"Put the Tarp up Harry!!!"

Another Story about the 2007 Champlain Rendezvous


If those words were spoken once, they were a hundred times. But if that is all you think Lake Champlain was for 2007 you missed a lot. I must say that this was the most different 4th of July week I have ever spent. But I can only tell you my experience.

It started Friday afternoon. I got to Peru Dock at about 5PM and called Zemer Hayam They were on the way to Butterfly Bay from Mallets Bay. I could have just met them at Butterfly but there was a little wind so I sailed off to meet them on the lake. I went to Stave Island and no mac's so using the VHF I found I had missed them and they were at the north end of Valcour. I was at the south end and a few miles east. I did eventually did get together with Karamel, At Ease, Tacit Blue, Knot Shore and Zemer Hayam.

In true NE-TS tradition, Jack was having engine problems so we took Jack's engine apart (actually Jack did the work but it took 4 of us to watch) to make it work properly. That was followed by repairs to Tri Oomph's shifting linkage. That was just the beginning as there was more boat work as the boat damaging monsters started to form and grew with each stop that we made.

Other boats also joined us and we were updated as people came in to Mallets. Saturday night the gang was all there and we filled Butterfly the way only NE-TS can. Good evening of talk and finding out what we had done since the last meeting. It was great. The captain's meeting the next morning was the usual discussion of what could be done by whom and what should be done and at long last we chose Burton Island. The wind was great and the sails filled and we had a great ride over till my rudder bolt broke and I was out of the game but that was before Knot Shore tried to pass a sandwich and cookies over to my boat. Only a NE-TS person would care that much for a lone sailor. Of course Whale and Knot Shore left me behind thinking I just rounded up. When I got to the slip the word was out that Zemer Hayam also had rudder trouble (it seems Jack is trying to break my record for the most repairs on a rendezvous).

After we were all docked out came the tools and it was "fix Jack's rudder", mine was on hold his had broken. As we cut on it to make a shorter version somehow we got to the picnic table and there was food and drink and we worked with various tools to cut the plastic to the right shape. But I must say before this there was a boat either At Ease or Tacit Blue where the estrogen was high and it was not an area for men (I have still not heard enough OH TONY's yet lady's).

Y-Not seemed to be the start of the talk on the docks and it moved to the shore. As usual the talk, the food and the people were good if not great. In the morning Lady in Red said that they thought someone in the boat next to them was in pain all night but that is not important (The Beep was parked next to Lady in Red but we could hear no noise).

Bad weather reports were given so we chose to stay on Burton for another night. The day was spent fixing my rudder and sailing on the boats that chose to go out (thanks Whale) and enjoy the wind that was available. Night came with our first Mexican fun theme with the children doing Champ (the piņata) in. I do not know who had more fun the adults or the children and who took their candy? After the first bout of rain Paw Prints came in, right thru the storm. Penny could not wait to get on the dock, even when the rain started again she was still there.

In the morning boats took off for various places, Plattsburgh, Deep Bay and some stayed at Burton, the largest group went back to Butterfly to wait out the rain. To say we stayed there 4 nights would make you wonder about our sailing, but the wind was none to 5 knots and thunder storms etc were threatened, so we sat. But not just sat we had a ball. We made a tent on the beach and we sat under it when it rained we watched fireworks, talked about modifications and just chilled for the time. Some of the boat left for Mallets Bay and Willsboro Bay but a good 6 boats stayed at Butterfly. I must say that watching the fireworks Friday night and singing was great and, after the pain killers Time Enough brought, not one voice was out of tune.

Much more happened that I have not told here but you have to be part of it to understand that sometime sailing comes second and relaxing with good friends is what you do. I guess we made lemonade with the lemon weather we had. I'm looking forward to Lake Champlain 2008 whatever it bring it will be great!!!

Tony DiStefano The Beep

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