Our September dinner and program will be at Two Rivers Campground and Marina. It is on the Monongahela River just north of Point Marion, off Route 88.
George Snider, S, will be the speaker, with a trip on the River Thames, in England, as his probable topic.
We will order from the menu. Two Rivers has good steak and chicken salads at $5.95 as well as sandwiches and full dinners. Weather permitting, we may eat outside under their pavilion.
Social hour at 1830, dinner at 1900 with meeting to follow.
The 1998 Mason-Dixon Festival will be held at Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park in Morgantown. There is no admission charge. Boaters are particularly welcome, and you can tie up overnight, perhaps even to a dock. There will be no trailer parking, so use the Star City boat ramp.
Saturday morning there will be a River Parade. "Big" boats should gather at the Star City boat ramp at about 1030. Slow or cumbersome floating objects can assemble at the Mon Rowing Club next to General Woodworking.
No advance registration is required, but if you are coming, give Wally Venable a call. If several Mountaineer Power Squadron crews will attend, we might schedule something special like a maneuvering contest.
About eighteen members and friends attended the August gathering at Edgewater Marina on Cheat Lake.
Mountaineer's Cheat on The Weekend T-shirts will be available at our September meeting.
District 7 Commander Marion Sewell, N attended the Cheat Lake rendezvous to find out what the Mountaineers are up to. From the look on their faces, it appears her Administrative Officer (our P/C Joseph Silbuagh, N) actually told her.
P/C Rex Jordan, P, and his wife Doris Lee were among those accepting Cdr. Martin's offer of a boat ride up toward the headwaters of Cheat Lake.
Cdr Thomas W. Martin, AP Thanks to Tim and Sharon Smola for all the hard work involved in bringing us a very nice rendezvous at Edgewater Marina on Cheat Lake. It was good to have the District Commander, Marion Sewell and her husband Doug, join us for the festivities. The food was good, the sun was hot, the water was warm, and the boat rides enjoyable. Everyone had a good time. Jack Stemple came up with some very hot tee shirts. Many were sold, but we still have a few left at ten dollars each.
Well the boating season is drawing to a close. Its time to start making preparations for haul out and lay-up. Its also time to enroll for the fall classes. Alan Smith has a great line up, something for everyone. So get involved, get educated, make new friends and volunteer to teach a class. Call Alan and get things started today.
Your officers meet monthly to do the administrative work. T. Martin and J. Stemple were snapped at the August gathering.
Lt/C Alan Smith, JNWe will be teaching the Boat Smart course as our fall public class. This class meets over a four week period, including the examination.
The Bridgeport class will start at Petroleum Development Corporation's office at 103 East Main St. on 18 September at 1900.
The Morgantown class will be held at the old Sabraton School on 8 October at 1900.
The Fairmont class will be held at the YWCA on Pleasant Valley road starting on 7 November at 1900. Anyone with any interest in helping please let the Education Department know.
Our long range plans were to offer Marine Electronics, Seamanship and Piloting this fall. We can't teach them without students (and course materials) and so far none of you have stepped forward. Everyone interested in one of these should contact me as soon as possible. We will schedule times and locations for classes to best meet students' needs.
Every member should complete Seamanship. It's not about going to sea or sailing. It's 'basic boating' skills like boat handling, anchoring, and the use of lines covered in more detail than in our public courses, but without the 'rules and regulations' material.
We have a group of students planning to take Navigator this year. They have decided to start in late October.
The View From Under The Bridge
Today I hurriedly crossed the Mon on the interstate,
And as I swept by it, peeking over the edge a bit,
I remembered delightedly how it was under the bridge...
We traveled it many times, as Don liked locks,
And had everyone experiencing the thrill,
(And sometimes the boredom of waiting)
Of going through the lock...
It was always so peaceful under the bridge,
The hurrying traffic above wasn't heard at all.
Only the chug of our boat motor,
The rippling swish of a water skier
Behind a speeding, zoomy, boat;
The quiet brush of a fishing pole
As it trolls in the river water;
The laughter and shouts of children
As they play in or beside the river;
The overwhelming beauty of our woodlands,
Each tree frocked for the current season,
Climbing these Appalachian hills;
As we nestle contentedly beneath
The large abutments of the bridge...
-- Melba Dungey