News

 Hello Everyone.

Well if you thought that we were going to just sit and watch the boating world go by, you are in for a surprise.  We had 58 people show up for the Orientation Meeting and 68 people attend the Planning Meeting.  What a great turn out. Because of this great attendance we have a very busy calendar this year and something for everyone.  We will be having at least one cruise per month and sometimes two.  Also, every month we are having several social events to keep everyone happy.  And don’t forget that each month we will have a special speaker at every monthly meeting.

Our first cruise comes up in a couple of weeks, on February 11^th, with a beautiful cruise to the Houston Yacht Club.  The slips are $50.00 per boat and on the same evening of February 11^th HYC is hosting a Sweetheart dinner.  The cost will be $45.00 per person, and this includes dinner and a band. Please go to the website and register for the cruise and boat slip and to separately register for the dinner.  Okay guys this is a good occasion to show your loved one just how much you love her and also the reason that you needed that grand boat that you sweet talked her into letting you buy.

On the same night of February 11^th, we will be hosting a viewing party at Seabrook Marina for the Yachty Gras Boat parade.  It will be held up near the pool area.  All you need to do is pull up to the entrance of Seabrook Marina and tell the guard that you are here for the TMCA party.  Make sure that you bring your own chairs and refreshments. Also, depending on the weather, maybe a warm blanket. 

The weekend of the 25th is a concert at the Railean Rum factory.  The band will be playing a salute to Stevie Nicks and of course there will be lots of Rum available.  Space is limited and you will need to register on the website.

So, you see, we are just beginning to make this year super exciting. 

I would like to send out an invitation to everyone to ask for volunteers.  Next year is our 45^th anniversary year and our year to host Spring Fling.  We need volunteers to head up each event.  So, come on down and let me know that you would like to volunteer.  It’s a lot of fun and everyone in the club looks forward to these events.

Well, what are you waiting for?  Get those boats out on the water.  This is going to be an exciting year to get in your boat and have a blast.

Commodore Captain Christopher Bown
s/v Rainbow

  New Year’s Greetings to all our members.

  We are off to an exciting start to 2023. And it’s time for all of us to get down to our boats and start getting them ready for the season. Come on everyone, this is why you bought a boat, and this is why you want to get out there on the water and enjoy your boat.  It’s also a good time to change out the fluids, blow out the cobwebs, and give the boat a good cleaning.

Our first event in January will be on Saturday, January 14^th for our Orientation meeting.  Even if you are a long-time member or especially a brand-new member it will be great to see you at 9:00 am at the Elks Lodge. This meeting is mainly for new members so that we can really delve into what our club does and how we can help you get out there and enjoy your boat.  We also enjoy the input of seasoned members that can pass on some personal tips about TMCA and boating in the Galveston Bay. 

But, not to worry, we are not just all about boating. Because the evening of the 14^th at 6:00 pm we are having our Bunko Party.  It really is great fun and it’s also a super time to get to know other members and talk about boating and the number one topic when everyone gets together, the toilet on our boat.  Ugh.  Bunko is a crazy game, easy to learn, and we will have “VALUABLE PRIZES”. This is a direct quote from Past Commodore Charles Parette. 

TMCA is an extraordinary club with a huge number of experienced members, and everyone enjoys helping each other. All you have to do is ask. 

Christopher Bown
s/v Rainbow

Merry Christmas and welcome to my last posting in the newsletter.  2022 has been a great year for TMCA and I feel like we are really coming back from Covid and all the repercussions it caused.  Now we have elected new officers to take us forward in 2023 and I am looking forward to working with next year’s officers and board.   We have a great slate of officers and you don’t want to miss what they have in store for us in 2023.   It has been a pleasure and an honor to serve as your Commodore this year.  Thanks to the many volunteers who made this year so memorable.  Volunteers who hosted dock parties, led cruises, arranged special events, taught a class, volunteered (or were maybe voluntold) for an event, or attended one of our many events with your smiles, stories, and laughter, you are the reason I and so many others love this club!

