visible from the lake around 6:49, and take off was around 7:10. There were many sailboats and power boats in the area near Mansfield Dam Park, hovering over Sometimes Islands since the lake is around 670'. This year, there 6 balloons, but only 5 actually left the park. There were 2 red/white/blue realtor balloons, one Texas flag-like balloon, one red/yellow/blue checkered one, one pink/yellow/turquoise, and one green/yellow/red. One of them "dipped the basket" (or nearly did so, as it was too far to tell for sure) in the lake. Winds were near 10 from the at the surface. They flew over Commander's point, Travis Landing, then over towards Volente. The number has varied from year to year. It was well worth the effort to get up early and leave the dock by 6 am. Many people drove to the park to observe. Central Texas Ballooning Association: centraltexasballooning.org.

July 2015 Catalina Sailing Scramble: The Sailing Scramble Cruise, hosted by Todd and Patti, was a fun cruise with maneuvers and tasks to accomplish while under sail and at anchor in Barry's Cove. On the water, we had to arrive at D-Mark (north of Starnes) by 2 pm, check-in via VHF radio, heave to, pick up a mooring, and do 2 man-overboard drills, while reaching and running. At anchor, the crew had to find the first aid kit, put a band-aid at the tack of the main, start the engine, and retrieve the fire extinguisher. Details. After all that, we sailed, swam, ate, awarded prizes, and toasted the hosts' wedding anniversary. What a great idea...let's do it again! Lake level is a luxurious 671.52', weather was sunny, 90's, and light wind. There were 7 boats and 20 participants for the first half, 4 boats and 13 participants for the second half. For the third half, there was an additional boat with 6 people. Photos. and/or G-Photos.

July 2015 Meeting: Our speakers this month represented the Sea Scouts Ship that is associated with AYC, "SSS Old Ironsides." It is ship 681 of Lago Vista. We first heard an excellent presentation by a 15-year-old Sea Scout, who is working his way up the Sea Scout ranks from Apprentice to Ordinary, Able, and Quarter Master. He told us about a recent cruise on a retired coast guard ship in the Gulf of Mexico and the ICW, where they cruised 24 hour a day for several days. They had to deal with navigation (including communications with tugs speaking in heavy accents in the night) and engine maintenance. He enthusiastically described his experience with sailing, boat safety, maintenance, & handling, seamanship, as well as knowledge of 20 kinds of knots. He aspires to a career in the Merchant Marines. If a scout works all the way up the ranks, they automatically earn the Military rank of E-3. The organization is open to both boys and girls.
He was followed by Chris S, who is the Skipper of SSS Old Ironsides. Sea Scouts are a part of Boy Scouts of America, and is a program for Scouts in High School up to the age of 20 or 21. If you have any friends or family who might be interested, this is an excellent opportunity to learn seamanship, along with the skills of leadership, discipline, citizenship and to be prepared. Learn more at  bsacac.org/scouting/sea_scouting or seascout.org. Meeting Attendance: 18 members and 2 guests. Lake level holding steady at 671.46'.

June 2015: Flor de Caña Cruise. 2015's 8th Annual Flor de Caña cruise, hosted by Salvador and Nina at Arkansas Bend. 8 boats, 29 sailors. At lake level 670.1' (40' higher than last month's cruise), the cove looked very different with overgrown bushes. We all enjoyed sailing up the lake on a nice breeze, then rafted up with bow and stern shore lines. Nicaraguan Foods were fantastic, as were the beverages. There was some rain on the anchorage but the air was warm. Later, we went swimming. Around 5:30 we started to leave to motor home. Half-way there, it rained and rained. Spirits were not dampened and good times were had by all. Photos.

June 2015 Meeting: Todd has an excellent series of presentations called "Pirates, Patriots, and Privateers," and this month he talked about "Barbary Coast Pirates and the Birth of the US Navy."  It was very interesting and I obviously need to do more reading on this topic, including the Tripolitan War (aka first Barbary War (1801-1805), Napoleonic Wars, paying of tribute to the Barbary Pirates, Commodore William Bainbridge (US Navy), Dey of Algiers, Xebec Mediterranean sailing shops, William Eaton, and the frigate class ships such as the USS Constitution. We learned about how the frigates were built to be strong, but selecting word from specific types of trees from various parts of the nation, based on the wood's shape and flexibility. Todd recommended a 1950's news reel called "America's Enduring Past," about the USS Constitution. I didn't find anything with that name, but this you-tube link on the Constitution, done in the 1950's, looks very informative. Thanks, Todd! Lake level 669.02'. 22 attendees.

Turnback Canyon Regatta (5/23-24/15): It was a weekend of sailing, music, rain, wind, and floods. Central Texas experienced floods, loss of lives, and extensive property damage. Lake Travis rose 7' Saturday night, and 10' Friday to Sunday. The weekend started at around 637'. By Sunday evening it was 647'. By Tuesday morning, 655.5'. Recalling some stats: On 1/1/2015 it was 623.34'  (>32' feet rise to Tuesday a.m. over the Memorial Day weekend. ) At the beginning of May (5/1/15) it was 629.5' (26' rise). You can view lake history at travis.uslakes.info/Level.asp. John's sailtravis.us, and the LCRA daily report.

Turnback Regatta was a great success in spite of the rain. There were 3 races: 2 on Saturday, which went up past mile marker 14, just past Hurst Creek and before that huge Crosswater marina, and back. One on Sunday, around the buoys. Saturday evening there were 3 bands, 3 food trucks: juices, cupcakes, and Mexican/Italian, and BBQ. One fleet boat raced, and that was Robert and Sheila on their C250. Keith crewed on a Ranger 23 (which received a nice 4th place trophy.) Other fleet members co-chaired (Steve), decorated (Diane), served on race committee (Steve S), did registration, helped with dinner tickets, helped around the club, took photos, hauled centerboard boats as the lake rose, went on the spectator boat and came to dinner. I can think of 19 fleet participants. Thanks to all! The large set of AYC photos is here. The subset with Catalina participants, and more, is here.

Cinco de Mayo Cruise (5/16/15): Hosts James & Sarah (food), Todd & Patti (host boat). Sandy Creek Marina. Sailing there was downwind and fun.  Good location, with a nice dock and the ramp getting there wasn't too bad (and there was a funicular for part of the trip). No lost anchors and no rocking boats. Lake level was good for fixed keel boats. Great food (quesadilla tacos, sort of) and beverages (grapefruit fizz with additions.) There were 3 boats with 7 sailors, 7 cars with 11 more, for a total of 18. Lake level 631.36' and rising. Photos.

May 14, 2015 Meeting: Vic of AYC was our guest speaker. He told us everything we always wanted to know about the Austin Yacht Club, how to become a member, learning opportunities, the programs for kids, plans for the future and more. Attendees included 22 members and our guest speaker. Lake Level 630.8' and rising)

April 2015 Galveston Charter Cruise, aka Third Coast Cruise: April 11-12, Kemah to Galveston and back. Charter was canceled due to the forecasts. Eight sailors went anyways and enjoyed an evening and a day in Kemah and Galveston. We will attempt to reschedule the charter in October. Here are the original details:

• Coordinator: John G. He will captain one boat and Gary will captain the other.
  
• Where: Watergate Marina on Clear Lake to Harbor House Marina in Galveston on Saturday and return on Sunday.
• We are chartering with windwardseaventure.com/charter-fleet. Beneteau 40 "Mary Jane" and Hunter 42 "Paradise". 10 people per boat.
• Accommodations: Stay on the boat for a small fee or stay in nearby hotels.
• Food: We'll go out for dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings. Bring your own beverages, snacks and lunch on board for the day sails
• Of interest: The Elissa and exhibits at the Texas Seaport Museum link
• Lake level 628.54'
  

April 9, 2015 Meeting: Sail Making 101 by John Bartlett, bartlettsails.com, talked about Sail-making 101. He is a local sail-maker with an excellent reputation. He races locally and afar on all types of boats, including a Moth. He is also a cruiser. His sailcloth provider of choice is Dimension-Polyant.
He said sails are "all about the cloth" and talked about the different types. Some are better for racers (such as laminates, which have short lifespans) and some for cruisers. Dacron is still an excellent choice for cruisers. His favorite sail cloth is polyester molded Dacron, which get better with each generation. For Catalina cruising sails that are functional and durable, consider film weight and thread count. For each boat, one needs to find that sweet spot angle of heel that balances the boat, usually 10 to 12 degrees of angle. Thanks, John! There were 20 attendees. Lake level 628.38'.
P.S. For entertainment, look at Sailing Anarchy.

March 2015 Cruise: Jane Bond Cruise. Agent 007 would have to agree that this was the best weather weekend all year. Agents Jane (Bond) and Lane co-hosted a fun "James Bond" theme cruise with a tricky trivia game and appropriate beverages, near the north end of Sometimes Peninsula. Agents brought gold-themed foods to nourish the gathering, as we schemed our next assignments. Some dressed to kill. There were 19 sailors with 5 boats present and 12 boats represented. Temps were in the 60's, winds were light. Lake level was 626.86'. Last year, SPECTRE attempted revenge by grabbing onto an anchor, but MI6 prevailed. Not so this time. The score was 3-1. In any case, it was fun and many thanks to our hosts for a great time. Lake level = 626.86'. Photos.

March 2015 Meeting: Captain Harry Polly, ASA Master Sailing Instructor. He is an ASA instructor for ASA 101, 103, 104, 105, 106, and maybe even more. He has certified sailors not only on Lake Travis, but also on the Texas Coast and Lakes, Galveston, and the BVIs. He has had his own sailing school around Dallas and taught open water sailing for a week around Hawaii. He is very interesting and informative, with a wealth of sailing knowledge and stories. Lake level 626.48'. Attendees included 31 members and 4 guests.

