Cruise Highlights

Port Ludlow March 8 - 10, 2024

Hello Milltown Members - The annual March Cruise to Port Ludlow marina this weekend was memorable with windy, cold and rainy weather. But Milltown members are a hearty bunch and ready for a challenge! We had 8 boats and one car come to Port Ludlow for a fun weekend hosted by Chip and Marianne on the sailboat Endless. It became apparent early that we would need to be flexible with our activities due to the wind and rain. Chip and Marianne were great sports and very creative to give us fun Saint Patricks Day games to play and hosted a delicious Irish potluck. Mark and Cheryl decided not to bring their boat Polaris but chose to drive over instead. It was fun to meet their new dog "Sky", plus they brought us a whole bundle of dry wood for the outdoor fire pit. Unfortunately we had to cancel the wood fire due to gusty wind and sideways rain, but we were able to use the special propane fire bowl by the marina office. We put up tarps that flapped in the wind but gave us some protection so we could have potluck. It was pretty comical playing Irish ping-pong over the propane fire. A highlight was the Limerick contest, which was won hands down by Rick Hunter. Here's an example of one of his entries;

"There once was a group called Milltown

They really knew how to get down

With outings to ports

And games of all sorts

The very best club on the Sound!"

(thank you Rick!)

This weekend was also the first club Pursuit Race of the year. Hopefully you had a chance to read Joe Geck's report on the race. The wind was a challenge with either too much or too little. Some of us got lucky with a nice window of good wind so we could finish the race. We had to new members join us for the weekend. It was nice to have time to visit with them plus all of our other boating friends.

Many thanks to Chip and Marianne for being so flexible and hosting a rather difficult weekend with all of the weather. We really appreciate you!

Our next cruise will be to Kingston Marina on April 19-21st. More information will be coming about how to reserve a slip. Linda and Grant Albert will host again this year and the theme will be the children's book, "Elmer and the Dragon". This is the 2nd book in the series, "My Father's Dragon", which we did several years ago. So if you plan to come to the April cruise get your book now and be prepared for a trivia contest, scavenger hunt and games based on the book.

Happy Cruising,

Linda and Grant Albert

MSA Cruising Fleet Captains

Langley Marina November 24 - 26, 2023

Hello Milltown Members- 12 boats plus several people by car joined us in Langley for the last Milltown cruise of the year. Despite the chilly weather we had crystal clear skies and calm seas. The snow capped mountains were beautiful, the almost full moon was impressive, and the local shore birds gave us lots of entertainment as they fished and dried their wings on the pilings. Someone described the experience as "glorious". It was one of the best Thanksgiving weekend cruises we've had for awhile; something we were very thankful for!

We carried on the cruising tradition by having silly games on the dock followed by a delicious potluck dinner. We joined the community for the annual Tree Lighting and Carole sing-a-long. This year Santa came to town in the back of a police car. We didn't ask questions about how he got there?!?

It was a wonderful weekend feeling thankful for so many things and hopeful as the Christmas season approaches.

With gratitude,

Your Cruising Captains,

Grant and Linda Albert

S/V Mei Li

Kingston Marina October 13 - 15, 2023

Hello Milltown Members- We had a wonderful weekend at Kingston anticipating the coming of fall by celebrating Oktoberfest. Pam, Sue and Margo carried on the annual tradition by keeping us well fed and entertained. 16 boats came by water and a handful of people came by ferry. The clouds cleared enough on Saturday morning for us all to experience the Solar eclipse. After that once in several years phenomenon our Host Sue Marsden set out morning strudel pastries for all to enjoy. Mid day activities found people spending time visiting at the dock, shopping and eating lunch up in town.

Saturday afternoon we gathered at the Port of Kingston stage for the games which included the ever-popular Roll the Barrel and Poop the Potato in the Bucket relays. And of course we couldn't leave out the Weiner Toss. It's difficult to describe what these relays look like but just know that it is impressive how agile and coordinated Milltown Members are! Plus a little silly!! Hammerschlagen was just as competitive as previous years. Bravo to all who participated. The walk-on/off ferry passengers had to walk past the stage to get to & from the parking lot and it was obvious they envied all the fun we were having.

Saturday evening we gathered at the dock for potluck. Pam and Sue made a delicious home-made Irish Stew. There was enough for over 30 people to eat as much as they wanted. What a wonderful treat! In the evening we enjoyed sitting around the propane fire bowl and visiting with our boating friends. Many thanks to Pam, Sue and Margo for hosting and carrying on this fun annual tradition.

