If you have been out to the Club in the last couple of weeks you will have noticed the sailing season is quickly winding down, but not totally wound down yet, as last night was the end of the Tuesday night races. I believe only two boats were out sailing—one boat from TYC and one from EYC. Tina and Ken Hoffman get the Hardy Sailors Award (that is, they would get it if we actually had that award). Not only were they out sailing after dark on a cold fall night, they came in and started up the BBQ to cook their dinner. They know how to get full enjoyment out of the club right up to the end of the season.

I want to start this month’s Commodore's column out with a shout-out to Marty Parisien and all of the EYC volunteers that came out for the Family Sail Day to Benefit the Relief Nursery. Before you move on to the rest of the newsletter, please turn on your speakers and listen to this interview on local radio station KPNW with Marty and Jennifer Solomon from the Relief Nursery. They did a great job of introducing the public to EYC, the Relief Nursery, and the event.

If you missed the last General membership meeting, Second Trustee Bob Pritchard invited members to come out to the club for the first ever “Potluck Breakfast & Solar Eclipse Viewing Raft-up” on August 21st. If you don’t already have plans for viewing the Eclipse please join us at 8:00 am and bring your solar glasses and a breakfast dish to share. We will plan to leave the dock a little before 9:00 am for a raft-up off shore.

When I wrote my first column for the newsletter this year, I remember it was a January morning and I was looking out the window at a slight dusting of snow. The temperature was just above freezing and the world of boating was far from my mind. Today, I am fortunate to be sitting on the back of my boat in the EYC marina enjoying a beautiful sunny July morning. The lake is flat and peaceful and only about five cars in the parking lot. It still amazes me how under-utilized the club can be a times, or maybe it is just the rest period we all need after a very active month of June.

What a great season we have had so far! And there is still plenty more going on at EYC. 

The Memorial Day Regatta was fantastic. We had sun and wind at the same time which, if memory serves me, is a rare occurrence for the MDR. Rich Johnson and his committee pulled off two excellent days of racing. Both Saturday and Sunday he tortured some of us old people with trips to the dash mark.

When I was at the club this past Sunday morning, the sun was out and there was a wonderful breeze on the lake. I am starting to believe we have turned the weather corner and spring is here. It is the month of May, after all, and there is a lot going on at the club.

Mother Nature has been both generous and harsh so far this year. We have been blessed with plenty of rain to fill our wonderful lake and not so blessed with some heavy winds this past week.

Early last Friday, a wind storm (clocked at 60 mph on the club weather station) broke off the last four sections of D Dock and damaged the remaining sections of it in several places. The four sections that broke loose must have taken quite the joyride because 24 hours later they were found washed up on the north shore at Richardson Park. Club manager Rich Aaring is still scratching his head in bewilderment over how the broken sections traveled so far. 

Tick, Tick, Tick …

Just the sound of the clock reminding us how quickly the boating season is heading toward us. By the time you read this newsletter, the Club opening will be just two weeks away and the first Thursday night race of the season (April 6) is shortly thereafter. I better start getting my Santana 20 ready to go racing.