February 2015 Cruise: We had a little of everything on this cruise on the 15th of February. Winds varied from 18 to zero. Sometimes it rained. Mostly it was cloudy. Temperature reached 70, but by the next morning, it was in the 30's and rainy. It was good weather for ducks, as you will see in the photos. There were 3 boats sailing and the ten sailors represented at least six boats. (maybe 16 boats, depending upon how you count.) We sailed from AYC or Keller's Marina to Starnes Island, to just past Devil's Cove, back to the island and south towards mile marker 5. It was a fun day for all. Lake level 625.7'. Photos.

February 2015 Meeting: "Standing on the Shoulders of Claudius Ptolemy" or "What is this Old Guy doing in my Chart Plotter?" Exploring the relationship between time and place, Captain Greg, Licensed as a 100 ton USCG Captain about 1990, received his Certification as an ASA instructor around 1995, and serves as the Rear Admiral of the Austin Sailing Society. In his day job, he uses GPS and GIS to gather field data in creating cartography for the Official Departmental Map for TxDOT and in the regulation of billboards. He has skippered square topsail schooners on three coasts and the Great Lakes as well as pleasure vessels in the Caribbean and on Lake Travis. His personal sloop is the Catalina 28, Mk II “Ruthmary T.”
There were 28 attendees plus our speaker. Lake level 625.5'.
To learn more, watch these:

•  "Earth, Parallels and Meridians, Latitude and Longitude [IGEO TV ]  youtube.com/watch?v=ChBhKPhB4VE 
  
•   Videos from the Volvo Around the World Race, when the Team Vestas Wind boat ran aground in the Indian Ocean.
  
• 2 minutes: youtube.com/watch?v=1gmnWEZCEiw
• 6 minutes: youtube.com/watch?v=iBqsKqWIJ0I

January 2015 Boat Show & Spontaneous Cruise:
The Austin Boat Show had one kayak with a sail, 2 Beneteau sails (not the boats) hanging from the ceiling, and lots and lots of power boats and campers. Plus there were exhibits with cushions, drones, cooking pans, yard sticks, and marina promoters. At least 5 of us went and handed out a few Fleet 69 postcards.
The Spontaneous or Impromptu or Flash Cruise happened on Sunday the 18th. While some chose to stay indoors and watch football, and/or didn't pay attention to the much-improved weather forecast, three Catalina and 10 sailors enjoyed a beautiful afternoon sail on Lake Travis. Temps were in the sunny 60's and winds were 0 to 10. We started at AYC on a 22 (Steve, Meri, guest), a 27 (Keith & Sue), and a 30 (Steve, Cheryl, Lane, guest, and Jane C), and motored half-way to Starnes Island, where we found some wind. We sailed north towards Sandy Creek, then turned west up the lake, just beyond LCRA marker 8. The wind slowed down but that gave us time to enjoy sandwiches and snacks. Then we caught the wind again and headed south towards Windy Point, and back north to AYC. It was fun to enjoy a day on the water, after more than 2 weeks of unseasonably cold weather. Lake is holding steady at 623.4'.

January 8, 2015 meeting: On a cold winter evening, 18 members and 2 guests met at Mangia Pizza on Mesa Blvd. Officers and Appointees for 2015 are as follows: Co-Commodores: Steve L and Gary P, Vice-Commodore: John O, Secretary: Paulette, Treasurer: Robert, Past Commodore: Diane C, Webmaster: Cheryl, Historians: Cheryl and Clay. After an active social time and dinner, Steve L led the meeting. There was active participation in the planning of activities for this and future months. We will have traditional cruises, repeats of new ideas from last year, and some new and creative ones. Some will be on the lake, on the land, and on the coast. See the Calendar page for the results. Lake level is 623.4'. Photos.

Dec 2014: On a seasonably warm December evening, 54 sailors of the All Catalina Fleet 69 and Catalina 22 Fleet 69 met at the Austin Yacht Club to celebrate a year of sailing and friendship, and to look forward to the year ahead. That included 43 AC69 fleet members, 3 of their guests, and 8 who belonged only to C22-F69. There are 8 who belong to both fleets. Officers were installed (see November notes below.) Contributors in 2014 were recognized. The Stough Award was presented to Diane for her dedication and love of sailing and Fleet 69. Lake level 623.6'. Photos.

Nov 2014: Catalina-ville Cruise:With a forecast of 53 degrees and drizzle, we decided that Jimmy Buffet would rather be someplace warm and dry, so we went to the Iguana Grill. In a large glass-enclosed room overlooking Arkansas Bend, we had a fun time listening to tropical music, eating Tex-Mex, and catching up on what we missed at the Thursday meeting. 21 Attendees. Lake Level 622.19'. Photos.

Nov 2014: Veterans of the Fleet: We had a very productive meeting with discussions of plans for the holiday party, the fleet treasury, and nomination of officers and nominees. Thanks to these volunteers: Co-Commodores: Steve L and Gary P, Vice-Commodore: John O, Secretary: Paulette, Treasurer: Robert, Past Commodore: Diane C, Webmaster: Cheryl, Historians: Cheryl and Clay. Then some of our fleet Veterans, and we were surprised how many there were, talked about their services to their country. We had representatives from the Navy, Air Force, Army, and Air National Guard. They shared lots of photos and stories. Thanks!

Oct 2014: Autumn Cruise: The rain stopped by noon, clearing the way for a very pleasant Autumn Afternoon on the lake. While several were busy with football, ACL Music Festival, US Boat Show, car racing, singing, work, under the weather, etc, two boats and 4 sailors sailed to Arkansas Bend for a fun afternoon of pot-luck sandwiches & snacks, relaxation, camaraderie and sailing. Temperatures were in the upper 60's, skies were cloudy, and winds were north around 5-12. Lake level 623.93'. Photos.

Oct 2014: La Belle: The Ship That Changed History Special Exhibition. The Director of Special Exhibits at the Bob Bullock History of Texas Museum, David D, gave an excellent talk with plenty of details and photos of the exhibit. His presentation started with the initial construction of the ship in France and talked about the fleet of 4 ships that left France in 1684, with 3 purposes: military, merchant, and colonization. La Belle was 54' long and 18' wide, with a shallow draft. Not a big boat. They were looking for the Mississippi River and ended up near Matagorda Bay. Wealthy French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle was the leader of the expedition. Researchers first discovered the possibility of a shipwreck in the Bay in 1975 and upon the very first dive in 1995, a canon with the seal of French King Louis XIV was found. After nearly 20 years of excavation and restoration, the ship will be reassembled piece by piece in the museum. You'll want to visit it often to see the progress. There will also be a web cam, so you can watch it remotely. There will also be a 4-D film with a true story of a youth on the ship. Read all about it here: thestoryoftexas.com/explore/exhibits/la-belle and thestoryoftexas.com/la-belle. Lake level 623.96'. 26 Attendees.

Sept 2014: Brunch Cruise: This year, the Batter Blasters took a break and we patronized a new lakeside restaurant, Sundancer Grill, at the Sail and Ski Marina in Hurst Creek. The plan was to spend the night at the S&S Marina dock, and go to Brunch at 11 am. However, a cold front rolled in just in time to dampen our plans for an overnight on the boats, but not the brunch. Several boats were planning to spend the night (we'll try again later). One boat sailed/motored in on Sunday. 23 sailors enjoyed the autumn-like 60's degree weather on the scenic outdoor deck of the restaurant. The food was creative and delicious. Thanks to our hosts Joe and Clay (and others)! Lake level 622.9'. Photos.

Sept 2014 Meeting. Chuck of the Sailboat Shop talked about various sailboat topics, which included sailboat sales in the US (up), Catalina yacht plans, new services at the shop, new location, new boats, used boats, and more. Someone, to be left nameless, asked, "Suppose a friend is sailing a Catalina 22 with a swing keel, and the wind suddenly picks up and our boat ... er, his boat.... hits the rocks. Hypothetically speaking, of course. After that, the keel makes a lot of knocking sounds. What could be going on and how can it be fixed?" Well, if your boat hits the rocks, hypothetically of course, you may have loosened the keel bolts or damaged the pivot pin. You need to inspect these parts and tighten up the keel bolt. It's best to take it out of the water and inspect, if you can find a ramp. He recommended replacing the worn out bronze pivot pins on old swing-keel Catalinas. There were 19 attendees at Mangia Pizza Mesa. Lake level 623.0'. Air temps in the 90's.

August 2014 Cruise: Pirate Invasion. Temperatures had been at or near 100 all week, so all agreed that it was a good time for a Pirates Pool Party. Diane and Mark hosted the Fleet in their backyard pool with 26 pirates and wenches. The pirate theme included a treasure hunt, cannon ball toss, grog, and a delicious buffet. Costumes and sword play were in abundance.  Lake level was about 626.3' on August 16. Photos.

August 2014 Meeting: 28 attendees at Mangia Pizza on Mesa Drive. Lake Travis level continued to fall to 626.56'. One year ago it was 622.7'. (Ref: travis.uslakes.info/Level.asp.) New fleet postcards are now available for placement at marinas or to be handed to people we meet on the dock. You can see them here: Front and Back.
For the program, Todd talked about his recent Blue Water Passage from St Thomas to Bermuda to Newport. The trip was part of the certification courses for ASA 107 Celestial Navigation (relies mostly on the sextant) and ASA 108 Offshore Passage-making (which requires very detailed post-voyage documentation and a seamanship book.) The school was the Blue Water Sailing School. The boat was a Dufour 43. They went over 1500 miles and were on the water twelve days. You can view a subset of the charts here: charts.