For most of us the Pursuit Race was a bust; not much wind. But the gentle seas and clear skies forced some of us to slow down and relax and notice the scenery and wildlife of the Salish Sea. Mount Rainier was out and looked majestic behind the Seattle cityscape. Mount Baker looked like a giant white marshmellow glowing against the blue hills and sky. The Orcas were active and the sea was calm, so we shut off our engine and spent a good half hour just watching and listening to them as they surfaced. So peaceful! Perhaps the most interesting wildlife experience was that some people got to see 2 herons doing a mating dance on the dock at Kingston. Kristi might put the video on the Milltown Sailing Association website so look for it. Pretty cool!

It was so good to see everyone again. Milltown Cruises are always a great opportunity to use your boat, meet new friends and share boating and learning experiences. Our final cruise for the year is planned to be at the Langley Marina during the Thanksgiving weekend, Nov 24-26th. More information will be coming later.

Your Milltown Cruising Captains,

Grant and Linda Albert

S/V Mei Li

Oak Harbor Marina September 1-4, 2023

Hello Milltown members- The annual Milltown Cruise to Oak Harbor proved once again to be a wonderful event for our club! Many thanks to Lisa and John (Julie Anne) and to Cheryl and Mark (Polaris) for hosting this full weekend. They had lots of fun activities for us plus they organized a delicious Happy Hour and Potluck on the dock. This is no easy feet considering we had 17 boats and at least 3 car drivers joining us at some point during the 3 day weekend.

The weather was warm and sunny most of the time which made for a nice time relaxing on the dock and getting to know new members plus reconnecting with several members who've been around for awhile. By Sunday afternoon the clouds came so we got to have rain and breeze for our potluck on the dock. But we are a hearty group and put up a jumble of pop-ups and rearranged picnic tables so we got to enjoy our meal with minimal sogginess.

The activities gave us opportunities to learn something and to show off our creative talents. Lisa's Nautical BINGO game and John's knot tying challenge was a good reminder that we need to keep practicing our boating skills. Cheryl had us playing the always popular Pictionary but with a musical twist. The "Not So Newlywed Game" was a bit humbling for those of us who think we know our partners. Questions like "what's your partner's dream vacation" and "who is your partner's favorite performer" gave us topics for some of us to talk with our partners later. I'll let you guess who won that game..... Here's a hint, they've known each other for 67 years!

Some people might say that the 3 days of bands and muscians that the city of Oak Harbor sponsored was the highlight of the weekend. But we would argue that the Summer Bonnet creations were pretty fantastic. What a group of talented members we have!

Thanks again to everyone who came and participated and made the weekend a success. Especially our cruise hosts who did an amazing job of planning and organizing and making everyone feel welcomed!

Our next club cruise will be to Kingston Marina on Oct 13-15, 2023. More information will be coming soon about how to reserve a slip and activities that you can expect.

Hope to see you at the Fall Regatta Race on Sept 9th and the next general meeting on Sept 13th,

Grant and Linda Albert, Cruising Captains,

Milltown Sailing Association

Poulsbo Marina August 11-13, 2023

Hello Milltown Members- We had a fantastically Nordic themed party at Poulsbo last weekend. Many thanks to Leanna and Carl on the sailboat Sea Pupper for hosting. We had 17 boats so Leanna and Carl had their hands full keeping everyone entertained and fed. They had some extra help since Leanna's dad was visiting from Florida which was fun to share the cruising experience with him.

As we said the theme was Norse Mythology and if you're interesting in learning about all the crazy Norse Gods we would recommend you read Neil Gaimen's book on Norse Mythology. To make the information more meaningful to us Leanna and Carl sent us off on an excellent scavenger hunt, searching for at least 13 items that would represent either a Norse god or the land that they lived in. It was a great way to learn something new plus experience the town of Poulsbo.

Bonus points were given if you worn a Norse God costume, with extra bonus points if you wore the costume while walking through town. Grant (or rather the Norse God Heimdall) wore his costume through town and even got his picture taken with a local tourist!

The potluck on Saturday evening was delicious as always. For our send-off Sunday morning Leanna baked home made Viking Cups for everyone. What a special treat!

We shared the marina with the PNW Pirates group who had their own cruise activities, which included a live band on the dock. Plus they were all dressed in pretty outrageous pirate costumes. Between our Norse Gods outfits and their pirate outfits we gave the locals and tourists something to smile about!

