Ah, February . . . The shortest month of the year foretells such promise. Days are slowly getting longer, and hopefully, a little brighter after the darkness of January. Hopefully, temperatures will be a bit warmer as well. But the best part of the second month? Love is in the air!
Valentine’s Day will hold special meaning for many of us this year. Our general member meeting is being held, as usual, on the second Tuesday of the month . . . which just happens to fall on February 14th. Personally, for Lisa and me, this will mark the fourth time in our 17 years as a couple where we will actually be together on Valentine’s Day. Most years during this time, one of us has been working at the Miami International Boat Show. First it was me when I was making the Latitudes & Attitudes television show. Then, for the last decade, it was Lisa flying off across the country to work the huge boat show as the magazine’s Advertising Director. We never complained, though, as southern Florida in February was a nice place for at least one of us to be (although back in 2009 it was actually warmer here than it was in Miami!). So, we’re looking forward to being together and home for this one.
I’m also struck with the timing that around Valentine’s Day we will likely be deciding how our club progresses regarding the pending lease situation with the Port. I know many of us really do love this Yacht Club, its people, and what it represents.
In speaking with various members about this topic over the past few months, it has become quite apparent that whether you wish us to continue in our venerable waterfront facility or hope to find a new, less expensive “home”, there is a prevailing sense of community in each person’s thinking.
Of course, we ultimately make decisions of this nature based on our personal needs and preferences. But whatever our individual choice might be, it’s being made with an eye to the future and keeping this wonderful “Barbeque Club with a Boating Problem” we love, vibrant and healthy.
Finally, I know there are a lot of us who love good wine! Not to mention chocolate and cheese lovers, too. On Saturday, February 25th, in the clubhouse, we will have our first ever Scholarship Wine FUNraiser. Since they’ve already done such a fabulous job, I’ll just borrow what event Captains Jane Asbury, Alice Tibbals, and Linda James have written: “Join our mid-winter fun-raising event, 4-6 PM, and sample some delicious wines provided by Marrowstone Vineyards, FairWinds Winery and The Wine Seller of Port Townsend. Cheese and crackers provided with white wines and a variety of chocolates will be served with the reds. Registration is $30 per person with all proceeds benefiting the PTYC Marine Trades Scholarship Fund. As a bonus, we will hold a simultaneous Silent Auction for your chance to bid on both goods and events/experiences donated by our generous club members. The Auction is sure to be a win-win for our members and the scholarship recipients!”
What’s not to love about that? Ah, February . . .
"Always approach the dock at the speed you wish to hit it." Commodore Darren