July 2014 Bastille Day Cruise: Vive La France! We met along the NW side of Sometimes Island/Peninsula (see Sometimes Peninsula map). Apologies to those who drove to Mansfield Dam Park, planning to hike and swim to the boats. We later heard that they enjoyed an evening at the AYC pool. On the water, we enjoyed French wines and snacks and floated around. Thanks to Lane for hosting, and Robert and Sheila for sharing their boat. Winds were good for sailing to & from. Water level 628.8'. Tally: 25 attendees, with 21 on the water and 4 at AYC.  For boats, there were 5 on the water, 9 represented on the water and 2 represented at AYC for a virtual total of 11. Photos.

• Contour Map of Mansfield Dam Park area: link
  
• Contour Map of the lake: link
• Lake Travis Guide: link
  
• See the fleet cruising map.

July 2014: Lake level 628.9'. Attendees 22, including one guest. There were 2 programs this month:

• Rafting Techniques, by Salvador. References (links) and notes:
  Sailnet Forum Discussion. Also here. This is a good article that everyone should read. It describes some tie-up techniques and etiquette tips.
  Ground Tackle: Selecting Anchors and Rodes (Boat US, Don Casey, April 2012): Three strand nylon is "king" for anchor lines. Use 1/8" rope for each 9' length of boat.
  Choosing the Right Rope (Boat US, Don Casey, June 2012).
  Dock lines (Boat US,  April 2012): Up to 27', use 3/8" rope. For 28-31, use 7/16" rope.
  Etiquette: Circle the fleet before joining, evaluate the situation, request permission to tie up, and ask which place is best. Use your VHF Radio  to communicate. Request permission before boarding a boat, and try to avoid crossing thru the cockpit. Help keep host boats clean.
• Cruising the Baltic Sea. Robert and Sheila gave an excellent presentation on the history, geography, culture, and touring of several countries around the Baltic Sea. They went via Enrichment Voyages, starting in Germany, and visiting Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Russia, and Sweden. It's an interesting region for sailors because the Hanseatic League was a sea-going commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and their market towns that dominated trade along the coast of Northern Europe in the 13th to 17th centuries. They showed us many great photos of their trip, including several of sailboats, of course.
  

June 2014 "Flor de Caña" (Flower of the Sugar Cane) Cruise: The 7th Annual Flor de Caña Cruise had good sailing winds, anchorage, food, and friends. A total of 21 people (one guest) arrived on 5 boats, 1 powerboat, 1 car. Fourteen boats were represented. We tied up in a small cove in the north side of Arkansas Bend. Lake Level 630.5'. Air low 90's, winds 12-18 mph. Many thanks to hosts Salvador and Nina for yet another fun cruise! Photos.

June 2014 Meeting: Program: Tim B, the LCRA Water Operations Manager for all of the Highland Lakes. http://www.lcra.org/water/Pages/default.aspx . He gave us thorough overview of water surfaces management programs on the entire chain of Colorado River lakes, from Tow to Matagora Bay. LCRA was established in 1934 as a water conservation district, thanks to Representative LBJ. Purpose was related to rural electrification. With popularity, so came the challenges of control of marinas & docks, houseboats, buoys, etc. There are 144 marinas and 7000 wet slips on the Highland Lakes. LCRA maintains 1100 buoys.
Here's an LCRA video of the Sandy Creek September 2012 flash flood:  LCRA Sandy Creek Flood Video. Here's the longer unofficial version: Sandy Creek Flash Flood Video. Many thanks to Tim for a very interesting program.
Lake level 629.4 before the meeting and the latest rainstorm. 19 attendees.

May 2014 Cruise: Cinco de Mayo (on the 10th): James and Sarah did an outstanding job hosting their first fleet cruise. It was a great day to be on the lake, with just the right mixture of wind (5 to 12), air (90), and water  (72).  Host boat "El Coyoacán" flew the Mexican flag in the host country position while we all relaxed on a floating piece of Mexico. Hosts prepared a sumptuous variety of flavors: Puerco Pibil, Chori-Beans, rice,  flour tortillas, chips, and their favorite boat drink, the "Paloma." Others brought guacamole, salsa, and a delicious flan dessert. After digesting, the crew raised the brightly-colored star-shaped pinata, with the jib halyard and a whisker pole. Well, they did for a while, before it went for a swim. Still intact, but dripping red water over a guest boat, it was whacked by an oar, and bags full of candy fell on the decks and water. All or most were retrieved. Then it was time for a refreshing swim and relaxation. At the end of the afternoon, we raised anchors and sailed or motored back to the main part of the lake.
The location was in a Cypress Creek Cove. While pleasant in the colder seasons, the wake from power boats caused some rocking and rolling. We talked about returning to Travis Landing Cove (water access only) or Arkansas Bend for future cruises.
There were 6 boats physically present. 13 boats were represented by the 19 people present. Of those represented but not present, 3 were on dry land on trailers, a couple had motor issues, and 2 were in marinas 5-10 miles up the lake. There two C22's, one Capri 22, one C25, one C27, and one O'Day 28 (with a C28 owner on board).  Lake level was falling at 625.0. Photos.

May 2014 Meeting: Sailing Photography presented by local Sailor and Professional Photographer, Bill R.  Bill has an impressive professional and  volunteer resume. He is very involved with Junior Sailing at AYC, as both an instructor, coach, and photographer. He gave us lots of suggestions and ideas for taking better photos on and of sailboats, from both technical and aesthetic points of views. He also presented an slide show of his photos, including many taken of junior sailors and the Easter Laser Regatta, including a interesting sequence of photos in which a Laser sailor's hiking strap broke as she rounded the leeward mark. Tell a story with your pictures. He said to use your best camera, as there are ways to protect it from rain and splashes. The best times to take photos are before 10 am and after 4 pm for good light and shadows. Try manual mode, using 1/1000 second time. Try to get different angles and perspectives. Don't put the horizon in the very middle but keep it straight. Consider geometry and backlighting. For photos of people under biminis, use a fill flash (or features of some of the newer cameras.) Above all, remember that photography rules are made to be broken. If a scene or object looks good to you, take the picture.
Meeting Location Change: We met at the Mangia's Pizza restaurant near Mesa and Spicewood Springs Road, and decided to meet here in the future, instead of Pizza Bistro at Mopac & Gracy Farms & Burnet Road.
Photo Contest winners: Unusual Boat Photo: 1. "Rower in Maine," by Todd, 2. "Masts in the Mist," Salvador. Pets and/or Kids and Boats: 1. "Sailing with Grandpa," by Joy, 2. "Best Place to Read a Book," by Steve S.  Racing and/or Action: 1. "America's Cup Teamwork," by Cheryl, "Kiwis on Edge," by Diane. Funny Fleet Photo: 1. "Clay Dives In" , 2. "We Have a Funny Fleet." Photos.
There were 26 attendees. Lake level 625.1.

April 2014: This was our first-ever James Bond Diamonds are Forever Cruise, hosted by Agent Jane I. It was a beautiful April day with temperatures in the 70's and winds 5 to 15 mph. Our instructions were to sail to Arkansas Bend, raft-up, eat appetizers and drink Bond style beverages, and find out how much we know about James Bond. Three boats complied: Catalina 28 Destiny with 4 agents, Catalina 250 Flying Cloud with 4 agents, and Catalina 270 Solstice with 5 agents (one of them named Ursula). Catalina 25, Ebb Tide III, with 3 agents on board, including Mr Bond himself, had to abort her mission. She sailed from Lake Travis Marina (aka U-Float-Em) to a place to a point just off Emerald Point Marina where they turned around. The trivia game was a lot of fun, with questions about the music, singers, titles, and more. Prizes were little bottles and chocolates.
Attendance was lower than normal because it was Easter Saturday. We'll count 4 boats with 16 agents, including 4 guests. Lake level 626.7'. Photos.

April Meeting: Central Texas Amateur Radio Connection with Jeanne Socrates' Solo Unassisted Non-Stop Global Circumnavigation, by Tom W. In October 2012, Jeanne started her voyage from British Columbia, Canada, on her 38' Najad 380, named Nereida. Two months later, her 2 computer systems failed as well as a satellite phone (which also didn't work well in Southern regions of Earth.) Tom has a state of the art WinLink system and was able to communicate with Jeanne. He is also very skilled with Ham Radio Emergency Communications and contests. He helped Jeanne stay in contact with others for the remainder of the voyage by staying in constant contact and transcribing her dictated blog and emails, and uploading and emailing them. Refer to the article about Tom in the Austin American Statesman.
Attendees: 21 plus our speaker. Lake level: 627.0'.
This was our last meeting at the Pizza Bistro Restaurant. They closed 2 months later.

March 2014 Cruise: The "Honor the March Winds" Cruise was held at the closed Cafe Blue overlooking Sandy Creek on a not-too-windy & cloudy day, with a 50% chance of thunderstorms that never materialized. Temps were in the 60's. We had kites, wind chimes, socks & spinners to show our appreciation of the March winds. The food theme was Gone with the Wind Southern Cooking. To top it all, there was a surprise shower for special grandparents and great-aunt/uncle to be. Hosts were Sue&Keith, Patti&Todd. A fun and surprising time were had by all. 28 sailors (3 guests) came in cars and one boat. Lake level 627.8'. Photos.

