PENDER ISLAND POWER & SAIL SQUADRON ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2004 PENDER ISLAND POWER & SAIL SQUADRON is a unit of CANADIAN POWER AND SAIL SQUADRONS ( 1.)

EDITOR'S NOTES

Welcome to the tenth edition of our quarterly electronic newsletter. As usual, an e-mail version is available for members who lack or don't use Internet browsers. E-mail addresses and URL's for World Wide Web hot links in the text are also appended as footnotes.

Your contributions and suggestions for upcoming issues would be much appreciated! Please send your ideas or articles to the editor.
 
 

BURGEES NOW AVAILABLE!

Ever since this newsletter began publication in June, 2002, Pender Island Power and Sail Squadron's own burgee has been pictured somewhere on the page. The April 2004 issue _(2.) contained an interpretation of the design. Now you can own and fly a burgee on your boat or display it on your wall!

Executive Officer Lt/C Nick Samsom has found a supplier to manufacture it. She is Ruth Reader, who lives in Duncan. The first batch, which took just a week to make, sold out quickly and the second shipment of 20 is already partly spoken for. Contact Supply Officer Lt Ken Coutts to purchase your own burgee. The price is $20.00 each.

P/Cdr Pim Manning was presented with her own free burgee at the Squadron Bridge meeting on July 21^st for all her work in researching and designing it, and having it approved by CPS headquarters. Pim, who currently serves as Asst. PRO and Historian, was delighted that her design had finally been so well realized.
 
 

OUR SQUADRON CAPTURES BEST FLOAT AND BEST COSTUME AWARDS AT THE FALL FAIR PARADE!

Pender Island Power and Sail Squadron has once again distinguished itself at the Fall Fair. As Executive Officer Nick Samsom put it, "I don’t think I would be exaggerating if I said we were a smashing success!" Our float was judged the best in the parade and P/Cdr Bev Gerry won the Earl Hastings Trophy for best individual costume. Inspired by the film, Pirates of the Caribbean, Director Rich Fox developed the theme and wondered about including some "undead" pirates. Bev, whose character was dubbed the Undead Diva, was very enthusiastic about the idea and imaginatively met the challenge of producing a costume.  Rich supplied the soundtrack and was also the choreographer (with a bit of help from Helen Lemon-Moore).

Denis Budnyk lent his flatbed trailer upon which the pirate vessel was constructed by Nick Samsom and Roger Pilkington aided by Rich and Steve Fisher, using lumber supplied by Roger and Nick. Nick’s considerable shipbuilding skills were much appreciated, as was his garage which served as the "shipyard" . In addition, he and his wife Tina supplied most of the neat pirate paraphernalia including the treasure chest, black balloons and pirate treasure thrown to the crowd. An actual working miniature cannon was borrowed from Ann and Mike Burdett. Even Chuckie, the Squadron's dummy used for rescue drills, was appropriately dressed and propped up on the float. Helen, Tina, Rich and Nick arranged the decorations on the ship, with some help from David Hargreaves on rehearsal day. Posters were created by Helen, Rich and Steve.

The clever slogans on the posters included:

    CPS BOATING SKILLS - TREASURE YOU CAN’T STEAL
    DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES - LIVE TO TELL YOURS WITH CPS
    DON'T BE A CORPSE, TAKE A CPS COURSE
    DON'T RUN AGROUND, LEARN YER NAVIGATION!
    SCHOONER OR LATER YOU'LL NEED A CPS COURSE
    THE CURSE OF THE UNSEAWORTHY (name of the float ship)

Roger's SUV was chosen from several possible candidates as the "tugboat" because it includes a sound system compatible with Steve and Rich’s outdoor speakers. Helen recruited friends and relatives to swell the ranks of the pirates and "piratesses", large and small. Their dancing contributed vitality to make a great show even greater.

Dick Steil's Jeep performed admirably as a delivery vehicle, taking the flatbed to the shipyard at Nick's, testing the parade route and returning Denis' flatbed after the parade. Dick also served as the official photographer. Probably some of his photos, once developed and scanned, will be featured in a future newsletter. The unsung hero award goes to Roger Pilkington, who began by volunteering some lumber and proceeded to help build much of the ship then set up the necessary sound system and agreed to come to a trial sound check. On top of all that Roger drove his vehicle in the parade!

The float was a team effort with a fabulous result. Thanks also to all the volunteers who staffed the booth during the fair.
 
 

At the Fire hall marshalling area ,Undead Diva (P/Cdr Bev Gerry) is  seated in the rear of the float as the parade participants await  the start of their short journey to the Hall. (Photo taken by Nick Samsom's daughter)	Roger Pilkington drives his SUV which pulls the float. Cdr Frank Weniger  and P/Cdr Sara Steil are at the front carrying flags. Behind them are Steve Fisher  (with the skull and crossbones) and Rich Fox.  (Photo by Roger Pilkington)

 

P/Cdr Bev Gerry, the Undead Diva, won the Earl Hastings Trophy for the best individual costume in the parade! On the right is pirate decorator, 1st Lt Helen Lemon-Moore. (Photo taken by Nick Samsom's daughter)	Here you can see that poor Rich may have amputated his hand while helping  to build the float. Luckily he found a convenient hook to tide him over!  (Photo taken by Nick Samsom's daughter)

 

The fearsome pirates are captured on film. Adults: Joyce Davis, Gerry Moore, Helen Lemon-Moore, Rich Fox, David Hargreaves,  Nick Samsom, Bev Gerry, Steve Fisher and Frank Weniger. Children: Jasmine Davis, Evan Moore, and Nick and Tina Samsom's grandchildren Nicole, Adam and Keenan.                                 (Photo taken by Nick Samsom's daughter)	The tow vehicle and float are at rest beside the  Squadron's booth in the Hall grounds for all to admire. (Photo by Roger Pilkington)

 

TRAINING NEWS

Pender Island Squadron is indeed fortunate to have excellent instructors for its basic and advanced courses. Please encourage your boating friends and neighbours who have not already done so, to take the Boating course.

