All Catalina Fleet 69  Lake Travis, Austin, Texas  2009 NEWS

Holiday Party on December 12: Robert and Sheila were once again gracious hosts as they opened their home to All Catalina Fleet 69. Thirty-six fleet members and their guests attended (and 3 cats.) We had plenty of food, featuring smoked turkey and pulled pork sandwiches. We had every side dish you could imagine, and everything was delicious. After dinner, Clay installed the new officers for 2010: Commodore Joe, Vice Commodore Salvador, Co-Secretaries Sheila and Phyllis, and Treasurer Robert. Cheryl will continue as Historian and WebMistress. John G's arm got twisted and was appointed Cruise Coordinator. Clay awarded thank you gifts to 2009 officers (very nice) and fleet photo calendars to cruise hosts (also very nice). The venerated Stough Award was awarded to the much-astonished Joe, for his active fleet building and participation in 2009 and years before that. We then did the traditional gift exchange. The most popular items this year included a nautical painted tote bag, sailboat dishes, and dock lines. A boat candle, plastic wine glasses, and a bottle of something were also "stolen" at least once. Sue F got the most amusing gift, a dancing Santa (which came with something else that was useful.) A great time was had by all. Many thanks to all who made it happen! Photos
For the record, the level of Lake Travis was steady around 655' in December.

Cruise Corpus Christi to Port Aransas, Nov 20-22: Captain Gary and his crew of seven seasoned sailors sailed a Catalina 387 across Corpus Christi Bay to Port Aransas on Saturday, Nov 21 and came back Sunday, Nov 22. It rained hard several times Friday on the drive to Corpus Christi. Saturday was gray, cold, and windy, but exciting for sailing. Sunday was clear blue skies, warm sunshine, but no wind; great for motoring. Photos by Clay tell more: photos.

November Cruise: Turkey Pot Luck. Fifteen members and four boats enjoyed spectacular sailing as well as a raft-up off the north shore of Sometimes Islands. Sailors brought turkey with fixins. Lake level was 648.3' and we anchored on the lee/north side of the Sometimes Islands. We sailed "buddy-style," which is very sociable and always a lot of fun. That's when multiple skippers & crew sail on one boat. Attendees included Michael and Becky, Danny and Susie (with Martin and Jane), John and Kathi (with Clay and Robert), and Bob and Karen (with Salvador, Nina, and Patrick). Temperatures in the mid-70s, 5 - 12 knot breezes, and lake level at 648 feet. Photos tell it all.

Maps: Travis Cruising Map

November Program:"Sailing Travelogue: Fleet Member Trip Adventure". 
This was a very entertaining and informative meeting, in which fellow sailors gave brief travelogues, with pictures of course, of interersting places they have been boating. John O told us about sailing in Florida. Bob and Karen talked about their August trip up the coast of Maine. Keith & Sue told about their favorite trips, including Turkey, Alabama, etc. Todd told us about his trip into Desolation Sound near Vancouver Island, Canada. 

OktoberFest Cruise: We had a great cruise. Three boats and 14 sailors anchored on the south side of what-is-now "Sometimes Point." Lake level was 631.1 feet and the Sometimes Islands have totally merged and are connected to Mansfield Dam Park. The weather was overcast and cool (60's), even tho a recent forecast was 70's and "gorgeous." Winds 10-15. It was a nice autumn day, and a good break from the 100 degree weather (68 days) this summer. We had good German sausage, sauerkraut, excellent apple desserts, German cheese, etc. Oh, beer, too. It was ein schoen tag. Photos. 

October Meeting: Program: "Sailing Wisdom: Lessons Learned and Tales Told". We have some mighty good sailors in our Fleet with years of sailing knowledge. Vice Commodore Joe led a panel comprised of himself, Keith, who has been sailing 50+ years, and Gary, licensed captain and cruiser. Gary told us about his experiences in the 1981 Turnback Canyon Regatta (remember the infamous Memorial Day Flood) when he sailed his C22 on its side from the C-mark high-lines to Starnes Island. His favorite cruising location is the British BVIs because of the comfortable sailing conditions and variety of anchorages. Keith's, who has been sailing over 70 years, told us about this courtship of Sue on a canoe, as well as a sail across the Gulf when a peanut butter and jelly sandwich covered the cockpit after a water spout was spotted. Joe told us about his navy experiences, when he sailed from the US to islands to Norway. He also told us about his ultimate sailboat cruising dream, which will be fulfilled next year. It was great fun and we'll have to do it again with more "old salts!"

