Gourmet Cruise, October 1-3 By Gordy Greiner A total of 581 lineal feet of boats (16 in all) attended some or all of the gourmet cruise.  The cruise began on Friday in beautiful weather provided by Gordy who was in charge of the weather.  After a chart hour aboard Sockeye, the first dinner was at the Friday Harbor House with individual selections from an excellent menu.   On Saturday we went north to Genoa Bay Marina in Gordy's great weather.  By this time our ranks had swelled to 25 members and 13 boats.  Chart hour was under the dock shelter.  We then adjourned to the Genoa Bay Café where prime rib, halibut, salmon and dessert were enjoyed from a price-fixed menu.   The next morning the pilots provided a Continental breakfast of coffee, juice and fresh croissants from Pilot Kathy.  We then headed back to Bedwell Harbor to Poet's Cove Marina and Resort, again in great weather. (What a guy, Gordy.) It was fun to explore the beautiful new facilities at Poet's Cove (and to marvel at their ability to extract $.)  Chart hour with 23 members under the dock shelter was followed by a price-fixed dinner of either salmon or roasted chicken and dessert. Your pilots' duties officially ended at midnight Sunday night.  At that point it is unclear who became responsible for the weather-probably Clyde.  In any event we all awoke to near zero visibility in heavy fog the following morning.  Conditions after breakfast were not improving.  After consulting with Channel 11, Victoria Traffic, we determined that there would be a break in heavy freighter traffic in Boundary Pass and Haro Strait long enough to make the passage.  Some boats had left earlier.   With Avanti in the lead like a mother duck with her ducklings in tow, six boats left in quarter-mile visibility.  The ceiling finally lifted at the west end of Stuart and we all scattered for home. Thanks to all of you who participated and made it such a fun trip.  Your pilots, Kathy and Gordy Greiner. Participants: Avanti, Calypso, Coast Starlight, Gadzooks, Gaudeamus, Gumption, Hop Scotch, Lazy Jacks, Meannder, Oyster Catcher, Pelican, Perigree, Royal Eagle, Sea Star, Sockeye, and Vancourier.

Leaving Deer Harbor and Turtleback Friday Harbor Traffic Meannder and Gumption Hopscotch and Sea Star Greiners Host Chart Hour on Sockeye Lovely afternoon Tall Tales and True Relaxation as an Art Form Anticipating Dinner Visiting Friday Harbor House - Table 1 Friday Harbor House - Table 2 Friday Harbor Marina Saturday Morning Mellow Morning Meannder Heads for Home Genoa Bay The Party Continues Great Weather Chart Hour on the Dock Successful Crabbing Dog Rescue Animal Abuse The Lineup Plenty of Supervision Sea Star Head Poet's Cove Luxury Comfort The Fleet