March 2014 Meeting: Star Gazing. This was a very special and different (for us) type of meeting. We first met at the Boat House Grill for (mostly) catfish dinners. Twenty-one fleet members (and one long time alumni, Marty, just happened to be there, too.) Representatives from the Austin Astronomical Society, Jim and Joyce, gave us a briefing on celestial navigation and a preview of what we will be able to observe in the night's sky. We then drove to the Mansfield Dam Observation Area on Lake Travis. The temperature was moderate and skies were mostly cloudy, but we were able to see Orion's belt and his brightest stars Rigel and Betelgeuse. Thru the telescope, we were able to see planets and more stars. Hints: If you are the Gulf of Mexico and lose all electronic navigation, just head north and you'll reach land, eventually. Which way is north? Find the North Star. If there is a crescent moon, the cusps of the crescent point to the south. So does Orion's sword. The angle from the horizon to the North Star approximates your latitude. To get the longitude, get a good clock, the book "Longitude," and the resource book. Learn how to use a sextant before you need to. To learn more, look at the web site for the Austin Astronomical Society and go to their public monthly star gazing sessions at a place near Lake Buchanan. Attendees: 21 members plus 2 speakers. Lake level is 627.7'. 

February 2014 Cruise (2/22): The Winter Olympics in Russia inspired the Boat Olympics Cruise, hosted by Robert and Sheila. Ten boats (one C30, one C27, two C250, two C25, one Capri 22, three C22) with 24 sailors rafted up in Cypress Creek. It was a beautiful day to be on the lake, with temps in the 70's and winds around 10. The games (and Gold medal winners) included anchor drop (John G and crew), line toss to a "man-overboard" (Keith, with quarter-finalists Jim, Salvador, John G, Keith, Mark, Harald, James, and Christian), motor start (Todd and it looked like Keith was close, too), and life jacket drill (Patrick and Salvador). The "raise the mainsail" drill was canceled due to shifty winds. Swim noodles were raised when a task was completed.  Robert prepared Borscht and Russian Boar (pulled port), while others brought Russian foods such as Pirozhkis, herring, potatoes, and Russian tea cakes. Everyone had a great time and we're ready to do it again! Lake level 627.7'. We have LOTS of photos and more.

February 2014 Meeting: Michael talked about his adventures while trailering his Catalina 25 on the Florida Atlantic coast, the Florida Keys (Key West 13 days, bad weather, rocket launch), the Erie Canal, Pennsylvania and Lake Erie for 5 months, and more. Lake level 627.86'. Attendees: 23.

January 2014: Return to Sandy Creek Sandwich Cruise. Winter on Lake Travis. One day it can be 18° and a few days later, 70°. That's what we had this week. On a sunny Saturday afternoon with light to variable wind, three boats (9 people) and three cars (3 people) with a total of twelve sailors found their way to the Sandy Creek Marina, which is up Sandy Creek, north of Starnes Island, and next to the closed-for-the-winter Cafe Blue. It was a successful cruise, in which we mostly sat on Charles and Pat's C250 and swapped sea stories, sailing mishaps (I mean "experiences"), and naval stories. Keith demonstrated the proper way to secure a line on cleat so that it doesn't get jammed. It was a great day and a good place to dock. The store was open, so we bought a few items. Later on, 2 members moved to the expensive boat's dock patio, where there was a free party with beverages. There was a good sailing breeze to get there, but everyone had to motor back in the late afternoon. The weather was great. Lake level was 628.46', which is 2.2' higher than last time we were there! Photos.

January 2014 Meeting: Commodore Diane (yes, we like the sound of that) kicked off the year with a lively discussion of program topics and cruise themes for the year. It's nice to see everyone so anxious to host a cruise with new and different ideas. While we like the traditional themes, it's refreshing to invent new ones.
We talked about sailing books we've read, sailing movies we've seen, and recent sailing adventures.
Diane first introduced the officers for 2014: Vice Commodore Salvador, Treasurer Robert, and Secretary Cheryl. The appointees for 2014 are Cruise Directors James and Sarah (welcome aboard!), and Webmaster/Historian is Cheryl, with assistance from Clay.
There were 27 attendees. Lake level 628.5'. Photos.

December 2013 Holiday Party: All Catalina Fleet 69 wrapped up a fun year of cruises and meetings at the 2013 Holiday Party. Our original hosts, Sue and Jim, had the flu, so we quickly pulled together our efforts and met in the AYC clubhouse. It was beautifully decorated and was a good place to have a sailing party. Thanks go to Commodore John for arranging for the venue at the last minute. Many thanks to Joe and Joy for preparing the delicious smoked turkey and brisket and managing the galley. For the "program," Commodore John presented thank you gifts (hats) to 2013 contributors and installed the 2014 officers. John was the well-deserving recipient of the Stough Award. Then there was the lively gift exchange, with everything from tools to towels to rum. A fun time was had by all! There were 38 attendees. Lake level 628.1'. Photos are by Cheryl and Clay. Photos.

November 2013 Cruise: WurstFest Cruise, now called the Anchoring Polka Cruise. Lake Level 626.61'. Arkansas Bend. We started with 7 boats and 22 sailors. We were anchored in the middle of the north cove. Then the gusts came out of the cove and 2 out of 3 anchors broke loose. Anchor drill. 1 and ah Start your engines. 2 and ah raise the anchors. 3 and ah Scatter. Hop. 1 and ah go forward. 2 and ah drop anchor, 3 and a  engines off. Relax and have fun! We "lost" 2 boats and 6 people during all that, but later gained a boat and 2 people. Overall there were 8 boats and 24 sailors at a Wunderbar Cruise!
Many thanks to Mark and Diane for hosting a fun and scrumptious cruise. They provided the smoked sausage and a mini-keg of beer. Our fleet cooks brought sauerkraut (3 kinds), Kartoffelsalat (German Potato salad), Apfelkuchen (apple cake), pumpkin pie, salad, pickles, cheeses & crackers, and more. Danke to all!
As for the sailing part, we could not have asked for a nicer day. It was a good 2 hour sail for most of us to Arkansas Bend. Winds were as forecasted, 10 to 15 with gusts to 20. The high temperature was near 80. The buddy-system worked well, with guest crew on most of the boats. Photos.

November 2013 Meeting: "Sea Shanties with Joy" Our very own fleet Shanty-Mam, Joy, sang and led us in singing Sea Shanties. She started out with a tribute to Caryl P. Weiss, a distinguished shanty-mam who sang for our fleet several times (including 12/11/10, a Black Tot Day, and a fleet anniversary cruise) and was commissioned as an admiral in the Texas Navy. We learned about the types of shanties for working on the boat: Capstan (turning device to raise anchor and draw near the dock), Haul a Halyard (to raise one of many sails on a ship), and Pump (4 strong beats to pump out the bilge). There also Fo'c'sle shanties, for when sailors are on shore or have time off. It was a fun and joy-ful evening!  Lake Level 626.61'. Attendees: 23.

October 2013, Galveston Bay Cruise: In search of deeper water, 18 members and guests of Fleet 69 headed for Kemah for a fun weekend of sailing on Galveston Bay. The weekend was launched on Friday with a dinner for twelve on the deck at Jackie's Brick House. On Saturday, 10/25, there were 12 sailors on Hunter 41 Alamanda, chartered from Windward Sea Venture, and captained by John G. There were 6 sailors on Phyllis' Catalina 25, Summer Song. The weather was perfect. Winds were near 10, the sun was shining brightly, and temperatures were near 80. We just sailed around, mostly south of the Kemah channel and west of the ship channel, and when it was time for lunch (Subway was the popular non-domestic choice), Alamanda hoved to and Summer Song sailed downwind. We sailed from around 10 am to 5 pm. Everyone who wanted to helm, did. On Alamanda, there was coaching and teaching by Todd and John (and maybe others). All lines on the boat were identified and if possible, labeled. In the evening, we met at the Seabrook Classic Cafe for sea-food and sea-tales.
Overnight, a strong front moved through the area with lots of thunder and rain. (All but one were in hotels. We'll have to ask Andy for a boat report.) The forecast was for a clearing by noon, so many of us waited it out on Alamanda. Around noon Alamanda left the dock with 11 sailors on board. Winds were light but adequate. The rain had stopped and we had a pleasant sail along the shoreline. Our seaworthy Commodore passed a "what would you do?" test when the boat engine suddenly stopped as we were returning to the marina in the narrow channel, with one boat tailgating us and another coming towards us. We returned to the dock by 4 pm. Some headed for Austin, and some had dinner at T-Bone Tom's.
The next part of the weekend was on Galveston Island itself. Phyllis organized a day of touring, starting at the Sunflower Cafe. We visited the Elissa and Texas Seaport Museum, the Drilling Rig Museum, perused the fresh seafood shops, visited the Customs House and checked out the Cow Quilts exhibit. Hurricane Ike was in 2008, and thousands of oak trees fell due to floods and winds. The result was many tree stumps. Three creative artist transformed dozens of these stumps into creative sculptures, so we drove around to see as many as possible.
It was a fantastic weekend plus. Many many thanks to John G and Phyllis for leading it all!
p.s. Travis has been rising a little and is at 623.8'. Here are some Photos to start with. 

October 2013 Meeting: Sailing the Na Pali Coast: John and Ann Marie described a sailing trip they took on a chartered 65' catamaran along the Na Pali coast of Kauai.
America's Cup #34 in San Francisco: Steve and Cheryl were in San Francisco to watch the competition between Emirates Team New Zealand and Oracle Team USA on AC72 catamarans. They showed pictures and described experiences of the day they were on a 65' sailboat named Ruby.
History of the Titantic: Gary Payne gave us a very interesting and detailed presentation on the history of the ship Titantic, which set sail on her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, for New York City in April 1912. The Titantic ran into a sea of icebergs and sank. You know the basic story. Gary told us things we didn't know. There were many ways to analyze the tragedy, such as what went right and what went wrong with the unsinkable ship. The Titantic carried 2,224 passengers and crew and more than 1500 people were lost that night.
Lake Level 620.1'. 26 attendees.

