ESCAPE

Recap of Summer Escape 2008
From Your Commodores

Summer Escape 2008 will remain very memorable for several reasons:

First, crossing Big Traverse Bay on a sunny Wednesday with calm winds was no big deal. Patti and I, along with Hank and Ginny Henderson, checked out a few other Resorts in the Morson area to see if there were any other resorts that would be able to handle a large group of power boats invading their shores for an afternoon and evening. We didn’t find any new resorts in the Morson area that could compare to the Buena Vista Resort.

Thursday, the first day of Summer Escape, found us arriving at Buena Vista Resort around 10:30 am. When you are boating with Hank and Ginny, it is traditional to be at the first day's destination well before any other Escapees arrive. This year was no exception. It took us about six hours of traveling at 10 miles per hour on Wednesday to arrive in the Morson area from Warroad, Mn. Russ and Pauline Warne in their 24’6" yacht named “The Boat,” bubbled along with us from Warroad which was not easy for “The Boat.” They usually travel about 25 mph.

As the other boats from the Kenora area started arriving Thursday afternoon the excitement of seeing old friends, telling boating stories and going for a swim off the Buena Vista Resort docks was very enjoyable. The evening meal was delicious, the weather was perfect, but typical for this time of year. As the evening progressed and the evening social hour was in full swing with lots of visiting back and forth from boat to boat, it seemed like a typical first day of Summer Escape and all was well. There was partying into the night.

Friday came for me about 6 a.m. to the sound of rain and wind. I decided to look at the Weather Channel on the laptop computer I use to run my GPS. Buena Vista Resort has wireless internet available to anyone staying at the resort. The Weather Channel showed a lot of green, yellow and orange blotches just west of Lake of the Woods and moving east over the lake at a fast pace. Warroad at the south end got hit hard, the central part of the lake looked bad, but the Morson area did not appear to be hit with any severe storm, but shortly after 7;30 a.m. the power went off at the resort and so did my internet access. The power was only off for about an hour so it was an interesting morning.

As a group we were concerned about heading out on the lake with severe thunderstorms rumbling across the lake with high winds. Our commodores, Laurence and Elizabeth, decided at 9 a.m. that it would be prudent to stay put at Buena Vista Resort, possibly for the day if the severe weather didn't diminish. Everyone agreed, but alas the electricity came back on, the wireless internet was working and it appeared that the severe weather was on its way out. Patches of blue sky were appearing. A decision was made to head out for our wilderness night anchorage on the northwest side of McPherson Island.

The ride of approximately 60km (35 miles) turned into a very memorable trip. We started out from Buena Vista Resort with nine boats: Big Dog , Serendipity, Endless Summer, Summer Place, The Boat, Brian and Terry’s boat, and All or Nothin. As we left the protected bay of Buena Vista Resort, it became apparent there was a strong wind out of the southeast around 60 km that we were not aware of while anchored at Buena Vista. The waves started to pick up, but that didn’t matter, as we were traveling in a northwest direction with the waves pushing us along. We were bubbling along at six knots enjoying the scenery of the many islands that passed before our eyes.

After an hour of this bubbling business, four of the faster boats had had enough. “All or Nothin,” with captain Rolf at the helm, suggested that he should go ahead to McPherson Island and check the anchorage to make sure it would be a safe location for the division to anchor. “In the Mystic,” with captain John at the helm, “The Boat,” with captain Russ at the helm, and “Summer Place,” with captain Alain at the helm, decided they should join “All or Nothin” to check out the wind at the McPherson Island anchorage. Patti took pictures of “All or Nothin,” “Into the Mystic,” and “Summer Place” on step as they passed “Big Dog.” You can see these pictures under the Summer Escape pictures for 2008.

“All or Nothin” radioed back a half hour later to inform us that they had located “TNT” with Tamara Farion, son Sacha, daughter Ava and guest Heather and Janice all safe. They spent Thursday evening anchored in Sandy Bay which was on the way to Buena Vista Resort. They got a late start and could not make Buena Vista before dark. They opted to stay the night in Sandy Bay and wait for their fellow Escapees to pass by and join up with the division. When the bubblers came by Sandy Bay, “TNT” joined up with the division. The wind had switched to the west southwest and was gusting to 70 km. Traveling was getting more interesting by the minute with the increase in wave size as the division was traveling along the northeast side of Big Traverse Bay behind some skimpy islands which were not good protection against the 20 miles of open water to the southwest. See the rough water pictures in Summer Escape pictures for 2008.