Happy Thanksgiving!  Now let's start thinking about Christmas.  This note is not from my newsletter, but I wanted to remind everyone to get signed up for the Commodore's Ball AND I want to congratulate the 2023 Nominees:  Christopher Bown, Commodore; Len Meyers, Vice Commodore; Ericka Collier, Rear Commodore; Kami Heussner, Port Captain; Dana Dale, Cruise Captain; Rick Heussner, Treasurer and Doris Hill, Secretary.  We will ratify them by acclimation at the November meeting!    Now to the Newsletter:

I am ready to put up my Christmas decorations!!  Too soon?  I remember our first year living aboard.  I had just enough room in the cockpit for a small Christmas Tree.  Unfortunately, winds picked up and kept blowing it over breaking the ornaments, so we had to make do with lights along the stanchions.  I also put lighted candy canes around the dinghy.  Decorating our boat was a challenge so I jumped on the Christmas Boat Lane Parade committee for a couple years to get my holiday fix.  That was Christmas 2014, now here we are getting ready for the 2022 Christmas Boat Lane Parade.    I never get tired of Christmas lights.  I hope we have a couple TMCA boats in the parade this year.  I’m more than willing to help you decorate, just give me a call.  If I am talking about Christmas too soon, my apologies, but I am already watching holiday movies. 

I am very excited for the 2023 nominees!  What a great slate of nominees to take over for 2023!  We will be voting by acclimation at this month’s meeting since we only have one nominee per position.  The November meeting will also be the meeting where each of the officers will wrap up the year and give a summary of the year in their position.  Please plan to attend since it will be our last meeting of the year prior to the Commodore’s ball.

Speaking of the Commodore’s Ball.  You will not want to miss this years ball.  We have the Mambo Jazz Kings playing!!  It’s going to be fun and it’s a great time to get dressed up and spiffy!  See you there!

Safe Boating!

Cookie Johnson

Commodore 2022

From the Commodore

Happy 4^th of July!  I hope your celebrations are fun, safe and patriotic.  There have already been a few disturbances in the Gulf, so make sure you have that hurricane plan ready to go.  I was reviewing last months newsletter and realized that I forgot to mention Space City Weather, which is a GREAT source for our area specifically.

My husband and I just got back from our vacation in the BVI’s where we bareboot chartered a 45 foot catamaran.  We had a great time and if you have the opportunity to charter (power or sail) in the BVI’s, we suggest you do it!  We also suggest, you provision to eat on the boat a lot because dining out in the BVI’s is a little pricey. 

It’s hot hot hot outside, and one way to cool off is to use our boats on the water!  There’s a lot of openings for leading a cruise in July, just get in touch in with Bryan and he’ll help you get it set up!  July is also a great time to practice our anchoring  skills.  Some great locations to anchor include, Nassau Bay, Red Fish Island, Offatts Bayou or even the small islands near Smith Point. 

Be safe out there! 

January has been a very busy month. I have to say that my first month as commodore has been like drinking from a fire hose!! Our first board meeting, our first monthly meeting, the orientation meeting AND the planning meeting. It has been a whirlwind for sure. I am just so thrilled with how well attended the orientation meeting and the planning meeting were. We have a lot of events and cruises on the calendar and we are looking forward to adding more! Thank you to everyone who attended.

A big thank you to Sharon Guzzino, who jumped in to chair the Boatique! She will be getting trained in February and ready for our February meeting. She is a new member and I love seeing new members get involved. I would encourage everyone to get involved and with Spring Fling in May, there are a lot of opportunities. 

If you haven’t done so, please be sure to renew your membership and update your profiles in the directory. 

I am anxiously awaiting the warmer weather, but in the meantime, there is a lot of stuff to do with TMCA! I hope to see you at Noah’s Ark this Friday and you won’t want to miss Mardi Gras in Galveston!!

See you there!!

Cookie Johnson Commodore

“Live your dream, don’t dream your life!!” (Bob Bitchin)

At the Helm 

As this year is winding down, I look back and am pleased with how well TMCA has come back from various unforeseen events.  We have gained many new members, had many cruises and parties, as well as many interesting speakers and educational opportunities. With our fun members, we always have a good time whenever we get together.       

I was proud to see so many TMCA members supporting the Harvest Moon Regatta this year both by land and sea.  We had 10 TMCA boats participating this year!  Cheers to all - it is an exciting and challenging accomplishment. Congratulations to Ben Miller on Flyer - the winner of our TMCA trophy for 2021! 

Please plan to attend our Annual Meeting on Friday, November 19, where we will review our year with the officers’ annual reports and officially announce the newly elected Board for 2022. (Since there were no competed positions, we voted by acclamation at the October meeting and declared the nominees elected.)

