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By Steve Bosquette & Bob Throne - Elk Neck State Park, MD - USA

To Part One

To Part Two

OK ... so by now I realize pictures are better and easier than words.

Across the river is a big mobile home resort ... whose boats ? Charlie Champagne P-19? My apologies.
As you see ... boats & boats ... the beach got so busy that several used the longer stretch which extends beyond that rock jetty.
Larry Haff with his Glen-L Minuet "Sea Snail" (I nearly built one five years ago). Larry's trailer axle buckled as he arrived ... and again heading home ... "At least I got in some sailing".
View from the end of the dock ... store with some supplies and ice cream ... those are transient slips on the right (none used at the time).
Paul T's tiny Tardis sailing in ... Paul has designed four boats .
Vaughn Maurer exploring the opposite shore ... HE built it (with Dad) I think this is from Cabin John Creek looking back towards Rogue Harbor.
More family ... Alex Sydnor and son ... Alex is active in family boatbuilding in Delaware ... and he knows these waters well.
OK, yeah ... with Steve's help I finally got the new rig up and went sailing. Thanks to Norm Wolfe for taking pictures for me ... I have so few of my own boat.
My Wanderer, the "Terry Jeanne", Saturday before supper ... first time with the sprit mainsail ... Steve B. teases me about having "twin screws" ... look closely.
Bob Crifasi's P-15, "Bunky" has all kinds of clever and practical modifications .The "production" boaters were all do-it-yourselfers and it showed.
Eric Hughed talks with Ted Kilsdonk & family with the co-hosts boats anchored in the background (anchored far too much) ... taken from under the sun tent.
Another sailing canoe ... sorry, don't know who.
There were just a few fishing boats Saturday.

A giant butterfly spent most of Saturday at the Messabout.

It rained most of Saturday night ... but no one seemed to mind.

Grey but comfortable Sunday morning ... a bunch of bass boats headed out early.
Alex S. was among the last to pack up using his handy dolly.

Eric H. and Bob C. ... a few of us lingered Sunday morning, enjoying the water & conversation ... strangers had become friends.

There were left over hot dogs, so Saturday evening Eric Hughes et. al. fired up the grills and fed anyone who wanted one, including some folks who showed up to fish off the dock at dusk.  Most folks went up to thier campsites; others left for home.  Steve B. & I grilled steak and corn there at the beach after a VERY full and satisfying couple days.  The rain during the night Saturday was steady but not a downpour.  Sunday morning Steve and I ran up to the village of Northeast for breakfast and a chance to talk and begin to digest things a bit.

Summing up ...  if there were any concerns, they were minor.  The surf from wakes did pound in a few times and one needed to be alert about ones boats when it did ... although there was no harm done.  And I guess it would have been nice to have camped closer to the beach ... but hey – hot showers. 

The following week several hundred pictures were posted on our Yahoo Group - https://groups.yahoo.com/group/EasternMessabout/.  Enjoy them.  There have been a number of notes exchanged and some folks are planning follow-up get togethers with new friends this Summer.  I realize only ½ of the skippers and boats are included here, and there may be a couple of incorrect ID's - sorry about that.   Come to Elk Neck, “Rogues Harbor”, next year and see things for yourself !  It would be very hard to decide which was most gratifying for me.   So many people pitched in ... Steve Bosquette and I thank you all.  Friends and boating in a lovely setting … 'it doesn't get much better'.  Perhaps Bob Crifasi summed it up best:

          I had a great time and met some great people. In addition I was introduced to a place I'm still having a hard time wrapping my mind around. And it was not a bad trip to get there for a long weekend. I have a good time modifying "Bunky" to get every bit of fun and functionality out of that boat, and I'm very happy with what I've done; but you guys take a full blown idea make it real, make it float then make it sail!    And nice people to boot. (underline added) For sure Bob.

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