September "Where's the Lake" Cruise. For at least the last 20 years, with normal or near-normal lake levels, we have had the ever-popular Breakfast Cruise in September at Arksansas Bend Park. Boats would come on Saturday evening and wake up in the morning to a breakfast feast. With the lake dropping below 630' (third lowest ever), access between water and land at Arkansas Bend became difficult. So, we decided to have a "Brunch" Cruise instead on the leeward side of "Sometimes Point." Well, something unusual happened. It rained! Because of the threat of lightning (risky with a metal stick in the air), we switched to John's lakeside home in Travis Landing. It was an ideal place to watch the occasional showers and survey the shoreline from a different perspective. We had fajitas, Chinese Rice, and pot luck. 28 people atteneded. Two boats with 8 people went sailing anyways, and came later to the party. A good time was had by all!  Photos

September Meeting: We had a very enjoyable and tuneful evening of Maritime Sea Shanty folk songs performed by Joy and Joe. These songs, which Americans call chanteys and Britons call shanties, were work songs sung by sailors while hoisting sails or anchors or any time for pleasure. The chorus repeats for all to sing while the "Shanty Man" sings each new verse. So come-a-long Johnny, sing along. Reference: "Shanties from the Seven Seas" by Stan Hugill, the definitive book on shanties. 24 attended, including 3 new members, Donny, Suzie, and Tedd! Welcome! Photos.

August Fajita Land Cruise: On Saturday, August 15, Happy Fleet 69 members gathered at Pat and Charles' home for the Almost Annual August Fajita Festival Terra Firma Cruise. Grilled beef and chicken were prepared by Joe and Joy. Side dishes included fresh guacamole dip, tomatoes, bean salad, crispy won ton, flan dessert, and more (see pictures). 23 attended. Photos!

August Meeting: Our speaker, Ed Green, is a crew member on the Elissa, which is a 1877 sailing ship docked in Galveston at the Texas Seaport Museum. He is starting his fifth year of training, this time as a group captain. He told us about Elissa's history, restoration after Hurricane Rita, and volunteer training program. ELISSA is a three-masted, iron-hulled sailing ship built in Aberdeen, Scotland by Alexander Hall & Company. She carries nineteen sails covering over one-quarter of an acre in surface area. Tall ships are classified by the configuration of their sailing rig. In ELISSA's case, she is a 'barque' because she carries square and fore-and-aft sails on her fore and mainmasts, but only fore-and-aft sails on her mizzenmast. From her stern to the tip of her jibboom she measures 205 feet. Her height is 99 feet, 9 inches at the main mast and she displaces about 620 tons at her current ballast.
Thirty-one fleet members attended, which could be a record turn-out (or the biggest in a long time.) Photos.

August: Walk on Our Sailing Grounds (amended)
On Saturday, August 1st, when Lake Travis was at 636.91', fifteen CatFleet69 sailors walked and swam from Mansfield Dam Park to the end of the almost-peninsula of Sometimes Island (cam). This land is normally under 30' of water this time of year and hasn't been this low in about 25 years! There were two short channels to cross. The first one was too deep to touch the bottom and created a small challenge to keep cameras, cell phones, and car remotes dry. The second one was waist-high.
Swimmers/Walkers included: Robert & Sheila, Bob & Karen with Stephanie, John and Kathi, John & Joyce with 2 granddaughters, Salvador & Nina, Cheryl, and new member John W.   Joe and his niece, Anita, sailed C25 "Irish Ayes" around the peninsula, and helped some swimmers cross the gap. Three other sailors came, but decided to wait until the lake drops another 3' (or hope for rain.)

It took us about an hour and a half each way. We found a few treasures such as rocks, a screwdriver, rope, and sunglasses. We reached one grassy summit that had a large buoy and US flag. A heliocopter crew greeted us when we arrived there! After the summit, we still had a distance to go. Finally, we reached the end of the islands (for now.) We cooled off, emptied our shoes, and returned to the park. It was a lot of fun....something you can't do every year, fortunately! Afterwards, several went to the Iguana Grill for Brunch.