September 2013 Breakfast Cruise: Cloudy skies kept us cool for the annual Breakfast Cruise hosted by Clay, Joe, and John O on the expanding shores of the Austin Yacht Club. We christened ourselves the Batter Blasters! (see photos to understand). Joe marked the spot in his GPS, so that someday, we'll be able to sail our boats over the very same spot and say "back in September 2013, we had a land cruise 62' below." About five sailors spent the night on their boats. Total attendance was 30 (I counted 27 in the photos.) Joe made camp stove scrambled eggs and smokey links. Clay and John flipped pancakes to order with toppings like blueberries, pecans, and walnuts. Plenty of mimosas and Starbucks coffee too. Lake Level 619.4'! Photos

September 2013 Meeting: 28 members and one guest were in attendance to hear Mark Mitchell, a locally renown author and illustrator, tell us about the excavation and restoration of the ship La Belle: Here are some sources you might like to read: Mark's web site: www.markgmitchell.com/, Archeology Project: www.thc.state.tx.us/preserve/archeology/la-salle-archeology-projects, Videos of the people involved and the hull: illustrationcourse.com/Catalina/, Museum Site: thestoryoftexas.com/exhibits/upcoming-exhibits, Ship model construction: nautarch.tamu.edu/model/report1/, Conservation of the Hull report: nautarch.tamu.edu/CRL/Report7/hull.htm. Books: Raising La Belle  by Mark Mitchell, La Salle in Texas by Pam Wheat Stranahan, From a Watery Grave by James Bruseth.

The La Belle was built in France in 1684. She was 54’long, 8’ draft, and held 45 people, along with farm animals all living on deck! Her skipper was the famous French explorer, Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, aka "La Salle."
She had a shallow draft which was made for the rivers and swamps of America but was not a very sea-going rig. La Salle’s goal was to conquer west of the Mississippi and claim it for France. The La Belle sank in Matagorda bay in 1686 and was hidden there until some marina archeologists from Texas A&M found it in 1995. La Salle was murdered by his own men, but many of the occupants and children survived and integrated into the Indian and Louisiana culture. Some made it back to Canada and France.
The archeologists have been working since that time to authenticate it, raise it, and preserve it for future use. It is housed in a building at A&M where it resides in a polyethylene glycol pool and will be freeze dried to further preserve it. The La Belle’s hull is to be on display at the Bob Bullock Texas History museum in 2014, along with items found in and around her.
A few of our own members have been to the site in Matagorda Bay to view her in a coffer dam.19.6'.
Travis level is 619.6'.

August 2013 Summer Potluck Cruise. The high temp was 106 degrees, but the water was 21 degrees cooler and there was a nice breeze. Two boats with nine sailors, representing at least six Catalinas, rafted up in Cypress Creek Cove for a pleasant lunch-time cruise. It was too early for the powerboats, so the cove was relatively calm (and quiet after the party boat left.) We feasted on picnic fare such as fried chicken, macaroni salad, fruit salad, subs, and brownies. We raised anchor by early afternoon and enjoyed a nice sail (winds 2 to 12, ESE) back to our marinas. Lake level was a dismal 623.10'. Islands that haven't touched air in 50 years are starting to appear. Thanks to Capt Grz for hosting the cruise. Photos. 

August 2013 Meeting: Cruising in the Abacos, Bahamas: Six of our fleet members, Steve & Meri, Steve & Cheryl, Phyllis, and Diane Z recently chartered a Moorings 41.3 (Beneteau) mono-hull in the Abacos Islands in the Bahamas. It's a popular area for sailboat cruisers and is far from the activity and development of Nassau. It's more like a mixture of the BVIs (with islands and some settlements)  and Belize (with a turquoise sea between a piece of land and barrier cays.) Weather is similar to southern Florida. The beautiful Sea of Abaco is relatively shallow and most harbors must be entered and exited in rising tides. Other than a couple days of tropical rain, we had good winds and plenty of sunshine. Snorkeling was especially good at Fowl Cay. Food was great, especially if you like conch, fish, and Key Lime Pie. Island settlements were fun to visit. Some are known for their unique fabrics and creations, some for eating, some for boat-building, and the best-known of all, Elbow Cay, has the famous red and white striped lighthouse that has been operating for 150 years. We saw parrots and a micro-version of a Bahamian Goombay Festival. It was fun and is recommended for anyone who enjoys sailboat cruising. 30 attendees. Lake 623.45'.

July 2013 Cruise: Tanabata Matsuri Cruise (Evening of the 7th) is a Japanese star festival. It celebrates the meeting of the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi (represented by the stars Vega and Altair respectively). According to legend, the Milky Way separates these two lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the luni-solar calendar. Click here for more details. In present-day Japan and at this cruise, people generally celebrated this day by writing wishes, sometimes in the form of poetry, on tanzaku (small pieces of paper) and hang them on bamboo (wish tree), sometimes with other decorations.
The fleet dropped anchors in a new place, "CypressCreekCove" in the updated fleet map. The host boat, Ebb Tide III, then made a grand entrance into the anchorage area, with music playing and flags flying from every available stay and shroud. Good luck fish kites were streaming from the top of the mast, and a bamboo tree was on the stern of the boat. It was quite a sight to behold.
It was around 109 degrees so many cooled off in the 85 degree water before feasting on a wide variety of homemade Japanese cooking, prepared by Akiko. She served the following:

• • Gomoku zushi - sushi rice with 5 (go) ingredients - mainly vegetables + shrimp
  • Green beans & fried tofu
  • Edamame (soybeans in the pod)
  • Sliced pork with miso sauce
  • Paripari salad (crisp slivered wonton skins over shredded vegetables)
  • Chicken stuffed with pickled plums
  • Oshinko - Japanese pickles (not what you think)
  • Azuki (sponge cake rolled with red bean jelly for dessert)
  

July 2013 Meeting: Zen and the Art of Boat Motor Maintenance, with Pat F. He is a local legend in the area for fixing boat motors. He discussed the care and maintenance of outboard motors, and diesel engines. He also answered many of our boat motor questions and problems. Welcome to new members James and Sarah! Lake level 625.05', the lowest since 1964. Attendees: 28.

June 2013 Cruise: 6th Annual Flor de Caña Cruise: All week long, Saturday's weather forecast was for a 10 to 20% chance of rain. That wasn't bad, because that usually means we could have, at most, a brief passing shower before sunset. However, Saturday's morning forecast from the NWS said there was a 40-50% of rain and thunderstorms, with lightning. The cruise was to be at Arkansas Bend, which is a 2-3 hour sail or 1-2 hour motor for some members. Quick, informed, and safe decisions had to be made, and we chose to find water elsewhere, in Mark and Diane's swimming pool. Many thanks to them for hosting us with 4-hour's notice, and many thanks to Salvador and Nina for a successful 6th Annual Flor de Caña Cruise. The culinary skills of our fleet continue to be impressive, with Grilled Port Tenderloin marinated in lime, achiote and other secret tropical spices, plantains, yucca, cassava, rice, Nicaraguan cole slaw, flan, assorted fruits, and much more. Tropical fruit juices were mixed with the exquisite rum or La Croix. After dinner, we jumped in the pool and had, how shall I say this, a really fun time. I'll just say this: Esther Williams' Synchronized Swimmers have nothing to fear from us, but watch out next year. There were 28 attendees, including 6 guests. Lake level was 628.5' (so Sometimes Peninsula is now there) and falling, winds 5 to 10, and temperatures around 92. Photos.

June 2013 Meeting: Mike of White Hat Rum provided us a very informative and entertaining presentation on the story of his locally-built rum business and the Nautical History of Rum. Their web site describes it well: "White Hat Premium Texas Rum is handcrafted in small batches just outside of Austin in Manor, Texas. We make it with South Texas molasses from plantations that have seen our state through all six flags. We add natural water originating from springs residing here long before Texas was ever Texas. We triple distill in an effort to produce the cleanest rum possible. And, once our spirit is allowed to rest in American oak barrels for just the right amount of time, it can be called White Hat Rum. The nautical aspect of rum began back in the 16th Century, when ships were starting to sail the seas for commerce, and crews were difficult to attract and keep. The beer and wine were not good incentives since they didn't do well in damp and hot conditions. However, sugar cane and rum were discovered in the Caribbean, and the tradition began. This on-board custom lasted until July 31, 1970, when the last rum was served in the Royal Navy. The tradition continues to this day in ports around the world, where hard-working sailors meet to relax after days on the sea. There were 28 attendees, including our guest speaker. Welcome back to Jim J!  Lake level persists at 628.5'.

May 2013 Dragon Boat Cruise: 5/11/13. It was a beautiful sunny day on the shoreline of Lake Travis at Travis Landing. Many thanks to our hosts Diane Z and Steve L, and assistants Gary and Paulette. 24 sailors and one dog were there. Clay came on Double Happiness, but we never saw her because she had engine problems and landed in another cove. (photo proof to follow.) We had several authentic Chinese dishes, many of them homemade, such as Kung Po Chicken, Almond Gelatin, Glazed Walnuts (recipe), Stir Fried Rice, Chinese Vegetables, and more. We also had Crispy Duck and fortune cookies. The air was near 80, water near 68, and winds 5-10 with gusts. The lake was at 628.3' (which is .2' below the level where Sometimes Islands become a peninsula) and some fleet boats could not be launched or preferred to avoid the shallows. Photos.

