Memorial Weekend PGSC Cruise



Sunday Morning

I counted thirty dinghies on Punta Blanca's little beach! The Punta Gorda Sailing Club's Happy Hour was a happening this Saturday afternoon of a glorious Memorial Day weekend. 

Our forecast for the weekend weather read:

Weekend Weather Forecast

Great!  With the East wind, we sailed down to Marker Five.  On course for Pelican Bay with the wind behind us, we opted to motor as to not miss Happy Hour.

Although sixty to seventy boats were already anchored in the bay, we had no trouble finding a good spot.  Tents and beach umbrellas sprouted on the beach.  Upon tables a feast of hors d'oeuvres grew as cruisers arrived. 

Noel, acting as social director, soon got the games underway.  Joanne and I entered the dinghy race and lost. We lost the blind dinghy race. We lost at Ladder Ball.  We lost at "Fill the Bottle with Sea Water" race.  We lost badly at "Pictionary in the Sand."   Joanne served as "Admiral"  in the "Guess the Number, Get Splashed" game. 

Victors received a bottle of wine; we who participated in everything, lost every time received nothing. Joanne shamelessly demanded a bottle for participation and Noel later presented her with one, a merlot from Trader Joes. Shameless hussy!

The wind did blow; it blew up a moon to light the anchorage at night and a beautiful sunrise to begin the day.  The day of the big barbeque remained relatively cool for this time of year.  Before the hamburgers, hot dogs, watermelon and lots of side dishes were consumed, some us played "Pass the Trash."  I won!   Latter in the afternoon,  we had alot of fun playing beach volleyball in the Gulf.  

Monday morning five boats, Fancy Free, Pig Pen, Seadaddler, Forever and Eagle's Wings headed up the ICW to Englewood Beach Anchorage where we had dinner at the White Elephant.  Before dinner, Joanne and I dinghied down to Stump Pass where Joanne took a swim on a beautiful afternoon.
 
To avoid predicted scattered thunderstorms, I decided to leave early Tuesday morning quite to Joanne's chargrin; she wanted to stay another day.  We motored out to the ICW at 6:50 AM, made the 8:30 Boca Grande Bridge opening and motor sailed to just past the spoil banks north of Boca Grande.  Then we motored into the East wind to Mark Five before a spirited sail home between six and seven knots with reefed main and genoa.  We docked about  1 PM and started cleaning up.  Late in the afternoon storm clouds blackened the sky south of us but never reached us. What a great weekend!