== July Minutes

MEETING MINUTES

July 2008

Commodore Bob Kelley opened the Cruising Club of Charleston meeting at 7:30 p.m. There were 31 in attendance. Guests were Craig Bennett, his son Craig, and Brian and Bridget Hill. To commemorate July 4th, the Trivia question was about the “Father of the American Navy”: John Paul Jones. Bob asked: “What was the name of his ship; what was the name of the ship he defeated; and what is his famous quote”? Charlie Barnett correctly answered: “The Bon Homme Richard, the HMS Serapis and ‘I have not yet begun to fight’.” Bob shared a bit of history about John Paul Jones life. Adding to the discussion, Charlotte Hensarling’s mentioned that one of her relatives is currently in Britain with Clive Cussler who is trying to raise the “Serapis”.

Vice Commodore Stewart Crisler introduced the speaker: Jack Alterman. Jack is local professional photographer and a sailor who has owned several boats.

Following the presentation, Brian Hill, Commodore of the Cooper River Yacht Club, invited our membership to attend their Scavenger Hunt on the weekend of August 15-16. The cost to enter is $45 per boat and includes a Low Country boil Saturday night for two persons. Extra tickets for the dinner are $17.50. Skippers pick up the questions on Friday night. The scavenger hunt is conducted on Saturday by answering questions while boating on the water in Charleston Harbor. Numerous prizes are given away to most participants.

Bob Kelley reminded members that they could raft up by James Island on July 4th to watch the fireworks. Low tide is at 3:43p.m. Friday. He planned to stay anchored near the Ft. Johnson bite overnight. The Saturday cruise is to Nowell Creek with cocktails at Bert and Loy Ballam’s dock. Bert will act as a water taxi if needed. Use channel 74 to hail the taxi or boats on the cruise. Low tide Saturday is about 5p.m. We were warned not to anchor beyond the first dock on the left. Six boats indicated they planned to attend.

Treasurer Elizabeth Beckmann gave the Financial Report (see below).

Membership Chairperson Sharon Barnett introduced two new members present: Tom and Charlotte Hensarling and Mike and JoAnn Lape. New laminated rosters containing 54 units were handed out to those present.

Bob Kelley opened the discussion of the options for our meetings at The Point Grill: 1) We continue to order from the menu with a 17% gratuity automatically added to each bill and the club pays $50.00 per month to help pay the 2 servers working 4-5 hours each. 2) We have a buffet dinner including two meats for $11.00 plus tax and gratuity with a guaranteed minimum number attending. The $50 can easily be paid with the savings from e-mailing the newsletter to most members. Sara McAlister moved to accept the proposal (#1staying with the menu). Carl Beckmann seconded the motion, which passed.

Bob Sexton won the drawing. Bob’s share amounted to $22.50.

The Luau will be September 6, 2008 at Fred and Joyce Wichmann’s home. Yvonne Jordan is the chairperson for the event. The cost will be $15 per person.

Commodore Kelley adjourned the meeting.

SPEAKER REPORT

Our July speaker was local professional photographer, Jack Altermann. Jack has a gallery and studio on upper King Street. He conducts classes in photography there and has a speaker the second Monday of each month. The meetings are open to the public. The website is as follows: www.centerforphotography.com

Jack grew up on the water in Charleston. His first sailboat (1975) was a Catalina 22. He also had a 35-foot Endeavor and has cruised in the Bahamas. Jack received his photography training in Santa Barbara, CA. He opened his commercial photography studio in Charleston in 1980. Jack switched to digital photography in 1995. He said photography and cruising could easily be combined. He showed a digital slide presentation combined with music showing how to combine a concept and composition. One of the themes in this presentation was the use on the color orange/red but showed its use in a wide range of subjects from nature, people, architecture, trucks, cars, children, flowers, buoys ending up with numerous creative pictures of the Charleston waters. He recommended that we take portraits of each other’s boats in the early morning light. Look at the marsh, sky, boats, buoys thinking of composition. Using a photojournalistic approach, think of a scheme, color, or story.

Jack pointed out that the new digital cameras are much faster. One with 8-10 mega pixels would give adequate memory. Shoot the pictures in “raw” and then you can make copies using your computer to enhance or change the “raw” to numerous applications: jpeg, tif, etc. without losing the original “raw” image.

He answered numerous questions following his presentation.

HOST BOAT REPORT

JULY, 2008

This month we combined July 4^th with our monthly cruise, the plan being to raft up on Friday night for the fireworks displays on the harbor and then continue to Nowell Creek on Saturday for the regular cruise. Those of us who ventured out on the harbor Friday evening discovered it to be much too rough to raft up. Time For Play and Bomba Shack did attempt it and immediately decided to break off. “Finally” intended to join us but changed her plan. All three sailboats ended up anchored out among many other boats just off Castle Pinckney and enjoyed a great view of the fireworks show at Patriot’s Point.

