As we ease into the Fall months, we welcome the arrival of college football, colorful leaves and milder temperatures.  There will be a Color Cruise sometime in late fall (if the weather will cooperate and produce our beautiful colors) and Fleet Captain Pete will be sending out an evite in the weeks to come.  If you’ve never been up the river to Chattanooga during the Fall Color change, don’t miss out on this great opportunity.

We’ve already seen the 1st hurricane of the season, Florence, and thankfully, the system moved through the Carolinas without reaching our neck of the woods.  There was a lot of flooding and structural damage in the Carolinas.  Please remember those affected in your prayers as cleanup continues in that area.  As temperatures cool down, hopefully, this will be the last hurricane of the season.

We’ve had a few new members to arrive with their boats last month:

Bruce & Jo Weddendorf have just recently put, Turtle IV, on B dock beside Sam McManus’ Tranquility.  If you haven’t seen their boat, you need to check it out.  It is a beauty!

New members Gard & Beth Clark arrived last week aboard their Sea Ray, Liberty Two, assisted by Captain Ruddy and have called A dock as their new home.  Those of us, still on the dock one Sunday afternoon, were able to welcome Gard & Beth with a blow of our horns as they made their way onto A dock beside Salvage Crew.

Hannah Bishop, daughter of Kris and Jennifer Bishop, just returned from a trip this summer to Haiti with the Mission of Hope Organization.  Below, she shares her experience in ministering to those who are less fortunate and in need of God’s word:

My trip to Haiti this summer was an experience of a life time.  By that, I mean, not many can say they were trapped in a foreign country surrounded by an uprising without the option of coming home! This summer, I was blessed to travel to Port au Prince, Haiti for 8 days and stay with the Mission of Hope organization.  It was the beginning of July and rarely below 100 degrees outside.  It’s safe to say, I now use the saying “It’s as hot as Haiti” with meaning!  Each day there, my team of 30 and I got to host sports camp in a village super close to us.  Over 100 kids, teenagers, and even adults came out! After smiling, laughing, getting invited into their homes, praying & meeting their families, learning about each person, the last morning was hard to say goodbye.  In our afternoons, we painted houses, praying over the walls of each family’s house.  Most of the houses are built with fabric sheets, tarps, sticks, plywood, and other resources we would never even consider using to build houses here.  We attended bible studies in 5 different Haitian churches like we were their special guest!  One day, we even delivered pairs of goats to two families which was a huge deal for them!  The whole trip, we would say “I never want to go home” and “Can I just stay here?”.  Well, we got what we wished for!  A riot broke out in Port au Prince due to the rise of gas prices and the government shut down, along with the airport!  We truly did get to live like Haitians, is all I can say!  It was scary, but it meant we had to put our whole trust in God.  And because of that, I would do it all over again.  I would go back to Haiti even if it meant being stranded there for 4 extra days.  God knows what he is doing in our lives even when we don’t. 

Pansy Planting Party Saturday, October 27th at 9:00 A.M. Help us make the grounds “blossom”  with pansies!  Refreshments will be provided!

Clubhouse Christmas Decorations November 25th at 9:00 A.M. Our Christmas party is scheduled for December 1st. Please come and help us decorate the clubhouse for this festive season!

Turtle Point Yacht Club

Turtle Point has reserved April 12 – 14, 2019 for their Boater’s Weekend next year.  This is to avoid Easter weekend and the Country Club’s Golf tournament the last weekend of the month.  All those who are interested in playing golf on this beautiful course are urged to “Save the Date”!  Mark your calendars if you wish to attend this event next year.

NEWS from BoatUS

The Numbers Are In: Boating Is Big for the U.S. Economy

BoatUS: “Boating is more than just fun on the water”

ALEXANDRIA, Va., September 20, 2018 – In a data-driven world, knowing your “numbers” is a crucial part of achieving success. And in the halls of power of Washington, D.C., and 50 state capitals, credible data carries extra weight when it comes to advancing policies and laws that benefit recreational boaters. That’s why Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) is calling attention to today’s release of economic data by the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that shows the significance of the outdoor industry – and boating in particular – to the U.S. economy.

First, the numbers:

• Outdoor recreation accounted for $412 billion of the U.S. gross domestic product, representing 2.2 percent of the overall GDP. This translates to 4.5 million jobs with compensation of $214 billion in the same year. Outdoor recreation contribution to GDP is greater than farming, mining or public utilities, and is comparable to broadcasting/telecommunications. Recreational boating and fishing accounted for $36.93 billion of that total, the single largest category of activities identified in the report.

“As we work for boaters in Washington and state capitals, this data will help policymakers understand that boating is more than just fun on the water,” said BoatUS Manager of Government Affairs David Kennedy. “For boaters, the BEA data will help BoatUS advocate for laws and policies that support access to waterways and help boaters enjoy a variety of water-based recreation activities.”

The analysis was a result of passage of the Outdoor Recreation Jobs and Economic Impact Act of 2016, which required the Department of Commerce, acting through BEA, to enter into a joint memorandum with the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior to conduct, assess and analyze the outdoor-recreation economy of the United States and its effects on the overall U.S. economy.

The BEA report can be found at https://www.bea.gov/data/special-topics/outdoor-recreation

Now for a few words from our Safety Guru:

Hello Yacht Club Friends! 

Well, the heat of the summer will start fading soon and that means cooler temperatures and higher potential for condensation on boat surfaces especially in the morning or evening.  Most boats have nonslip surfaces in places where one would typically walk, however stepping outside of those areas could mean slippery surfaces and the perfect conditions for a slip and fall.  If you plan to be on such surfaces, wear appropriate footwear such as water shoes that will provide good traction on your boat surfaces.  This is especially important if you plan to wash your boat in the early morning.  Otherwise, the best prevention is to stay on your non-skid surfaces. 

Remember…. Being aware of your surroundings/environment is key to your personal safety. 

Should you have any comments, questions or issues regarding safety around the club, please don’t hesitate to contact me. 

Until next time!

Steve Bosse LGYC Safety Buddy

That time of the year is nearly here!  Billy McCarty is planning a great time at the old Spookhouse (A.K.A. Clubhouse) for Halloween.  The night of hauntings will be October 27th.  Be watching the skies for the Evite!!

Remember our General Membership meeting will be this Saturday, October 6th, followed at 6:00 PM by a potluck dinner.  I hope all of you have made plans to attend the informational meeting and have plans to join in the fun at the potluck dinner.  See you there!

Well, that just about covers the news for October.  November will be fairly quiet around the club with the approach of Thanksgiving and our annual Christmas party shortly thereafter.  The next newsletter will be in December, so if you have any newsworthy items or fun things to put in the newsletter, send them directly to me!   

 Until next time, “Keep Calm and Sail On!”  

Gail Daniel