Congratulations to our officers for 2022:

• ·         Commodore – Cookie Johnson
• ·         Vice Commodore – Frank Kleinburg
• ·         Rear Commodore – Emily Ribas
• ·         Port Captain – Janet Abraham
• ·         Cruise Captain – Bryan Griesbach
• ·         Treasurer – Rick Huessner
• ·         Secretary – Doris Hill

Our organization is 100% volunteer, so we are only as successful as those who give back to the club.  It is a great way to get involved and meet other members.  There are various ways you can contribute, such as volunteering to take over the Boatique.  Just think, you can have input on the style and color, etc. of the TMCA product that may be ordered next year.  Please let me know if you would like more information.

Plans are almost complete, and invitations will be mailed soon for our annual Commodores Ball, Awards Ceremony and Change of Watch to be held on Saturday, December 18 at Lakewood Yacht Club.  I hope you will plan to join us for this traditional event.

So far, no one has offered to lead the French PeekNeek cruise to Double Bayou Pasture, but if anyone is interested in arranging a group to go, please contact John Boswell.  If you are new and would like more history of this event, contact me – I’ll be glad to share a few of the fun stories I’ve been told.  It doesn’t require much planning and there are several experienced members who can share local knowledge for navigating.

As I always say, “The more you participate in TMCA, the more you will gain from it and the more FUN you will have!”  Join us for an event and find out.

I hope everyone will have a nice Thanksgiving Holiday with family and friends.  Many of us have much to be thankful for.

Ladye Jane Stone  

Commodore 2021

Commodore@TexasMariners.com

At the Helm

Ladye Jane Stone, Commodore

email: Commodore@TexasMariners.com

We have a diverse group with diverse interests and a variety of boating opportunities in our area, along the Gulf coast and around the world.  This week several of our members traveled south to Port Aransas, while others are in Florida. Some are traveling in Spain, Greece, and Italy and with today’s technology, I’m able to share in their travels through messages and pictures.  I can experience different water, scenery, and architecture without even being there.  Of course, it’s not the same as being there, but it’s a virtual adventure that I wouldn’t have if not for my TMCA friends.  Just one more benefit I have gained from our boating family.

October is a busy month for TMCA!  Allen’s Landing Cruise, Nominees’ speeches, dock party, the Harvest Moon Regatta and the Chilly Chili Halloween Cruise.  Something in this mix should be of interest for everyone.

Allen’s Landing is one of my favorite cruises.  It’s amazing to see our boats docked in downtown Houston surrounded by the lit skyline.  Whether you come by boat or by car, I hope you’ll join us for the unique festivities of the weekend.  Friday evening, Ben Reyna will entertain us with his songs and interesting stories of the history of the coffee house building and Saturday we’ll explore the pubs in some of the oldest buildings in Texas.

If you can make an afternoon trip to Galveston on Thursday, Oct. 21, I highly recommend driving down to watch the start of the HMR.  It’s an amazing site to see 100s of sailboats along the seawall!  And if you have never attended the awards ceremony and Rum party in Port Aransas on the following Saturday, I suggest you do that sometime.  You don’t have to be a sailor to enjoy the festivities.

The past month, the Nominating Committee canvased our membership to find volunteers for next year's officer positions and I am appreciative and excited that these members are interested in giving back to the club in this capacity. 

• ·         Commodore – Cookie Johnson
• ·         Vice Commodore – Frank Kleinburg
• ·         Rear Commodore – Emily Ribas
• ·         Port Captain – Janet Abraham
• ·         Cruise Captain – Bryan Griesbach
• ·         Treasurer – Rick Huessner
• ·         Secretary – Doris Hill

Our organization functions through volunteers and nominations are still open.  It is a great way to get involved and meet other members.  If you would like to volunteer or nominate someone for any of these positions, or perhaps help on a committee, please contact me.  You can read about the committees here:

https://texasmariners.com/Officers-and-Committees

All nominees will give their speeches at the October meeting and these are typically very entertaining, so please plan to attend. 

Meanwhile, your current Board continues to work diligently behind the scenes on business matters, planning events and making improvements in club functions.  I want to thank all the 2021 Board members who continue to give their time, talents, and energy to ensure TMCA continues to run efficiently.

Remember, the more you participate in TMCA, the more you will gain from it and the more FUN you will have!

