Hello Tugnuts from Ganges,
There are 56 boats here in our "flotilla" today at beautiful Ganges. We hail from Georgia, Virginia, Texas, Michigan, Illinois, California, Oregon, Washington, Alberta and British Columbia, plus other states I no doubt missed. We have school-aged kids up to and including many retired folks. One couple arrived this afternoon with their brand new Ranger and there are quite a few others who have received their new boats this year. We also have some of the early Ranger Tugs here on the cruise.
Jeff Messmer and his family are heading up the cruise this year again, and tonight we celebrated his birthday. We also have Andrew Custer and his wife, Kenny Marr, and Capt. Mac LaMay and his wife. The Ranger crew has been very helpful troubleshooting as usual, exemplifying why we appreciate them so much.
Patrick Beattie has been our Dockmaster Extraordinaire these two plus (many) days and he and Gayle are great ambassadors again this year, welcoming us and helping in many ways.
Willie Stark is writing her daily blog with interesting photos and human interest pieces, and the rest of us are meeting and greeting, enjoying the fabulous weather, partaking of delicious Happy Hour treats, and smiling a great deal!
Tomorrow our Cutwater friends will be cruising north from Roche Harbor and joining up with us in Nanaimo, a beautiful harbor on Vancouver Island.
Our "flotilla" will be coming through the Dodd Narrows in pods at carefully planned times, with Ranger Jeff leading the first pod, avoiding the "Bathtub Race" in the Nanaimo harbor in the morning.
Good night to all from Ganges, on Saltspring Island in beautiful British Columbia.