Why not round out your own boating knowledge and plotting skills with Piloting or Advanced Piloting?

Or participate in Tony's popular weather courses! Your non-CPS friends, be they boaters or land lubbers, could also benefit from one or both of Fundamentals of Weather in October/November and/or Global Weather in January/February.
 

FALL COURSES 2004

BOATING  $150.00    Thursday evenings beginning Sept 16^th

    Learn more than the minimum requirements.

    38 hours of boating safety instruction include whistle signals, the aids to navigation system, safety equipment, chart work, and more.
 

PILOTING $100.00     Monday evenings beginning Sept 20^th

    Continuation of skills learned in Boating. Learn the three aspects of piloting: navigational and plotting skills, seamanship skills and the boat’s capabilities and performance.

    Pre-requisite: successful completion of Boating and CPS membership
 
 

ADVANCED PILOTING   $125.00     Start date TBA

    Determine a course and fix a position allowing for current, leeway and the prediction of tides and tidal currents.

    Prerequisite: successful completion of Piloting and membership in CPS
 
 

FUNDAMENTALS OF WEATHER   $80.00 (CPS members), $100.00 (non members)     16 hours, Wednesday evenings, beginning Oct 13^th.

    Learn forecasting techniques by assessing cloud types, barometric pressure, wind direction and speed, temperature tendency, and about High and Low pressure systems and the weather associated with each.
 

Register now! Call Lt. Ken Coutts @ 6188 for information and to register for courses. Course fees must be paid in advance.
 

CELESTIAL NAVIGATION    mid-Oct

The Brentwood Bay Squadron will be presenting the Celestial Navigation course this year. The instructor will be Stephan Larsson SN, assisted by John Hudson N and Linda Larsson SN. This CN training team comes highly recommended by D/Lt/C Barrie Gilbertson, Vancouver Island South District Training Officer. The course is open to any CPS member who has passed Advanced Piloting.

The classes will be held on Wednesday evenings at 8910 Salish Place in Sidney (Dean Park) If you are interested please phone for starting date, time and directions to (250) 656-9921, or send an e-mail message to stephan dot larsson at shaw dot ca.
 
 

EXECUTIVE OFFICER'S REPORT

The annual VISD Rendezvous was held again this year at Otter Bay on Pender Island. As participants with boats arrived on Friday afternoon they were greeted by D/C Don Lassey at the docks and were then free to socialize and prepare their own evening meal in the gazebo.

Saturday afternoon began with the Pender Highlanders performing at the gazebo and then marching down to the docks for another performance. Games followed after teams of 4 members each were recruited. Notable was an outstanding performance by P/D/C Peter Jennings in the "bartender competition" event. One suspects that Peter has had significant experience in this area of endeavour and obviously was a "sleeper"! Other competitions were heaving line toss, bocce ball and tests of team knowledge of aids to navigation (developed and presented by Marti Tilley) and sound signals (Tony Merry).

Happy hour commenced shortly after the games whilst the cooks busied themselves preparing the BBQ dinner of steak and burgers. Don Lassey and P/D/C Peter Jennings proved to be excellent chefs. VISD also supplied the delicious, very sweet corn on the cob while salads and desserts were brought by the participants. It was a great meal. After dinner Don Lassey presented prizes to the winners of the games, and gave out a number of door prizes.

The evening concluded with Don showing two Power Point presentations using the Pender squadron's laptop and projector. The first was a Dept. of Transport proposal regarding possible downloading of some functions currently performed by the Coast Guard and the second one dealt with a recommendation that CPS comply with federal and provincial privacy policies.

Sunday morning breakfast consisted of pancakes and sausages cooked by our VISD chefs. Then the cooking tent was taken down and stowed with all the other supplies in VISD’s trailer. (You can see a photo of this handy trailer on the member's portion of the VISD web site.)_(3.)

A great time was had by all. There were approximately 50 attendees in total, with 9 from the Pender Island Squadron.
 
 

(Editor's note: Nick took some great digital photos of this event, some of which will probably be used in the near future. So that this issue won't take forever to download, the Fall Fair photos are being given preference this time.)
 
 
 

PHOTO GALLERY

Rich Fox and Helen Lemon-Moore designed and installed this display in the Driftwood Mall during Safe Boating Week, May 22 to 28. Thanks to Evan Moore for lending his extensive Play Mobile collection to enhance the display. Marti Tilley and Tony Merry also contributed display material. The photo is by Kelly Irving.
 
 

RECENT BACK ISSUES OF THE ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER

June, 2004
April, 2004
December, 2003
September, 2003

FOOTNOTES

1.   http://www.cps-ecp.ca/english/index.html
2.   http://www.cablelan.net/frose/PIPSnewsap04.html
3.   http://www.visd.org/
 
 

Editor:  Lt Fran Rose (S)  Phone:  629-2060  E-Mail:  frose at cablelan dot net
URL:  http://www.cablelan.net/frose/PIPS.html