In one of the more open and unprotected areas of water, “TNT” lost their inflatable raft. It blew very quickly up against the shore and there was no way to retrieve the raft in the wind without putting your boat in danger. Plans were made to retrieve it the next day.

After a long day and rough water, the rest of the division arrived at the very well protected McPherson Island anchorage. “All or Nothin” was ready with its large anchor set out front and rope from the stern to a tree on shore. The division was only 150 feet off the western shore of the anchorage. “Big Dog” put out her large anchor and backed in along side “All or Nothin” and also roped to shore. The rest of the division tied on to the starboard side of “Big Dog.” Food, drink, and music was in order. The strong wind and waves could be heard on the west side of McPherson Island, but it was very calm and pleasant at our anchorage. See the Summer Escape pictures of the division at anchor and the Google Earth picture of our anchorage location.

Stan Newman came up with a large fresh fillet of salmon and John Weibe pulled out a large fillet of salmon and halibut. Expert grilling, super salads and other goodies shared by all the boats made for a great feast. It was a little cool, which meant there were no bugs or mosquitoes. Some hardy souls managed to have a little swim around midnight.

Saturday morning came with the wind still blowing out of the southwest with gusts up to 70 km (42 mph) which made for another wavy and windy day of travel for about 20 miles north to Wiley Resort close to Wiley Point.
Upon arrival at Wiley Resort we were informed that we could not tie up to the docks due to the strong winds. The faster boats anchored to the north in the Wiley Resort bay and the bubblers anchored to the south end of the Wiley Resort bay. Wiley Resort tendered groups of Escapees to the resort upon request.

After pre-dinner martinies, everyone enjoyed a good dinner and the evening games went well. Rolf Dawson was present to host “Division Feud”. The audience as well as the two divisions playing the game where getting very excited and almost out of control. It was a howling success.
Sunday morning after breakfast there was an important business meeting. Commodores Laurence Rosenberg and Elizabeth Wilderman passed the business meeting onto the new commodores, Al and Patti Halfaker. Patti Halfaker accepted the nomination for treasurer as Jan Boynton wanted to retire from the position. Patti will be the treasurer of Escape for the coming years until it is time to pass the position on to someone else. Patti gave a treasurer's report. Their is a bank balance of $1,893.35 in the account. Al announced that the Fall Escape will be at Flag Island Resort.

Under new business, the dates for Summer Escape, which has always started on the first Thursday after the Fourth of July, came up for discussion. It was felt by all present that it is time for the starting date to change. All members of the Board of Directors of Escape were present. The Board of Directors for this coming year are Al and Patti Halfaker, commodores; John Weibe, vice commodore; Barb and Stan Newman, rear commodores; and Patti Halfaker, treasurer. Also present at the meeting were nine past commodores. They were Hank and Ginny Henderson, Tim and Kathy Hughes, Sue Woods and John Mang, Russ and Pauline Warne, and Rolf Gretschman. There was a general discussion about the difficulty of having Summer Escape taking place one week after the Canada Day celebration on July 1st. Many Canadians take the whole week off to be on the lake. It is difficult for most Canadians to take the week of their Canada Day and another week to participate in Summer Escape. Sue Woods made a motion that Summer Escape should start in the week that the 1st of July falls in and thus incorporate Canada Day and Summer Escape and that Summer Escape be at least four days long instead of three. The motion was seconded by Russ Warne. A vote was taken and all US and Canadian citizens present voted yes to this motion. The by-laws of Escape will be changed to reflect this change.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:15 a.m. Pictures of the past commodores, new commodores, vice commodore, and rear commodores were taken which can be seen on the website. All present agreed that this was an Escape to remember with sunshine, swimming, partying, over 120 miles of lake travel for most, wind, waves, tricky navigation in the wind and great food.

The division feud game will be remembered as a great success thanks to the efforts of Laurence and Elizabeth for developing the unique questions and the flamboyant master of ceremonies, Rolf Dawson.

By 11:30 a.m. most participants were heading back to their home ports with a long face anticipating Monday morning and work.

Your commodores for 2009,
Al and Patti Halfaker