Our time on the water was warm and sunny, with minimal wind coming from the wrong direction for sailing. But it was beautiful with clear skies and lots of wildlife.

Thanks again to Carl and Leanna and everyone else who worked together for a fun weekend. Milltown Sailing members (and families and friends!!) are the best!

Grant and Linda Albert

MSA Cruising Fleet Captains

Milltown Progressive Cruise July 8-23, 2023

Hello Milltown Members,

We did it! Another successful Milltown Progressive Cruise, this year through the San Juans and Canada. There were 14 boats that started the cruise at Cornet Bay. Along the way several boaters plotted their own cruise course for their own explorations, but many of us followed along with the planned itinerary. We even had 2 other Milltown boats join us at a couple destinations in Canada. What a nice surprise! Nanaimo was our most northern destination before we turned around to head back home.

The weather was perfect (if not a little too hot for some of us) and the scenery was spectacular. We saw lots of wildlife, including a 2 adult and one baby Orca, a group of Canada Geese who were curious about what we were having for dinner, and of course seals, heron, and playful otters.

There are so many stories that we could share but we'll save most of them for when we see you in person. We even had a surprise on the dock show at Telegraph Harbor Marina from '240 Gordy' (An excellent dock hand by day and an engaging Elvis Impersonator by night). He played keyboard and sang for 2 hours while Milltown members clapped and danced to Elvis, Johnny Cash, Merle Hagard and Billy Joel songs. Several of us that made it to Nanaimo had a great meal at the famous Dinghy Dock Pub on Protection Island at Dennis Marsden experienced recommendation.

What stood out for us was the knowledge and many skills that Milltown boaters have. We are so impressed with the group's expertise of reading charts and navigating challenging waters, skillfully repairing boats and having proper tools on board, and cooking and sharing fabulous meals for potlucks/happy hours. Plus all the friendships that grew from all our shared experiences. We are so proud of Milltown boaters!

Many thanks to everyone who came and helped along the way. We truly appreciated all of you and look forward to having more experiences with the club cruises. The next cruise will be to Poulsbo on August 11-13. Leanna and Carl on the sailboat Sea Pupper will be our hosts and they have lots of fun plans for us. If you would like to join us but haven't emailed us yet please do so by July 31st so we can arrange a slip assignment for you.

We hope to see you all soon at a Log Dodge race and the new Upstairs Clubhouse in the Muse Building.

Grant and Linda Albert

SV Mei Li

MSA Cruising Fleet Captains

Hello Milltown Members- We had a wonderful club cruise to Langley over the Memorial weekend. It was practically perfect in every way! The Pursuit Race was how all races should be; just enough wind to let your boat go as fast as it can go, just enough challenge with course and current, and lots of warm sunshine! We had 21 boats for the weekend plus 2 Pursuit Race boats rafted long enough to have lunch on Saturday. There were 9 people who drove over for some fun dock time on Saturday and Sunday.

The rest of the weekend just got better, thanks to Janet and Bill on the sailboat My Sunshine. They made sure everyone was well fed with breakfast and organizing the delicious potlucks. The traditional Beer Can boat race has gotten even more technical and strategic with competitive Milltown racers. One boat just had to push the limit by installing a rocket on his boat's stern (the boat immediately sunk!) You can be assured there will be new strict rules for boat building next year!

Thankfully Captain Greybeard was able to join us on Sunday for the annual boat renaming ceremony. Leanna and Karl were very gracious to welcome the Captain and follow along with his long list of protocols in order to officially rename their boat, Sea Pupper. All of us gathered on the dock to participate in the ceremony, including a few other boaters who were on their way home from the Round Whidbey Race. We all wished Leanna and Carl many years of happy sailing adventures and confidence that their boat will take good care of them.

Another traditional event of the weekend was the home-made Lasagne that Bill and Janet made for everyone. Bill coordinated the production by making the lasagne using his delicious recipe. Believe it or not they made enough lasagna for at least 50 hungry people on Saturday and leftovers on Sunday. Incredible and delicious! Thank you Bill and Janet for everything!!

Probably the best part was how everyone worked together to make the weekend a success. People helped with coordinating the docking, setting up the pop-up and tables, re-heating the lasagne, etc, etc. We had lots of time to relax on the dock and share stories with old friends and make new friends. We are so proud of our club and so grateful to have our boating friends!