May 2013 Meeting: "Nautical Roundtable". Diane C facilitated a roundtable of sailing-related topics. We started with a panel of knowledgeable members giving 5-minute presentations on topics of interest to all. Gary talked about anchoring and which anchors to use in which situations. All cruisers should agree on a hand-signaling system between the bow-person and the helm-person (sometimes it helps to have someone in the middle.) Michael told us about risks of ethanol fuel in our boats' tanks and how aviation gas might be better. Problems can occur because ethanol and water can mix. Try googling "ethanol gas sailboats" to get good explanations. Todd talked about how to heave to (video), and how it can be useful on Lake Travis (to work with your sails when solo'ing), relaxing between races, or handling a storm. Robert talked about preparing for sailing on oceans and around the world. The room was then opened for questions. One question was about solutions for leaky windows. One solution was to "get a new boat." Another was to get a kit from Catalina Direct. That's a good source for all things Catalina. Then, in preparation for the Dragon Boat Cruise, Todd gave us a brief history of Chinese world sailing. The peak time was in the 1400's during the Ming Dynasty. Their boats were gigantic when compared to the European boats of the time. However, under the Ching Dynasty, they pulled back and became more isolated until the 1800's. Attendance: 31 people, including 3 guests (one new guest). Lake = 628.34'.

April 2013 Cruise: Hawaiian Luau. It was an Aloha Luau cruise hosted by Gary and Paulette, with assistance from Dave and Diane, at Travis Landing. Several boats were sailed to the cruise location, which was also accessible by car. At lake level 631.2', there was a nice cove with dinghy access to a beach-like area. It was a nice day for a light-air sail. On the shore and under canopies, we feasted on a large buffet of Hawaiian food, including Kapalua Pork, Poipu Chicken, Hawaiian Rice, coconut fruit salads, cole slaw, bread, Hawaiian salsa, coconut cream pie, and upside-down pineapple cake. There were also an assortment of fruity beverages. In addition, we even had a sailboat made out of Spam. A cool breeze came up and we wound up  around a nice campfire. Many Mahalo thanks to our hosts for the food, location, tents, chairs, stump removal, and aloha spirit. Thanks also to Michael and Steve L for providing dinghies. The numbers: Forty-one attendees, 34 members, 7 guests, 5 boats, and 15? cars. Air temp 77, water 65, winds around 10 knots. Lake level 631.2'. Photos.

April 2013 Meeting: Todd gave us a fact-filled presentation on "America's Original Hybrid Vehicles -- the Transition from Sail to Steam in 1800s." It was very interesting to learn or be reminded of the transitions from square riggers to schooners to steamboats, paddle-wheel boats to propeller-driven boats to boats with both motors and sails. 27 attendees, including 2 guests. Lake level 631.3'.

March 2013 St Patrick's Green Cruise: St Patrick's Day Cruise. Saturday's winds were 20 to 30, but Sunday's winds were a pleasant 5-15 for the sail to Barry's Cove. Conditions were good for a raft-up. There were 18 people on 8 boats: C25 Ebb Tide III with 5, C22 Affinity with 2, C250 Flying Cloud with 2, C27 Cool Change, C22 Double Happiness, C28 Destiny with 3, C22 Be-Bop-a-Lula with 2, C22 Gata Gorda with 2. Temps were well into the 80's. Robert and Sheila hosted up an Irish feast with Corned Beef & sides, and Shepherd's Pie. Others brought a variety of green or Irish foods. It was a great day to be on the lake! Photos. Lake level 630.6'.

March 2013 Meeting: Sailing Photography, presented by local Sailor and Professional Photographer, Bill R.  Bill has an impressive list of credentials, far beyond being a volunteer photographer at the Austin Yacht Club. He's taken pictures for Sailing World, Texas Monthly, and Friday Night Lights. He gave us lots of suggestions and ideas for taking better photos on and of sailboats, from both technical and aesthetic points of views. He also presented an excellent slide show of his photos, including many taken of junior sailors, and talked about photo-op challenges and opportunities. He said the best times to take photos are before 10 am and after 4 pm, in order to get good light and shadows. Try manual mode. Higher ISO settings are OK on digital cameras. Tell a story with your pictures. Try to get different angles, from higher or lower perspectives. Don't put the horizon in the very middle. Always be ready to get that special photo by keeping your camera on Auto or Program mode when you aren't actively taking pictures. Excellent meeting and program! There were forty-one attendees, including 8 guests. Lake level 630.7'.

2013 Sailing Photo Contest for the First Annual Fleet 69 Photo Contest, 67 photos were entered by 17 people in 3 categories: 1. Sailboats, 2. People or Pets on Sailboats, 3. Sunsets/Sunrises. The extremely difficult job of judging was done by Bill R and Cheryl. Prizes of gift cards at Precision Photo were award to 2 places in each category, plus 5 honorable mentions. The pictures ranged from nostalgic to picturesque to gorgeous to whimsical. Thanks to all the participants!

Valentines 2013 Cruise: 2/10/13. On a very pleasant partly-sunny February afternoon, with temperatures in the 60's and winds 5-10 in the early afternoon, 18 sailors and 6 boats anchored in Barry's Cove for a Valentine's Fabulous Fruit Cruise. Many thanks to our host, Michael, who also provided a delicious Valentine's slush-punch libation. We had a well-balanced fare of fruits and chocolate concoctions. Boats (# sailors) included C25 1872 (2), C250 Flying Cloud (6 coming, 5 going), C27 Cool Change (1 coming, 2 going), C27 Escape (3), C27 Sweet Sue (4), and C30 (2). Lake level 631.5'. Photos.

February 2013 Meeting: Bob and Karen presented highlights of their 2012 live aboard cruising adventures, with focus on Chesapeake Bay cruising. This was their second year on their Catalina 30. For the program, (1) they showed videos and photos of sailing and motoring over the waves of coastal bays and channels of the ICW.  They saw lots of flora and fauna, including Bald Eagles, dolphins, and manatees.  (2) Then they gave us a visual tour of the historical, scenic, and interesting sites of the Chesapeake Bay area. They got to see the Pride of Baltimore under sail. They told us about the sinking islands, such as Tangier and Hooper, due to rising sea levels and subsidence of the coastal land. (3) You, too, can cruise the Chesapeake! There are several chartering companies based in Annapolis. Attendees: 29. Welcome to new member, Andy!

January 2013 Cruise: The high for Saturday was supposed to be moderate (60's), but the forecast also included a high probability of rain with thunderstorms. Sunday's high was to be in the 40's and windy. So, we opted for an indoor cruise. Karen and Bob proposed a new and clever theme: The Stone Soup Cruise. No, this wasn't to be based on my mother's favorite soup recipe, but rather a legend that goes something like this: Some sailors had just arrived in a port and were hungry. No one would give them food. So, they filled a pot with water, added a stone, and brought it to a boil. Villagers would walk by the dock and ask about the soup. One by one, they determined the soup needed more, and would contribute seasonings, vegetables, meats, and more. After a while, the sailors had a delicious soup to enjoy ! In our case, the hosts provided the broth and each sailor brought a bowl with something tasty for the soup. They brought meat, herbs, Japanese vegetables, other veggies, and pasta. The result was a delicious and warm soup to go along with talks of past and future days of sailing! Eighteen members attended. Lake level 631.9' (the rain didn't help much.) Photos.

January 2013 Meeting: Commodore John G launched the first meeting of 2013 with thanks to our holiday party hosts, a photo show of the fleet's 2012 photo album, and discussions of cruises and programs for the coming year. Cruise Director Steve L led the cruises discussion and successfully found volunteers for every month. See the Calendar for the results. Twenty-seven attendees. Lake Level 631.9'.
Officers and Appointees for 2013 include: Commodore: John G, Vice Commodore: Diane C, Treasurer: Robert, Secretary/Historian/Webmaster: Cheryl, and Social Director: Steve L. Meeting Photos.

November 2012 Cruise: Italian Pasta Land Cruise - Andiamo ! (Let's Go ! ) The lake was low (633.2'), the winds were high (15-25), and several fleet members were without accessible boats, so we had a land cruise. Michael was the cook and host, while Bob and Karen graciously opened their home to the fleet. Twenty-one attended. We feasted on 2 types of spaghetti sauce (meat and vegetarian), antipasto, numerous delicious salads (remember the kale), breads, and cheeses. For dessert we had Italian Chocolate cake, red-fruit bars, and fruit. We talked about boats, the Kemah cruise, and sailing on the Chesapeake Bay. Many thanks to our hosts! Photos

November 2012 Meeting: Twenty-five members met at the Pizza Bistro. Commodore Todd led his last regular meeting of the year with the nomination and election of the officers for 2013. They are as follows: Commodore: John G, Vice Commodore: Diane C, Treasurer: Robert, and Secretary: Cheryl. Also, Cheryl will be the webmaster and historian with Clay as the assistant, and Steve L will be the cruise director / social chairman. Officers will be installed at the Holiday Party. Many thanks to our officers of 2012 for their dedicated contributions. For the program, Steve showed a set of slides that showed overlays of our Kemah cruise  GPS trackings over Google Earth (r) satellite photos. It was fascinating to see our path. We could see the tacks and long 5.3 mile reaches. We also saw how our "anchored" boat moved at Redfish Island. It slipped foot by foot, then stopped for a while, then began to slip again, hold, slip, etc until we decided it was time to raise anchor. 
Remember the meetings of 2012 here. Lake level 633.3'.

