Summer Escape, July 1-5th 2009
Registration
Please register before June 25th.
FAQ
See the the frequently asked questions for information about food and border crossing.
July 2nd Escape power boat cruise to Sanderson Beach for overnight anchorage on Thursday night. Course line red
July 3rd Friday cruise to Redwater Bay for over night anchorage. Course line blue
July 4th Saturday cruise to Sportsman's Lodge, Northwest Angle. Course line yellow
July 5th Sunday cruise to home port. Course line green
The 2009 Summer Escape will be four days versusthe normal three days. At Summer Escape last July it was voted to have Summer Escape start during the week of July 1st. Most of the active Escape members are from Canada. July 1st is Canada Day, which is a holiday and the Friday after July 1st is a holiday also. So members who have a job, which is almost everybody, will not loose to many work days.
Escape has all 32 slips reserved for Summer Escape participants at the Kenora Harbor Front Docks on the afternoon of July 1st. I expect a lot of participation. Please send back your 2009 Summer Escape Registration Form as soon as possible to reserve at slip on July 1st at the Harbor Front. This picture of the Kenora Harbor Front Docks and downtown shopping area is part of my most recent placemarks of Lake of the Woods from my computer. The Google Earth placemarks file contains all the placemarks I have e-mailed you before, plus all the additional placemarks for cruising routes that we will be taking for the Summer Escape. You can download the additional placemarks for Summer Escape by clicking on the Google earth download on the home page.
I am hoping most boats will be at the Harbor Front docks by 1:00 p.m. or earlier. We will be promoting the Escape organization, handing out literature and inviting people to come aboard and visit. The Canada Day Harbor Front committee would like us to have a parade of boats at 3:00 p.m. We would be providing boat rides for the mentally challenged adult group in Kenora and other dignitaries. After returning to the docks, the rest of the afternoon and evening is up to the members. There will be plenty of activities all day in Kenora. Participants will have supper on their boats or eat in town. Fireworks will be shortly after 10:00 p.m. Escape will have a nice place to watch the fireworks as a group and enjoy the rest of the evening safely at the Harbor Front docks.
Rolf and Kim Gretschman will be the 200 Division Leaders. These boats could travel from 25 to 35 mile an hour at times when they are not just bubbling along.
Your Commodores, Al and Patti Halfaker, will be the 400 Division Leaders. These boats bubble along from 6 to 9 knots. Bubblers say they enjoy more scenery, the smell of the lake, the wind and sun. They can relax more on the journey because they do not have to concentrate on reading maps so intensely to stay on course.
Dave and Diane Holmstrom have agreed to be the Division 600 leaders. These boats sometime bubble and sometimes go on step.
If we have over 36 boats, we will add a fourth 800 division. Russ and Pauline Warne have agreed to be the division leader.
Thursday, July 2nd Division Leaders will gather their division members about 9:00 a.m. and make plans to cruise 16.3 mile (26.3 km) to Sanderson Beach for an afternoon of swimming and socializing. In the evening, there will be a catered pig roast brought in by Gropp's Meats from Kenora by boat. Sanderson Beach will be our Thursday evening anchorage. Bring firewood if you can. There is a nice beach for a fire. Sanderson Beach has good spots for tenting if you don't want to stay on your boat for the evening.
Some “games people play” activities between divisions may take place on this first evening anchorage weather permitting. John Wiebe and Shawna Gillespie our Vice Commodores are in charge of the games.
If the wind is strong out of the Northwest we will pick an alternate evening anchorage close by such as Newfoundland Anchorage or Shore Island Anchorage.
Friday morning, July 3rd will feature coffee, breakfast, swimming and possibly a few headaches. Boats will break off from the anchorage and join their division. The cruise to Redwater Bay anchorage is 23 miles (37 km). Divisions will go through Sunset Channel and anchor in Sunset Channel Anchorage. There is a small island in the Sunset Channel Anchorage that has some ancient Indian painted rocks. Sunset Channel is about half way to Redwater Bay. Divisions can take a break for a swim, food, and view the ancient painted rocks for a few hours before continuing on the Redwater Bay for the evening anchorage
Redwater Bay is a nice protected bay south off Tranquil Channel that should accommodate all the divisions for Friday night. If you are tenting there should be a nice spot on shore
Saturday morning divisions will regroup and cruise to Sportsman's Lodge, formerly Bonnie Brae Resort. Sportsman’s Lodge is located in a nice protected bay just inside the U.S.
In the afternoon, plan on the traditional "Games People Play" to take place. The organization and implementation of the games people play is traditionally handled by the Vice Commodores John Wiebe and Shawna Gillespie. The winning division will take possession of the Games People Play trophy, designed and produced by an unknown Escape deviate member from past Escapes. Cheating and coercion are allowed during the games unless caught, which will result in disqualification. Redneck attire should be worn during the games. Additional points will be given to division members displaying original redneck attire. These points will be added to the total division points earned in the Games People Play competition towards the coveted traveling trophy.
Supper will be a 7:00 p.m. Wear your best redneck outfit. 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place prizes will be awarded to the best dressed redneck man or woman after the evening meal. Best dressed winners will also ad points to their division total points determining the division winner of the “Games People Play” trophy. The Games People Play Trophy will be presented by the Vice Commodores after supper.
Sunday, after the optional Sunday morning breakfast, we will have the annual meeting at 10:00 a.m. At that time Al and Patti will relinquish their responsibilities as Commodores to the 2010 Commodores John Wiebe and Shawna Gillepsie. They will be presented the Commodore's flag at this time. John and Shawna will introduce the Vice Commodores for 2010, Barb and Stan Newman, and either announce the Rear Commodores or take nominations from the floor for the Rear Commodore.
Hopefully, our new Commodore will announce at the meeting the location of Fall Escape which will take place on labor day weekend Saturday September 7th.
After the meeting, the Summer Escape will be officially over, but there is always the fun of cruising back to your home port and for some more anchoring out on Lake of the Woods instead of going home.
For those going home, I have put the three shortest routes back to the most popular home ports on the Google map. From Sportsman's Lodge to Kenora, Ontario it is 67 km (36 miles). The course line is green. From Sportsman's Lodge to River Bend Resort on the Rainy River in Baudette it is 58 km (31.5 miles). The distance from Sportsman's Lodge to the Warroad River in Warroad is also 58 km (31.5 miles). The course line is green.