Ladye Jane Stone  

Commodore 2021

At the Helm 

According to a recent article, Clear Lake is the third-largest pleasure boat basin in the nation and Texas ranks sixth in the U.S. for registered recreational boaters.  I think any of us that take our boats out on a weekend can agree with that by the number of boats making their way through the channel out to the bay.  There is no better way to enjoy the hot days of summer than being on the water, and in Texas, summer extends into September.  We’re fortunate to be able to boat practically year ‘round, but you don’t have to own a boat to participate in TMCA activities.  You can drive to most of our events, so no reason not to enjoy!  Allen’s Landing Cruise has a second registration for those coming by land or that would like to ride on one of the boats that are registered, so please check the calendar for info.

We were also fortunate that Ida chose a path to our east, though LA and MS were not as fortunate.  I have friends in Biloxi that move their boat along with many other live-aboard and commercial vessels to a hurricane hole.  They have a process of securing to land, each vessel to another, and dinghying lines across like a spider web.  It works well and while it was rough, all are ok and awaiting an all clear to return to harbor.  Sadly, LA will again have to rebuild.  I saw that some members are collecting donations - thank you.

As I’ve previously mentioned, we are organizing the Nominating Committee to begin our search for next year’s potential officers.  Per the by-laws, the Committee will consist of myself, the Trustees, a member for 5 or more years and a member for 2 years or less.  I have also asked any current officer not planning to volunteer again, to participate, because I feel their input for the responsibilities of each office are invaluable.  The committee’s role is to canvas the membership for those interested in giving back to the club and present our suggestions, along with your nominations, to the members to be voted on the next month.  Our organization functions through volunteers.  If you are interested in one of the leadership positions or possibly contributing on a committee, please contact me or one of the current Board members.  Volunteering is a great way to get involved and meet new people and it is not as demanding as you might think.  The more that help, the easier it is and it can be a lot of Fun!

Here’s a link to the club By-Laws including the Board Member and Committee duties:

 https://texasmariners.com/By-Laws

Remember, the more you participate in TMCA, the more you will gain from it and the more FUN you will have!

When perusing boat ads, I find that many boats are equipped with autopilot and bow-thrusters to help steer and avoid potential bumps when maneuvering … wouldn’t it be nice if we had similar built-in functions to make navigating life a little easier? 

Ladye Jane Stone  

Commodore 2021

Commodore@TexasMariners.com

At the Helm

The first half of this year presented us with unique challenges to find creative ways to safely have meetings, educational and social events, and cruises. Your board rose to the occasion by finding fun ways to follow protocol and resume more traditional avenues for members to safely enjoy boating and social activities with friends, participate in meetings remotely and continue to expand their boating knowledge and skills. I’m thrilled that our summer is filled with so many activities, but as the restrictions lessen, we unfortunately are seeing the number of cases increase again, so I ask everyone to please remain vigilant and practice safety precautions when appropriate.  Don’t let that Sunshine State of Mind blind your good judgement …

Another area that can affect us as boaters, for which we also need to be vigilant, is hurricane season (June 1 - November 30).  August is the beginning of the most active months and while 2021 is not expected to be as bad as last year, it is predicted to possibly have 13 to 20 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which 6 to 10 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher).  Are you prepared?  Do you have a hurricane plan?

Some suggestions: create a checklist, take inventory and pictures of items on your boat and of your boat for insurance, make copies of important paperwork, talk to other boaters on how your marina faired in previous storms, have a plan on what and how to secure (particularly if you live a distance away), make sure your fuel and water tanks are filled, ensure you have adequate dock lines, make friends with your neighbors and make an emergency contact list, consider what you might need if your marina is without power for an extended time and review your insurance policy.

Here’s a good hurricane preparedness article from BoatUS. https://www.boatus.com/hurricanes/assets/pdf/swhurr_prep_guide.pdf

August is also when we organize the Nominating Committee to begin our search for next year’s potential officers.  Can you believe it is already that time?!  I will need at least two members to please volunteer – one who has been a member for 5 or more years and one who has been a member for 2 years or less.  Please contact me if you would like to help with this process.  It’s fun and informative to learn how the props go ‘round behind the scenes of TMCA – we not only need your input but welcome it.

Another committee we’ll need volunteers for, that you’ll be hearing about from our Rear Commodore, is for the Commodore’s Ball.  Chris started planning for this in January but will begin actively working on all the details this month.  Even if you might not have done this sort of thing before, that isn’t a reason not to now!  If that were the case, Pier Pressure and I might not have ever left the slip. (many hands make light work)

Come on, jump in, the water’s great!  …the more you participate in TMCA, the more you will gain from it and the more FUN you will have! 

Ladye Jane Stone  

Commodore 2021

Commodore@TexasMariners.com