As an extra bonus, six sailors arrived before sunrise and watched a colorful show of hot air ballons flying over the dam and the lake! Thanks to John O for this fun idea! 
Photos

July "It's Too Hot" Cruise  We had a fun land cruise at the Iguana Grill. Sixteen sailors were there and we swapped good stories (I didn't hear any snake stories (a very good thing)) and plans! The company was entertaining. The food and views were great. The Arkansas Bend land area is quite large now. The winds were light, the lake was narrow, and the power boats were out in full force. I didn't see one sailboat out there. For the historical record, the temperatures had been over 100 degrees for more than 31 days and the lake was at 639.27', so rather than gazing at the stars in the dark and dodging the shallows, the fleet decided to stay ashore and go to the Iguana Grill, which is on the cliffs overlooking Arkansas Bend. We tried a rain dance (sort-of), but so far, no result. We'll keep trying! Cruise Photos and Aerial Photos of Low Water

July Program: "Sail Surfing the Web". Commodore Clay led a presentation and discussion of fleet members' "favorite web sites". It was informative, entertaining, and interesting to learn about how other fleet members use the internet to pursue their interests in sailing. Web sites included weather, Lake Travis, sailing products, cruising, education, sailing history, and entertainment. Photos.

• Members' Submissions: "Fleet69 Sailing" on diigo.com
• Slide show: slide show

June Luau Cruise, Saturday, June 13. Mahalo nui loa to Gary and Paulette for hosting this spectacular cruise. Twenty-six sailors (including two children) sailed or motored to the north cove of Arkansas Bend. The lake was at a very low level 649.1', but there was plenty of deep water anchorages because of the steep slope of the shoreline. The "beach" was huge and those who came via land yacht could drive down the boat ramp and around the bend to the party on the "beach." Three shade tents were available, the decorations were Aloha, and the music brought back fond memories of Hawaiian trips for many of us. The menu was extensive, thanks to Paulette: Kalua pulled pork with Hawaiian fruit sauces, shrimp crisps, lomi lomi salmon, grilled teriyaki chicken (thanks to Robert), sweet potatoes in coconut sauce, tropical fruit salad, Hawaiian macaroni salad, Hawaiian cole slaw, and macadamia nut banana bread. For dessert, we had pineapple upside cake and kaupia (coconut squares.) Gary served the beverages, including Hawaiian Punch, Iced Tea, Ice Water, and Mai Tai's.

The 26 sailors arrived on 8 boats and 6 land yachts. Actually, John O arrived by both boat and car because of an unwanted visitor in his anchor locker (and it was no where to be found the next day)! Four boats spent the night, including Gary & Paulette, Salvador & Nina, Robert, and Bob & Karen.
Other attendees via boat included Clay, Patrick D, Keith and Sue, John O & guest, Joe & Joy, Jane, and Sue. Attendees via land yachts included John G & Ann Marie, Phyllis, her 2 granddaughters Isabelle and Olivia, Patrick S, Cheryl, Tom, Lane & Jane. A few others would have come if they  had found crew or a skipper at the last minute. Apparently the sailing was good both ways, except for the power boats around the high-lines.

We swam to stay cool, some danced (just wait until you see the movie), and a wonderful time was had by all. Photos

Save these links: Lake Travis map or Coordinates Map or Driving Directions

June Program: "Sea Scouts in Central Texas," by Adan Ballesteros. There are seven Sea Scout Ships (similar to Boy Scout troops) in the Capitol Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, including Georgetown, Austin, and Pflugerville.  Each "Ship" is led by an adult "Skipper." Sea Scouts can do any sort of aquatic activities, ranging from sailing to skiing to canoeing to fishing to SCUBA. Most Sea Scout units in our area focus on sailing, and once those skills are learned on area lakes, higher adventure is available by planning longer cruises at sea. They also enjoy camping, rock climbing, shooting sports, backpacking, and mountain biking too. Many thanks to Adan for telling us about this wonderful program. One of our own fleet members, Gary P, developed his sea legs as a teenage Sea Scout in the San Antonio area. Photos. Here is good information on Sea Scouts: Capitol Area (pdf), Sea Capitol Area web, General

Turnback Canyon Regatta: May 23-24, 2009. Two fleet boats participated: Catalina 30 “Watercolors” and Catalina 250 “Flying Cloud.” Lake level 652'. Winds were light and variable. There was rain on Saturday. Congratulations to Robert and Sheila on their second place trophy! A full report is pending from the participants. Photos.

