Rum and Reading Cruise
November 13 - November 15
FreeCruise Leaders: Kim Brown & Judy Anderson
Bob Macomber is putting out a book this year – “Word of Honor“! (Hopefully this year’s dust jacket color doesn’t clash with the décor of my library like last year’s.)
Old hands know the drill but –
York Island & Sanibel Bight Anchorages (click on this image to view the chart)
Friday, Nov 13: the fleet anchors off York Island/St. James City unless the wind tells us this is a bad idea. If the wind is wrong for York, it is right for Sanibel Bight. Once secured at anchor the multitude will gather for Happy Hour. Miller Time served as the venue in 2019- Thanks Again Tim & Deedee! This year we will test the flotation limits of the new(est) Trust Me. We’ll be the only Island Packet out there without a mast;-)
Bring a little something to pass and something to sip about 4:00P. This is earlier than usual as the sun sets earlier in Nov than it does in March when this has been traditionally held. Just trying to minimize having too many dinghies wandering about in the dark after a rum tasting…..
At 5P the actual Rum tastings begin. You are welcome to bring your best sipping Rum. Even if you don’t want to enter a bottle there will be a good selection. Each year we have done this competition the quality has gone up. The phrase ‘top shelf’ is useful when picking up a bottle for this tasting. Little shot glasses are passed out. Bottles are passed around. Tastings happen. There are winners, there are losers. There were 7 bottles vying for the 2019 crown. Since no one can keep 7 different rums straight, the tasting is run as a single elimination tourney. We pit 2 rums (conveniently referred to a ‘Rum 1’ and ‘Rum 2’). A sample of each is poured (some requested splashes, some sips and some claimed to be sharing and needed enough for 2). Then it is binary decision time – Rum 1 or Rum 2. This seemed to be within the skill set of the crowd. In the end, El Pasador de Oro XO (Gold smuggler) was the crowd favorite. It and Blown Away/Roy Malkin are the Rum Champs for the year. Congrats to Roy. There was not a bad rum in the bunch.
Saturday, Nov 14: dawns – neither bright nor early. If we are in Sanibel bight, it may behoove us to move to York- we’ll make the call at the time. The dinghies start to wander up the Monroe Canal in St. James City to Woody’s about 11a. The Book party runs from 12-5p. The formal title is: “16th Annual Pine Island Reader Rendezvous with Robert Macomber”. www.robertmacomber.com If you can’t come by boat come by car. It is always a great party. Eating, drinking, music and a chance to buy a copy or two of Bob’s new book Word of Honor. Nancy will take your money/credit card and Bob will sign your book though you can probably give Bob the money and get Nancy to sign the book if you want. When you have had as much fun as you can stand, dinghy back to your boat. There is nothing ‘official’ planned for Saturday night but there is often some socializing after naps……
Click on this Thumbnail for a Printable Copy of the Event
Sunday: you are on your own. Head home, catch breakfast at 8A (possibly at Ragged Ass), or hang around until 11a and dinghy into The Waterfront to complete your culinary tour of Pine Island. Since the Waterfront is the old school house, it ties nicely with the ‘reading’ theme.
We try to monitor 72 and we can be reached at 239-822-6934.
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