Clear Lake - Kemah - Galveston Bay Cruise 2012  - We had a super time with great winds and wonderful hosts. 
On Friday night (Oct 19), 24 of us met at Jackie's Brickhouse for dinner on the patio. We ate everything from chicken fried steak to oysters, and exchanged plans of the weekend to come. Some stayed until 9 pm to hear the band. It was a pleasant evening to eat outside.
On Saturday (Oct 20) morning at 9:30 am, all 4 boats headed for the Bay. Two charter boats from Windward Sea Venture Charters and two member boats left from the Watergate Marina:

• Hunter 410, Alamanda with Captain Gary and his reliable crew Paulette, John & Ann Marie, Akiko and Steve, Todd and Patti, and Judy & Bill.
• Hunter 336, Sassy, with Captain Robert with sporty crew Joe, Shirley, Keith, Sue, Lane, Sue, Annette, David
• Catalina 25, Summer Song, with Admiral Phyllis with intrepid crew Patrick, Clay, and Jane C
• Catalina 320, Persuasion, with Ensign Dave with activist crew Steve & Meri and Steve & Cheryl. (On Sunday, Admiral Phyllis and Patrick joined the crew.)

Many many thanks are due to the captains, Gary, Robert, Dave, and Phyllis for hosting a wonderful weekend and taking the "risk" of hosting a boat and crew. We all had a great time.
Photos
FYI, Galveston Links

Oktoberfest 2012 Cruise: Oktoberfest 2012 was wunderbar! We had some of everything, with winds that were both calm and ideal, skies that were rainy and sunny, and temps in the 80's. Mark and Diane hosted their first cruise, and it was a spectacular one! With 5 boats (one C270, one C22 sport, two C25's, one C27), 1 car, and 13 people at Arkansas Bend, a good time was had by all. Lake level 634.5' allowed us to tie up to shore, tho getting on/off boats was tricky. The rocky hillside was 25' high. We had a mini keg of beer, bratwurst, sauerkraut, potato salad and more, PLUS a delicious array of German desserts. Vielen danke to our hosts!. Photos

October 2012 Meeting: We met at our old place that has been remodeled and renamed to Pizza Bistro. 27 attendees. Program:  John G. Tall Ships. 
*    Tall Ships America Challenge Festival in May in Savannah Georgia
*    Show photos and video
*    Handouts and quiz. What is a bunt line? What is the protocol to fire a canon?
*    At the end of the festival all boats go down river to Atlantic – John filmed them passing Fort Jackson
*    Helped explain the lines that move the yard arm and adjust sail trim
*    To raise and lower the sail, people have to be up on the foot ropes
*    You could ride on some of the boats for $100
*    Some have guest cabins you can sign up for
*    "Belle Poule" means more than beautiful chicken....

September 2012 Breakfast Cruise: The annual popular breakfast cruise was held Sept 22-23 at Longhorn Landing (map 1, map2). (Travis cruising map). At lake level 635.1, there was a nice cove that could be reached by boat or by car. On Saturday night, there were 2 boats, one tent, and a truck, for a total of six people, more or less. The overnight air temperature was a pleasant 69. Air was still. In the morning, one more boat (total 3) and many cars arrived, for a total of 22 people (to be verified.) Our cruise hosts Joe, Joy, and Clay, along with co-hosts Dave and Diane, set up a very comfortable camp site with a shade, tables, and plenty of chairs. Joe brought his new portable smoker and cooker. As he said, this was an "8-burner event" as all 8 burners were in use. On Saturday they had smoked brisket. On Sunday we had scrambled eggs, pancakes, sausage, bacon, brisket, coffee...you name it. Attendees brought all types of berries, REAL maple syrup, nuts, pineapple, etc to top the pancakes. It was an amazing feast. As the temperatures became creeping up near 90, some of us went swimming in the 81 degree water. It was a wonderful cruise. Many thanks to all our hosts for surpassing themselves, once again, with a fantastic Breakfast Cruise. Photos.

September 2012 Meeting: Since our usual location, Mangia's was being renovated and renamed to Pizza Bistro (with a peace symbol) this month, we met at La Morada, one mile north. In spite of the change in location and rainy weather, 26 people attended the meeting! Todd started the program section of the meeting with photos and stories about their recent trip to Newport, RI and Nantucket Island. It sounded like a sailor's paradise. They also successfully took an ASA sailing certification course. 
Next, Steve and Cheryl showed pictures and videos and told stories of a recent trip to see the America's Cup World Series race in San Francisco. It was so exciting to see the AC45 catamarans, 11 of them, racing back and forth along the bay front, very close to shore. With and without a zoom lens, the photo ops were fantastic, with backdrops of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, and the city. Races will be there again starting Oct 2. Next year, the Louis Vuitton Cup and the America's Cup regatta will be held there on AC72s.  The youth will race on AC45's. 
Lake Travis level was 634.07' in the morning. After 4 days of rain, the lake was 635'.

August 2012 Flip Flop Regatta Pool Party: Some boats flipped, some flopped, and some even "sailed!" The Flip Flop Regatta Pool party was a huge success, thanks to hosts Todd and Party. 22 sailors attended. Lake level was 638.1', but the conditions in the pool were just right. Photos.

August 2012 Program: John Bartlett, Sailmaker and owner of Bartlett Sails in Austin, gave us a very interesting presentation on several sailmaking-related topics. First he gave us an update on the latest fabrics used for boat and sail covers. There's a new one that looks like bubble-wrap covered with sun-protective fabric. This protects the fiberglass from being crazed (cooked) in the Texas heat. Sail materials haven't changed a whole lot in recent years, for cruisers. Dacron is still a good, common, and long-lasting cloth. If you want a storm jib, there's a 70% sail called a mule. For cleaning sails, use Oxiclean or throw it in someone's swimming pool. Bleach tends to stain. 303 hi-tech fabric guard is excellent. Sunbrella lasts "forever" but UC protection is only about 8 years. Then John told us about his Moth Sailboat. Look at the photos! Here's a wow photo. Thanks, John for a great presentation!
Attendees: 23 members and one guest. Lake Level 638.3'.

July 2012 Chinese Fire Drill Cruise, formerly called the "Year of the Water Dragon" cruise: As the ancient Chinese said (or someone), all's well that ends well. We experienced calm and wind, dry and wet, water and land. Many stories need to be told from about 12 different perspectives. We started out on the shores of Longhorn Landing. Hosts Dave and Diane had set up a tent with tables, chairs, Chinese decorations, food, drinks, kayak, mooring lines, dinghy, and more. We were ready to party. Mark and Diane brought a kite and it flew easily. The area had had showers on and off for the last week, but they usually only lasted an hour or so, and were hit and miss. We thought they would miss. However, there were 3 blobs on the radar (great use for a smart phone!) that were converging on Lake Travis. Todd & crew arrived by boat, followed by Afternoon Delight. Just as the storm started to come, Irish Ayes arrived, then looked to the sky and turned around and rode out the first phase of the storm at an AYC t-head. Todd took his boat back to Keller's. Afternoon Delight stayed for a while, but after a shore line broke, cushions blew off,  and the keel neared the ground, she left for Marshall Ford. Meanwhile, we spied Yellow Moon in the distance, with apparent problems with a motor that decided to stop at the wrong moment and sails that didn't quite want to go up all the way. She rode out part of the storm and then returned to the marina. For those on the point of land, they watched the rain and the boats, and saw Dave's dingy soar into the air and out of sight.
We then retreated to Dave and Diane's house as the rain continue to come. We had all types of delicious and carefully prepared Chinese food. Thanks to all our cooks! Many thanks to Dave and Diane for their great efforts, flexibility, creativity, and a fantastic cruise!  In all, we had 23 attendees on Longhorn Landing Point, 12 via 4 boats (3 anchored). After we went inside, we had 20. 
Lake level didn't budge much, even though in NW Austin, we had 6" on Sunday and 11" during the last week. Lake Level is 640.2'. Photos

July 2012 Meeting: We had a double-header program tonight. First we had "Bachelors on Board - Living on Sailboats." Michael started it off with a nice picture of box of dirt on the dock next to his boat, which was to be his vegetable garden. One day he noticed the dirt was disturbed. Strange. Next day, there was an egg in the dirt! Next day, more eggs! Each day brought more eggs until he had 8 duck eggs. He was an octo-dad! One by one they hatched, and the happy duck family lived near his home, a 38' Catalina. He then described how he adapted his life to a boat, by cutting back to the essentials because of space, setting up his office in the boat, getting a/c, and using an airbed in the dinette area. V-berths don't have enough space and air flow. A few months ago, there was a sudden storm out at the lake. Parts from a nearby houseboat flew off and bent his mast and caused other damage to his home, the boat. Long sad story followed and his home was no more. Meanwhile, he recommended working on yacht deliveries via www.sailopo.com.
Carl lived on a 1972 Coronado 23 while going to law school. It was actually less expensive than a traditional apartment or house, plus, it had the wonderful advantage of being waterfront property with beautiful sunrises and sunsets each day, with utilities included. Here's some Catalina history: Frank Butler was the original designer of the Coronado 23, but he sold the company before founding Catalina Yachts around 1970. Designs are quite similar. The boat was named "No no" (another story) but soon became "Pro Bono." He took advantage of every nook and cranny. If he cooked, it was on a Coleman stove in the cockpit. Otherwise, there were local dining establishments. He did a lot of fishing for fun and food. His advice: "To stay a bachelor, live on a boat." He also recommended the lifestyle, at least for a while. Enjoy it and go with it! 

Part II was "Sailing for 2 in the San Juan Islands on a 38' Beneteau sailboat", by Diane and Mark. They gave an entertaining, and informative presentation with lots of photos and maps about their June 5-day charter from Anacortes Yacht Charters, www.ayc.com, in Washington State. This was their third time sailing in that area. They went to Stewart Island and Port of Friday Harbor. The first day was picture perfect, literally. The sun was shining, water was a deep blue, and snow capped mountains were visible in the distance. The area is well set up now with moorings, thanks to a well organized state marine park system. The next day had totally different weather, cold and windy. They sailed on and it was well worth it, for they finally got to see a very active pod of 7 to 8 orca whales. The whales swam nearby and jumped out of the water. The main challenges of the area are the tides (12-15') and tidal currents (5-6 knots.) Fortunately, there is a book with well-documented detailed information with maps and arrows to indicate the net speed and direction of the water flow. 