May 17 Cruise: Flor de Caña Cruise. Salvador and Nina hosted this very successful cruise. Ten boats with 23 people sailed in very pleasant conditions (low 70's and winds 10-15) to the reappearing Sometimes Islands Map.  Lake level was 653.3'.  Other boats in the area made for some bumpy waves at times, but overall, it was fun to go someplace different and enjoy a view of the islands and cliffs around the main basin of Lake Travis. Our hosts offered us a Nicaraguan cuisine feast, including grilled smoked pork tenderloin, Ensalada de Repollo (coleslaw), boiled ripe plantains, tortillas, yucas. Kathi brought her delicious Texas peach cobbler. We also enjoyed the very special Flor de Caña rum.

Salvador gave some of us a brief education on Nicaragua, complete with maps and pictures of places to visit. Nicaragua has volcanoes, jungles, rain forests, a very large lake, tropical beaches, offshore cays and a rich history. His great-grandfather (Albert Vogl) is shown with the Deutsche Club of Nicaragua in a 1898 picture on the wiki page!  We all had a great time.  Gracias Mucho!

Here are the Photos and Animation from Oasis Web Cam. As you watch the animation, you can try to see the boats & crew arriving in this order: 1. Salvador & Nina, 2. Bob & Karen, 3. Robert & Sheila, 4. John & Kathi, 5. Joe & Joy, 6. Steve & Meri with Steve & Cheryl, 7. Rob & Lane & June, 8. John & Ann Marie with Paulette, 9. Charles & Pat, and 10. cruiser-by David.

If any Catalina owner is reading this, saw our fleet out on the lake on Sunday, and didn't join us, consider this to be an official invitation to join the fleet! Details are at the top. 

May's Program: "Correctly Using A VHF Radio" It may seem a little old fashion, but its a wise sailor who keeps a VHF radio on board for emergencies. John Thiel from the Coast Guard Auxiliary trained us in the basic VHF radio call and identification procedures. Photos.
Handouts: US VHF Channels and Radio Alphabet. 
Topics covered: Basics, Distress Signals, Antenna orientation on a heeling sailboat.

April Marine Swap Meet and Cruise: The sky was overcast and threatening to rain, but several sellers, many buyers (including 17 fleet members) showed up at the first ever Swap Meet at Dodd Street Docks. Co-sponsors were our fleet and the Dodd Street Docks Marina. Some purchases were made: Dave and Diane bought Bob and Karen's C22 racing sails, Salvador got an anchor that was found somewhere in Lake Travis, and Clay negotiated for a gas tank. Easter weekend might have had some affect on attendance, but overall, the event was judged a success. Many thanks to Joe for his tireless dedication!

By mid-afternoon, the air temperature was barely 60, winds were flukey, and there were sporadic showers. After "inspecting" some of the fleet boats on the docks, some fleet members went home to recover or do taxes, and seven of us went to Cafe Blue, a restaurant overlooking Sandy Creek on Lime Creek Road, 2.5 miles past Volente Beach Club. The highlight of the visit (for some of us) was a ride on a funicular down the hill to the dining deck. We dined on burgers, salads, and a Pain Killer, while enjoying a panoramic view of the disappearing Sandy Creek, at lake level 653.3. Photos.

April Program: "Raising La Belle: The Story of the La Salle Shipwreck". In 1686, Frenchman Robert de La Salle's ship "La Belle" sank in Matagorda Bay. Its location was unknown until it was discovered in 1995. Excavation was done via a coffered dam, which was started in  1996 and dismantled in 1997. Writer-illustrator Mark Mitchell  told us stories and showed us his hand-drawn illustrations of La Belle, La Salle, and the accompanying ships and crew. His book won him the prestigious 2003 Spur Award for "best western juvenile nonfiction" book and the 2003 United States Maritime Literature Award. He is an Admiral in the Texas Navy and has talked to schoolchildren all over Texas. For more information, visit http://www.markgmitchell.com/. Download and read his book from his blog page or here. Thanks, Mark!
Welcome: to new member, Tom!  Meeting Photos.