Although it continued to be a little rough through the night, Saturday morning was beautiful. Several boats had spent the night at anchor, and the Adams Cup (a small regatta) began around 10 A.M. Although the breeze was light, it did provide for a good sail around the harbor before heading up to Nowell Creek, our cruise destination. Boats started arriving around 3 P.M., and just like last year we had another great “fireworks” display (courtesy of Mother Nature). However, we had only a little wind and rain, and the storm blew through by 5 P.M., leaving a much cooler setting for Happy Hour.

Many thanks to Bert and Loy Ballam for hosting us on their dock! And Bert deserves a special hand for all the trips he made up and down the creek, ferrying people to and from their boats and towing dinghies with problems. Happy Hour was great with wonderful hors-d’oeuvres, drinks, and great fellowship. Fred Wickmann even provided some entertainment, showing us how to maneuver his classic sailboat, “Mobjack” in close quarters. Many club members came by car in addition to those who came by boat.

Saturday night was a great night to be anchored out - cool and calm. Sunday morning was beautiful. Although it was somewhat cloudy, it made for a pleasant cruise home. All in all, it was a great cruising weekend. Boats in attendance were:

Amazing Grace - Stewart Crisler

Blue Horizon - Charlie & Sharon Barnett

Cloud Nine - Tom & Sara Kinard Hensarling

Nancy D - Richard & Nancy Wehle

No Patience - Bob Sexton

Sally B - Bill Ydel

Time For Play - Bob & Beth Kelley

HOST BOAT REPORT (Continued)

MobJack - Fred and Joyce Wichmann (did not spend the night)

Visitors

Bella - Mike & Ginny Schwartz

Porta Bella - Guests of Cloud Nine (Tom’s brother & wife)

SAIL PLAN – STEAMBOAT CREEK

This month the cruise is to Steamboat Creek. You have the option of sailing offshore or running the ICW. This is not the weekend of the Rockville Regatta. Therefore, there should be fewer boats on the ICW and offshore.

Included in this newsletter are the tidal data for Steamboat Creek for Saturday and Sunday, August 9th and 10th, respectively. In addition, there is tidal information at the entrance to the Charleston Harbor on Saturday and Sunday and at the mouth of the North Edisto River. (Note that if you’re doing the offshore passage on Friday, just subtract about one hour from the current data for Saturday.)

The passage offshore is from the jetties to R“2NE” at the North Edisto River. The distance is about 21.6 nm, and it’s about 5 nm up the river to Bohicket Creek. Steamboat Creek is up the North Edisto River about another two or three miles. A red buoy (R“2”) marks the entrance to the creek. Turn left into Steamboat and proceed up the creek and around the bend just past the landing. Take R“2” on your Starboard side.

If you travel on the ICW, proceed South through Wappoo Creek and Elliot Cut and follow the ICW south past Church Creek to Red Marker R“110”. Then veer off to the left down the North Edisto River. Red Marker #2 will be about a mile down the river on your Starboard side. Turn up Steamboat Creek, taking the marker on your Starboard side. Note: There may be some shoaling extending down river from R“2.” It might be best to pass R “2” and then turn and enter Steamboat Creek from the ocean side (Just like Bass Creek). Steamboat Creek is about 25 statute miles from the west end of Elliot Cut.

Happy Hour on Saturday will begin around 5 pm. The host boat is Charlie and Sharon Barnett’s Blue Horizon.

Tides for Saturday and Sunday are as follows:

Charleston Harbor Fort Sumter

High Low High Low

Saturday - 8/9 2:14a 8:25a 3:11p 9:26p

Sunday - 8/10 3:06a 9:16a 4:05p 10:21p

North Edisto River Entrance

High Low High Low

Saturday - 8/9 2:31a 8:33a 3:28p 9:34p

Sunday - 8/10 3:23a 9:24a 4:22p 10:29p

Steamboat Landing

High Low High Low

Saturday - 8/9 2:58a 8:51a 3:55p 9:52p

Sunday - 8/10 3:50a 9:42a 4:49p 10:47p

Mean Tidal Range – 5.76 ft

Sunset - Sat. 6:11pm

Sunrise - Sun. 06:41am

TAFFRAIL TALK

An article by Dan Dickison in Southwinds magazine this month features the Cruising Club of Charleston. Commodore Kelly provides a concise summary of the club’s agenda. Pick up a copy at boat stores everywhere and read about how much fun we are having. Southwinds magazine is free to sailors. Power boaters can pick a copy when nobody is looking J

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