Holden Beach Rendezvous Labor Day Weekend 2008
Lt/C Lorraine B. Ryan, S, Administrative Officer

Fantastic weather, great friends, delicious food, calm seas.  These all played a part in the wonderful holiday weekend that many of us spent in Holden Beach / Shallotte over the Labor Day Holiday. The Bosharts, Cranstons, Helms, Paynes, Zolas’s and Ryan stayed in Shallotte while the Bruners rented the home next door to the Browns.  Many of us dined out on Friday night and although we couldn’t go to the Red Onion (closed), we made it to Jerome’s Steak & Seafood where most of us enjoyed a fish dinner.  Cathy received such a large piece of prime rib; she had enough for another 2 meals.

 

1030 was our departure time on Friday when the 3 boats skippered by Captains Boshart, Zolas, and Bruner headed up the ICW to the Cape Fear River and Wilmington. There is always someone that wants to try something different, like getting to Wilmington via the ocean and that’s what Skipper Zolas decided to try.  After lunch, several of us wanted to visit the battleship North Carolina but the boat which traveled across the river left early and so we missed the opportunity. Instead some took a trolley tour of the downtown area and learned some very interesting facts about Wilmington while others went to the Cape Fear Serpentarium to view the crocodile, pythons and cobras.

 

Did you know that David Brinkley and Charles Kuralt were born in Wilmington? And although Michael Jordon was not born in Wilmington, he was raised here, along with Sugar Ray Leonard.  And the famous painting of Whistler’s mother?  Anna McNeil Whistler was born in Wilmington but was living in England with her son when he painted the famous portrait.Dinner on Saturday night was at Betty’s Uptown restaurant which recently opened in Shallotte.  We have eaten at Betty’s restaurant on the ICW in Holden Beach many times.

 

Bonnie and Lorraine joined Lynda for church on Sunday at the lovely Holden Beach Chapel.  The visiting minister was from Louisburg and his sermon was about the few biscuits and tiny sardines.  They certainly change the gospel here in the south!  Up north it’s about the 2 fishes and 5 loaves of bread. Sunday brought up another delightful day and Captains Boshart, Bruner and Helm set out for Carolina Beach.  The Helms decided to again take the ocean route while the others took the easy way up the ICW.  Easy, if you are able to find Snow’s Cut. Easy if you don’t miss the marks for the entrance to the cut.  Easy, if you don’t travel too fast up the cut.  Especially easy if after you get through the cut, you turn around and come back through it again.

 

Our Low Country Boil on Sunday was again a culinary feast.  Members and guests brought appetizers to munch on and desserts to feast on but the star, as always, was the big pot boiling with clams, scallops, shrimp, king crab legs, sausage, corn, potatoes, etc.  We went back and forth searching the table for that special piece that we each enjoyed.  It’s as if we were sitting around a campfire with the stories that were told after dinner, both true and embellished.

 

As usual Lynda and Bobby are the consummate hosts.  They open up their arms and their home to us each year.  We were sorry that Bobby was not up to feeling his best and could not accompany us on our boating excursions but we were happy to have Lynda and him each evening. Thank you both from the bottom of our hearts!