{"id":780,"date":"2012-10-01T14:01:41","date_gmt":"2012-10-01T14:01:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/?p=780"},"modified":"2012-10-01T14:01:41","modified_gmt":"2012-10-01T14:01:41","slug":"summer-camp-for-cruisers-the-ssca-gam-and-annapolis-for-the-show","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/?p=780","title":{"rendered":"Summer camp for cruisers. The SSCA Gam and Annapolis for “the show”."},"content":{"rendered":"

Forgive me for not posting for a few days. \u00a0You say that you haven’t noticed. \u00a0Oh well, it’s been a whirlwind weekend and great fun.<\/p>\n

Yesterday, the SSCA rendezvous ended at camp Letts on the Rhode River capping off a terrific three day “summer camp” for cruisers. \u00a0 It was just terrific. \u00a0There were about 75 boats along with some drive-ins and a total of 300 participants. \u00a0 The speakers were great and we both learned lots about what to expect on our cruise. \u00a0To hear speakers who’s articles and books I have been reading for years was wonderful. \u00a0Nigel Calder, who gave a number of talks, has written a number of books that I have and I can’t count the number of articles that I have read of his. talk about topics that I have read for years in the boating magazines. \u00a0I also have many books by Lynn and Larry Pardey and they were there too. \u00a0 I added to my collection of guidebooks that we will need along the way. \u00a0 “You can’t get there from here” without these, I am told. \u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Perhaps the best part was being with others who are “like minded” and have also done trips like we are doing aboard Pandora this winter. \u00a0In a way it is just like summer camp. \u00a0You make new friends, fall in love and do it quickly, just like at summer camp. \u00a0 I guess that makes it doubly relevant that the event was being held at a YMCA camp. \u00a0At camp you know that you will only be there for a short time so you make friends faster. \u00a0 It felt like camp as it was camp.<\/p>\n

This sort of view certainly brings back childhood memories for many like me. \u00a0However, not a lot of camps have a “happy hour” each night.\u00a0\"\"<\/a>I couldn’t get a shot of the anchorage giving any sort of feel for what 75 boats look like. \u00a0It is a large harbor with plenty of room for all. \u00a0Here are some of those who were near us.\u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

For me it was a particularly big deal as for the first time, when a speaker would ask for a show of hands on who was headed south for the winter, both Brenda’s and my hands went up. \u00a0That was big as I have never been able to do that before.<\/p>\n

The gam began on Thursday evening with a dink raftup behind one of the boats in the anchorage. \u00a0The routine is that all boats come to the event in their dink, bring an appetizer to share, tie up to others and pass around plates from boat to boat. \u00a0It’s a great way to meet others and share stories as well as salsa and dip. Brenda made deviled eggs and I am happy to say that the two dozen jammed on the platter didn’t last a single circuit around the fleet.<\/p>\n

There were dinners, lunches and breakfasts together with the group and loads of speakers. \u00a0 Ages ranged from some folks in their 40s all the way to one women who came in from her boat and used a walker to make it up the dock to the event. \u00a0 It’s safe to say that SSCA members who participate come for many, many years.<\/p>\n

For me and Brenda, this was our first Annapolis gam with the group and yet as we already know so many folks in SSCA, it didn’t feel like a first time. \u00a0It’s also clear to me that if it wasn’t for the SSCA and all of the welcoming people that we have met over the last few years, that without this group we wouldn’t be doing this trip at all.<\/p>\n

The meeting was over on Sunday morning and now Brenda and I are in Annapolis on a mooring just off of town were the sailboat show will begin on Thursday. \u00a0Even though the show isn’t even set up yet, we were very lucky to get what turned out to be the very last mooring when we got here late morning Sunday. \u00a0 We paid for the mooring for a week and are looking forward to the coming festivities. \u00a0 You’d never know how much different things will look in a few days but the rafts of docks being towed into position and the huge float of log pilings waiting to be driven into the harbor bottom certainly suggest a big transformation to come.<\/p>\n

While I have been to the Annapolis Sailboat Show many times over the year, this is the first time that I will have been staying in the thick of it and the first time that I will have been here for the entire show. \u00a0Actually, this will been the longest time that we stayed on a mooring in one place aboard anywhere. \u00a0Good thing that I won’t have to sit still as I doubt that I could do it. \u00a0Egad! Stay in the same place for a week!!!<\/p>\n

Seeing old friends, and meeting new ones at the show will be just great. \u00a0As an aside, yesterday afternoon I was sitting out in the cockpit reading and someone who I didn’t even know came by on a paddle board and said “I like your blog”. \u00a0I had never seen this guy, ever and was stunned. \u00a0It seems that he is in the market for a boat and is considering buying a SAGA 43. \u00a0In his search he came upon my blog. Go figure. \u00a0As I have always said to our boys \u00a0many times, “watch out what you do in public as you never know who will see you.” \u00a0Good advice on keeping a blog too. \u00a0You never know who will be watching and this example proves it.<\/p>\n

I wish I had better photos to share but I will just have to give you a few of the “pre- show” views of the area. \u00a0The tranformation will be massive beginning today. \u00a0In the next four days tents will be put up and hundreds of vendors and boats will arrive to set up.<\/p>\n

Our mooring is just outside of the are that has been closed off for the show. \u00a0It’s a bit hard to see but the moorings that have been covered with red cloths will be in the area of the harbor that will be covered by docks and boats for the show. \u00a0Our mooring is on the first string off of that closed area. \u00a0 It’s \u00a0a lot closer than it looks, believe me.\u00a0\"\"<\/a>Some of the first dock sections, of which there will be many, came by last night.\u00a0\"\"<\/a>The inner harbor juts into the down town area and will be totally filled with boats and exhibits. \u00a0 On Sunday afternoon, not so much.\"\"<\/a>Main Street is always picturesque. \u00a0 The dome building is the state capitol. \u00a0\"\"<\/a>There’s room for at least one lighthouse photo of the Thomas Point Light near Annapolis. \u00a0It’s one of the few remaining screw pile lights on the bay. \u00a0It’s a very pretty light.\"\"<\/a>Before I close I have to put a photo of Brenda with her most current and second finished project from our trip. \u00a0It pays to be a friend of Brenda as there will likely be knitted things headed your way. \u00a0Isn’t this a cute sweater? \u00a0Perhaps if I work at it I can get back to my birth weight and wear it myself. \u00a0Perhaps not unless I lay off of the ice cream. \u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Today is going to be a busy day as it’s the first time that we have been able to do laundry since leaving home three weeks ago. \u00a0Too much information (TMI) about personal\u00a0hygiene\u00a0you say? \u00a0Happily, \u00a0a good friend has offered us her car for the day for shopping and a visit to the laundrymat. \u00a0 Time’s a wasting and the sun is up…<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Forgive me for not posting for a few days. \u00a0You say that you haven’t noticed. \u00a0Oh well, it’s been a whirlwind weekend and great fun. Yesterday, the SSCA rendezvous ended at camp Letts on the Rhode River capping off a terrific three day “summer camp” for cruisers. \u00a0 It was just terrific. \u00a0There were about […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","_s2mail":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-780","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/780","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=780"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/780\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":791,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/780\/revisions\/791"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=780"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=780"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=780"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}