The Plotter Volume Issue

2015

October 2016 54

From the Commander:

7

2016 D21 Fall Conference

and 2017 D21 Fall Conference UPDATE

You may not know this but our Bridge has been planning

the future Fall 2017 District 21 Conference for several

months now. The Austin Power Squadron will be hosting

this conference aboard the Carnival Cruise Ship Liberty

October 12th thru October 16th 2017. It was our turn to

“Host” and having the conference aboard a cruise ship is

less expensive (for members) than trying to do it locally in

Austin with our expensive hotel rates and the myriad of

special events. APS has successfully done this twice be-

fore. We have been in negotiations with the Carnival

Cruise Line thru a local travel agency we have used before.

Things are pretty well lined up for the ship and now we

must promote/advertise at the San Antonio conference.

Promotion handouts will be given out to all attendees in

San Antonio and we will be wearing special bright green

T-Shirts advertising the cruise with message “Surfs Up!

Climb aboard the Liberty for 2017 Fall Conference

Cruise”.

A color post card 5 X 7 inch promotional mailing will go

out to all District 21 members (about 1000) in addition to

several e-mail reminders. Our mission in San Antonio will

be to secure budget approval/reimbursement from D21 for

the postage and printing of the post cards estimated to be

$1000. So far it looks like at least twelve APS couples will

be attending the forthcoming D21 Fall Conference in San

Antonio 20-22 October 2016. We should be well represent-

ed to pursue our goal!

Cdr. John Causey, SN-IN

The USPS Weather class is halfway through the scheduled

lectures and plans are to complete the course before the

Holidays. We continue to have plenty of examples of local

active weather to study.

We started this year with the completion of a Junior Navi-

gation class. One student has successfully completed the

required Sun sights and the exam. Congratulations to Ed

Fredholm for his successful completion. He now has the

Advanced Grade of JN.

At the district Fall Conference (see page 3) on the Friday

agenda, the District Education Officer has scheduled

several two hour seminars. They include Electricity for

Boaters, Basic Coastal Navigation, Emergencies on Board

and VHF / DSC Radio. If you are interested in one or

more of these, this would be the perfect opportunity. Go to

SailAngle or the District 21 web site for registration.

Registration for courses or seminars here in Austin may be

made by phone, 512-343-BOAT (2628) or by e-mail at educa-

tion@austinpowersquadron.org.

P/D/Lt/C Christine Geist, SN

Squadron Education Officer

Page 2

The Plotter is the official publication of the Austin Power

Squadron, a unit of the United States Power Squadrons.

Address correspondence and contributions to the editor:

Steve Schmidt, phone 512 909-4825

Or to e-mail address: secretary@austinpowersquadron.org

We retain the right to edit any material submitted to The Plotter.

Unless otherwise noted, photos by Matt Syptak and Steve Schmidt.

APS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Commander – Cdr. John Causey, SN

Educational Officer - P/D/Lt/C Christine Geist,SN-IN

Administrative Officer - Lt. Ed Fredholm, AP

Secretary -- P/C Ginny Strong, AP

Assistant Secretary - Lt. Jan Comeaux

Treasurer - P/D/C Charles Strong, JN

Assistant Treasurer - P/C Ginny Strong, AP

Member at Large - P/C Chester A. Geist, SN-IN

Member at Large - P/C William Smith, AP

Member at Large - P/C Steve Schmidt, JN

Fajitas Benefit at Crosswater Yacht Club

Austin Power Squadron and Crosswater Yacht Club, the premiere

marina on Lake Travis, teamed up on Saturday September 3, 2016,

Labor Day weekend, to present Fajitas for Folds of Honor.

Since 2007, the Folds of Honor has carried forth this singular, no-

ble mission: To stand in the financial gap of the more than one

million dependents adversely affected by war, providing educa-

tional scholarships to the children and spouses of those killed or

disabled while serving our nation — Honoring Their Sacrifice,

Educating Their Legacy. For more information please go to

foldsofhonor.org

We at APS were invited to set up our

booth to give out information on up-

coming classes and events as well as

taking reservations to perform Vessel

Safety Checks. We also provided all the

volunteers to cook and serve the fajita

buffet.

Crosswater Yacht Club has raised $122,600 for the Folds of Honor

in the past and is on track for their goal of $50,000.00 this year.