March Cruise: Bring a Novice and a Shamrock! It was an "Éirinn go Brách" afternoon in Barry's Cove on Saturday, March 21, when seven boats sailed and rafted up in Barry's Cove (654.5'). There were 17 sailors, including 4 novices. Robert cooked up a pot of delicious Irish Stew, and others brought sides such as Watergate Salad (recipe), Lime Bars, Irish Brownies, green cookies, and other delights. Sheila gave us a short quiz on St Patrick's Day trivia, and then drew names of winners from a hat. There were several prizes, such as a St. Patrick (Patron of Ireland) coin, a St. Christopher (Patron of Travelers) coin, a charm that said "If you're lucky enough to be Irish, you're lucky enough," a shamrock with a blessing, and a coffee mug with the luck of the Irish blessing. Gary won the medallion of St. Brendon, the Patron of Sailors and Navigators. 
We had 2 anchors set. When it was time to leave, Robert's anchor would not come up, even though several methods were attempted. So, the line was cut. Fortunately, Robert returned the next day and managed to retrieve the anchor in 10'of water. It was firmly implanted in a tree stump.
After the cruise, most boats raised their sails. It was a beautiful day with temperatures around 80 and breezes that varied from 5 to 12. It was a "top of the afternoon" cruise, and many thanks to our hosts! Photos.

March Program: "Practical Use of the GPS - An Introduction." Steve demonstrated how to use a GPS for sailing pleasure and safety. Starting with the basics of latitude and longitude, and how they are marked on nautical charts, we looked at the Global Positioning System and how a GPS receiver displays your current location. We learned what a waypoint is, how to set waypoints, how to calculate when we'll arrive at a waypoint, and how to use the "Mariner Overboard" (MOB) button. Learn all about GPSs. Photos.

February Cruise: On Sunday, February 15, the sun was shining, the temperatures were cool (60's), and the winds were brisk (10-18) when five boats and 14 sailors sailed to the shrinking Barry's Cove. Lake level was 654.5'. We worked up appetites by dropping anchors 3 times from one boat and 2 times from another. Eventually, the anchors took hold on the rocky sloped north shore of Barry's Cove Point. We then dined on a delicious baked potato buffet, thanks to hosts Karen and Bob. For desserts, what else? Fleet favorite “chocolate and cherries.” The winds held up and we all enjoyed very pleasant sailing back to our marinas. Photos

February Meeting: Vice Commodore Joe told us about fleet plans to host a "Marine SwapFest" at Dodd Street Docks on April 11. AYC hosted one a few years ago and it was quite successful. Details are being solidified and Joe will tell us how we can all help and participate. After the SwapFest, we'll all sail to Barry's Cove for a relaxing remainder of the day! Joe announced that the name of his "new" C25 is "Irish Ayes". Rob told us about his "new" C27, "Escape." Photos.

For our Program, Chuck of the Sailboat Shop talked about about the newest Catalina Sailboats, as well as the Austin Boat Show. It was interesting to learn that while the powerboat industry has declined over the last year, sailboat sales have actually increased. General opion is that there's been a pent up demand for sailboats. The gas prices probably helped, too. The wind is free! The Sailboat Shop was founded in 1971 by Claude and Jacquie. Chuck bought it in 2/2005. Chuck also gave us useful pointers on how to buy and sell a sailboat. Thanks! Everyone should visit Chuck to get the parts they need for all their Catalina sailboats.

January Cruise: On January 10, with temperatures in the 50's, winds in the 20's, and lake level 655.6', the first fleet cruise of 2009 was held at the rebuilt Oasis Restaurant, overlooking Lake Travis. Twenty-one sailors gathered to dine on Mexican fare, catch up on recent news, and make plans for the coming year. Salvador and Nina arranged it all, and the year was off to a great start! Photos.

January Meeting: Commodore Clay made us put on our thinking caps as he led a roundtable discussion of our favorite meeting program and cruise theme ideas. There were many good ideas floating, some very traditional and some very new. We'll all look forward to an informative and entertaining 2009! Eighteen fleet members attended. Photos.

For the Fleet Postcard file, click on one of these: Large, Medium, Small

2009 Officers: Commodore Clay L, Vice Commodore Joe L, Secretary Sheila A, Treasurer Robert A.
2009 Appointees: Social: Salvador and Nina, Historian: Cheryl, Web person: Cheryl