Many thanks to all the speakers. If I got anything terribly wrong, let me know and I'll fix it.
Lake level was 639.3'. Attendees: 28.

June 2012 Taste of Texas Cruise: Deep in the Heart of Texas, the Catalina Fleet gathered in Barry's Cove on Lake Travis for a "Taste of Texas Cruise." Thanks to our hosts Robert and Sheila, and attendees, we had an abundance of Texas food and drinks to enjoy. Lake level 641.6'. Winds 5-10 in the afternoon, 10-15 in the evening. Temps in the low 90's. Four sailboats, 1 powerboat, and 16 people. One boat-person spent the night. Photos.

June 2012 Meeting: Anchoring and Person Overboard Recovery, Gary presented an excellent program, with explanations and handouts about how to recover a person who falls overboard, how to set and retrieve an anchor, and how to recover from running aground. To practice person overboard, throw an unwrapped roll of paper towels overboard and try to retrieve it before it sinks. Point to the person and say "man overboard," throw them a floatation device, do not lose eye contact, get back to the person in the best way. ASA teaches 2 methods. Beam or close reach or heave-to.  Don't use the motor near people in the water. For anchoring, there are 3 things to keep in mind: wind, length of line, and depth. 
Before the program, Todd explained what happened to his bandaged-up hand. Lesson learned: always wear your sailing gloves on the boat.  29 attendees. Lake level 642'. 

May 2012 Cruise: Flor de Caña "Flower of the Sugar Cane" Cruise
This was a fantastic cruise with all that we could have wanted: great food, drinks, turnout, friends, music, boats, location, and most of all WIND and an opportunity for some real sailing. At lake level 643.3', Arkansas Bend Park's north cove worked well for both anchoring to shore and arriving by car. (cruise map) (fleet lake map) (photo) There were 32 sailors, 18 fleet family units, 8 boats, and 2 cars. Winds were SSE 10 to 15 with gusts to 22. Many thanks to Salvador and Nina for a wonderful cruise day! We had a taste of the Nicaraguan Caribbean, with authentic food, drinks, music, weather, pictures, and Calypso music from Nicaragua's Caribbean Coast and Corn Islands. Food included Grilled pork tenderloin marinated in lime, achiote and other tropical spices, tortillas, Ensalada de repollo (Nicaraguan-style coleslaw), Confetti Rice, Beans, Green or Ripe plantains, Yucca ("cassava" as it known in other parts of the Caribbean), Plantain chips, and Rum cake. Beverages included Flor de Caña rum 7-years, Cola, Fruit juice, Rum & Cola, Rum & fruit juice. Photos.
 
May 2012 Meeting: 

• Salvaging and Trailering Boats was the meeting program, thanks to local salvager and fleet member, Joe. While we all plan to take good care of our boats forever, there are some boats on area lakes and lots that have been abandoned, sunken, or neglected beyond repair. That's where Joe comes in to help. If the boat is beyond repair, he takes "all the good parts" off the boat and sells them. The key to  boat and trailer maintenance is "If you take care of it, it will take care of you." We learned the definition of hydroplaning, which happens when the water is deeper than the tire treads. So treads and tire inflation are important. The speed at which a boat trailer tire will hydroplane is 6 (a constant for boat trailers) times the square root of the inflation pressure. So if a trailer wheel is only inflated to 25 psi, then it could hydroplane at 6*5=30 mph. Here are 4 important things to remember: Securely tie the boat to the trailer,  Check the lug nuts (tight), Know the proper tire inflation pressure and use it, Grease wheel bearings (and check for heat a short distance after starting to drive.)
• In addition, Todd gave a brief presentation about Hooligan's Navy. This was  a fleet of sailboats that silently participated in the WWII defense of the US coastline against German U-boats. It a facinating piece of naval history, so Google it to learn more. Or read Voyages in Desperate Times by Jule Miller. 
• Also, fleet member Joy has released her first CD. Go to youtube link to hear her "Ranguana" song along with photos of Ranguana, Belize, taken and arranged by Cheryl.
• The numbers: 24 attendees, lake level 638.38' before the meeting and 640' 24 hours later. (on on 5/18, it is 643.14'.)

April 2012 Cruise: The 4/14 Rain Dance aka Picnic Cruise was canceled due to high winds.

April 2012 Meeting: Jo Karr Tedder, the president of the Central Texas Water Coalition talked to us about efforts to save Lake Travis, and how we can help. Read these links for details: Overview, Information, LCRA Water Pie Chart, April 26 meeting.
Other news: Congratulations to Joy on the release of her new CD!  Watch the calendars for June and August...the cruises might be switched. The Ladies' Cruise will be moved to July (most likely). Lake level is 640.3'. Some fleet members are cleaning house and free sailing books were available. Turnback Canyon Regatta, held annually by AYC, will have a different format this year: the races will be held in the main basin and/or to Lakeway and back. Plus, there will be a "beach party." There will be a cruising fleet, so everyone can join the fun!
25 members, a guest, and our speaker were present.
 

March 2012 St Patrick's Cruise: It rained again on cruise day, so we met at the "Lion and Rose" restaurant and Pub in Westlake Hills. It was an excellent location.  We had our own private room for our group of 20.  Some had Guiness pints to get into the mood and everyone had a good time. Joy sang several Irish folk songs, since we were celebrating St Patrick's Day (early).  Some of the songs were taught to Joy by her mother when she was a little girl.  Joy also said that her dad had a beautiful tenor voice. What a musical family and we're so fortunate to have Joy (and Joe) in our fleet. Lake level 631.4'. Photos by Todd. 

March 2012 Meeting: "The Good, Bad, and the Ugly of Coastal Cruising." 35 members attended. Lake level 631.4'. Bob and Karen presented an excellent slide show of photos taken during their ongoing trip along the ICW, Intracoastal Waterway, from Texas to the Chesapeake on their Catalina 30, Watercolors. They shared their experiences with various aspects of their trip. Read more in their blog. They’ve traveled 4000 miles, logged 760 engine hours, burned 380 gallons of fuel, performed 10 oil changes and lots of repairs. Lesson learned: Be Prepared!

February 2012 Chocolate Valentine's Cruise: With lake air temperatures ranging from 30 to 42 degrees, and forecasts of snow and sleet (which did happen, briefly), we voted to move the Valentine's Cruise indoors to the Iguana Grill. Twenty-three of us met in a nice private room overlooking Arkansas Bend (lake level 627.07',) where we indulged in many varieties of chocolate concoctions and excellent Tex-Mex meals. Many thanks to Jane and Lane for hosting a fun land cruise! Photos.

February 2012 Meeting: Kent Little, owner of Little Yacht Sales (Kemah, TX), is the Catalina dealer for the Texas coast. He recently visited the Catalina factory in Largo, Florida and showed us pictures and diagrams of the production of the new “5Series” of Catalina Yachts. His associate, John, talked about the rigging. Catalina has been focusing on building more luxurious and high-quality boats using "mass production" techniques and close attention to detail. “The closer you look the better Catalina gets” is a quote from the company. We took a closer look at the production facilities and the components of the Catalina yachts. Thanks!
In addition, we voted on the winning Occupy Sandy Creek posters and prizes were awarded to Jane, Keith, Michael, and Cheryl.
Lake level is 627.0. Attendees: 25 members and 2 guest speakers.

January 2012 Cruise: "Occupy Sandy Creek" On 1/15/2012, Sixteen members and guests of the fleet occupied Sandy Creek (north of Starnes Island) to protest the near record low level of Lake Travis, 626.3'. The low level is impacting recreational opportunities, which in turn impact local businesses and the economy. Four sailboats and four cars were there. We patronized the Sandy Creek Marina store with purchases of snacks and beverages. We made protest signs to express our objections to the low water level. It was a great day to sail and 4 Catalinas enjoyed the strong (10 to 20+)  southerly winds on our backs as we entered Sandy Creek. Starnes Island looks like a submarine. Barry's Cove is inaccessible. There are underwater power lines across the creek, where the depth is only 19'. Many thanks to hosts Todd and Patti for thinking up this great idea. For information on how you can help, go to the Central Texas Water Coalition, www.ourwater-ourfuture.com. Photos.

January 2012 Meeting: Commodore Todd launched the new year with an excellent meeting. 30 members attended. First we planned the cruises for 2012. Lake level is 626.4' and continues to fall in spite of some rain in December, so we had to taken all that into consideration. Commodore reported that our Past Commodore is attending the meeting of the Central Texas Water Coalition (ourwater-ourfuture.com.) Welcome to new members, Mark and Diane. Then the program, "Eyewitnesses to America's Cup Racing in San Diego." Four fleet couples traveled to San Diego to view the races. Sailing Teams race 42 ft. catamarans with fixed wings for main sails. Close course racing makes a great spectator sport. Each couple was asked to show their top 10 photos. Todd showed a 2 minute video of clips from the races, including the audio and video telecast. Steve S explained what the races are about and showed his best photos. Robert showed a selection of his favorite 10 photos. Keith and Sue told us about their experience on a 29 ft Catalina charter boat.  They lived aboard for 5 days.  Sue loved the Starbucks nearby. Todd showed his top ten photos. We all enjoyed the stories and photos! Meeting photos.

2012 Officers: Commodore Todd, Vice Commodore Steve P, Past Commodore Dave Z, Secretary Sheila, Treasurer Robert.
2012 Appointees: Social: Carl, Historian and Web-person: Cheryl