The relationship we have with this marina has been extremely ben-

eficial to the Austin Power squadron and we are looking forward

to growing.

P/C Ginny Strong, AP

Good Fishing

It’s still too hot. Everybody knows that the good Fall fish-ing won’t kick in until the water cools down. I certainly agree, but I think you have to decide for yourself what “good fishing” means. So I’m out there the other day on an afternoon that’s way too warm and sunny to produce fish, but I had spotted a little cove on the north side of Pace Bend where a high wooded bank cast half the water in shadow. I cut the outboard and coasted in. A gar or something rolled in the deep water. There was a heron back there regarding me warily, but unwilling to concede the territory. That’s a good sign, because the bird and the bass I was after like the same food. The heron paused and stiffened and I followed his gaze up to where two pink, chubby kids were climbing down the rocks. A parent followed behind. That was too much for the bird, and he took flight, complaining loudly. The bigger kid called to me and pointed “We want to swim there”. I said “Sure, bud”, spun the trolling motor around and backed away toward the mouth of the cove.

A gentle cast put my green pumpkin plastic worm on a flat rock and I eased it into the water; in less than two turns of the reel handle the lure halted softly and I set the hook. A green rocket hurtled out of the water and I pulled his head down. He hit broadside, scattering a thousand glittering jewels, then headed for China. In a few moments he was at the boat, big mouth gaping. I knelt and twisted my worm hook out, and let him slide back into the dark green where he belonged.

I stood up into the warm afternoon sun. Blue and green dragonflies darted. The kids laughed and splashed. The heron had repositioned and resumed his intent stalk. A red-eared slider surfaced, then frantically paddled back into the depths. Nothing extraordinary here. That old oak over there has probably seen stuff like this for a hundred years.

But it’s eternally fresh, vital. Hopeful, somehow. I didn’t get another strike that day, but it was good fishing.

Jim Pollok

Bill Smith

A lot of preparation went into setting up the Folds of Honor location which included Vessel Safety Checks.

Page 3

The D-21 room rate will be $110.00 Come for the Boating Education...Stay for the Friends

Page 4

OCTOBER

5 Jack Ford

20 JoAnne Robbins

26 Allan Barnes

26 Sherri Wicker

Austin Power Squadron celebrates 55th Birthday

APS celebrated its 55th Birthday of our charter aboard a “Just for

Fun” Party barge on Lake Travis on 9-11-16. The late summer

weather cooperated in a big way.

It was a fabulous September day. There were lots of folks going

down the water slide, jumping off the side of the boat into the

deep water of Lake Travis and floating around on noodles.

Kuddos to Shirley Gentry for joining in with her son and two

granddaughters going down the slide and jumping off the side of

the boat.

And, as always at APS events, there was great food, especially

the sausage wraps prepared by Chef Chaz Mohle and lots of other

goodies everyone contributed. What would a birthday party be

without cake? A 55th Birthday Cake was very popular too!! The

mimosas weren’t bad either.

A great time was had by all!!

P/C Ginny Strong, AP

The captain gives a short briefing before getting underway.

Preparing the table. The birthday cake.

Some are there just for the ride.

Pleasant weather - pleasant conversation

NOVEMBER

2 Charlie Buerschinger

5 Jack Ford

5 Paula Freeman

7 Ed Fredholm

8 Granville Ott

13 Matt Syptak

15 Bob Little

25 Homer Parker

29 Bert Perkins

30 Christine Geist

Picnic at Mansfield Dam Park

John Causey

John Causey

John Causey

John Causey

John Causey

The August squadron event — it’s all about the people:

Page 5

What’s Ahead for APS …

Visit our website: http://www.austinpowersquadron.org

__ __

Austin Power Squadron

6105 Hudson Bend Rd.

Austin, TX 78734-1332

OCTOBER

11 Executive Board Meeting, Crosswater Yacht Club 1100 Hours

15 Rods and Ribs, Crosswater Yacht Club

16 Columbus Day Celebration, Strong's Lake House, Lake Travis 1300 hours

21-23 D21 Fall Conference, El Tropicana Hotel, San Antonio, TX

NOVEMBER

8 Executive Board Meeting, Crosswater Yacht Club, 1100 Hours

15 Monthly Meeting TBA

24 Happy Thanksgiving

DECEMBER

11 Holiday Party, Home of Diane and Bill Smith