The next Milltown Cruise is coming up soon. Again it will be at Back Bay in Port Ludlow. Chip and Marianne on the sailboat, Endless, will our hosts for this anchor-out cruise. Their plan is to have the weekend be a repeat of the activities from last year, so the following is a copy of the email they sent out last year (we made a few changes with the dates);

Linda and Grant Albert

MSA Cruising Fleet Captains

Grant 425-387-4155

April 21-23rd, 2023 Kingston Marina

Hello Milltown Members- Once again Milltown members have proven to be an intrepid group of boaters. We had a total of 23 boats join us in Kingston for the weekend. Those who came on Friday got to practice sailing upwind and those who left on Sunday got to practice downwind sailing. It is amazing how quickly you can get somewhere when the current is with you and the winds are blowing!

We had the pleasure of hosting again this year so we had the traditional cruise book theme based on the children's book, "A Boy and a Bear in a Boat". It's a fun read with lots of adventures about how the two managed to get through several "unforeseeable anomalies". Based on the adventures of the book we had the annual Team Trivia Challenge and the winners got to have their photo taken with the trophy. The Feed the Sea Monster Relay was a bit of a challenge but great fun for the ferry traffic and pedestrians to watch (we had our activities at the very public Gazebo at the Kingston Ferry Terminal). One of the winners of the Scavenger Hunt out did themselves; people were supposed to bring us something that starts with the letter "S". So they brought us a photo of "the Spencers on the shore with a shell and the South Whidbey Street sign" behind them. Everyone had such clever ideas!

We had lots of time to visit on the dock and got to meet new members. The potluck was delicious. The staff at the Kingston Marina are very friendly and worked hard to make our cruise enjoyable. We look forward to going there again for the October Fest Cruise on October 13-15, 2023.

Many thanks to everyone who participated and helped to make this cruise a success. Look for an email soon about the next cruise, which will be to Langley over Memorial Weekend, May 26-29th.

Your Fun Cruising Captains,

Grant and Linda Albert

March 10-12th, 2023 Port Ludlow Marina

The Milltown Cruising Season has officially begun! 12 boats plus one driver came together to enjoy an exhilarating weekend at Port Ludlow Marina. The weather was a bit intimidating with cold, gusty winds and icy docks in the early morning. But the boaters of Milltown will not be deterred! Several boats participated in the Pursuit Race. Bravo to Samurai, Hula Girl, Hobo and Cielo Sin Fin for putting up with the strong, gusty winds on Saturday. They all kept their nerves under control despite the challenges of one boat with a halyard failure, one boat being knocked down and gusty winds. We are so proud of our club members for their skills and courage!

Despite the chilly wind on Saturday we had beautiful sunshine! Many thanks to Sandy and Tom (S/V Hula Girl) and Stacey (S/V Serenite) for hosting the cruise and keeping the theme of Saint Patrick's Day. The coloring and Limerick Contests highlighted the many poets and artists we have in our club! The potluck was delicious with several varieties of warm stews, healthy salads and yummy desserts.

Probably the best part of the weekend was being able to spend time with our friends. Some of us walked the trail to the waterfall, some of us did some beach combing and most of us enjoyed relaxing at the dock. Thank you everyone for helping to make this challenging "shake-down" cruise a success!

Our next cruise will be to Kingston Marina on April 21-23, 2023, hosted by Grant and Linda Albert. The theme for the weekend will be based on the children's book, "A Boy and A Bear in A Boat", by Dave Shelton. If you want to get a head start on the trivia contest and other activities, we suggest you get a copy of the book. We got ours on the app ThriftBooks for less than $5. We will send an email in the next couple weeks with more details about the cruise.

Take Care and we hope to see you out on the water

Grant and Linda Albert, S/V Mei Li

Milltown Cruising Captains

October 7-9th, 2022 Kingston Marina

Hello Milltown Members- What a fantastic club cruise we had this last weekend to Kingston Marina! Pam Dittrich was our host and it truly was a wonderful event she put on for us. Not only did she make a delicious home-made beef stew for everyone, but she worked her magic and made sure we had beautiful warm, sunny skies for the whole weekend. Thank you Pam!

We had lots of social time on the dock plus all the fun activities to celebrate Oktoberfest. The weiner toss and hammerschlagen competitions highlight the skill and coordination of our club members. The potato poop in the bucket and barrel roll relays show that we really know how to laugh and have fun! Unfortunately we didn't have time for the history of Oktoberfest lecture and trivia, so now you will have time to get prepared for next year.

This was the last pursuit race of the year and the racers were disappointed because of light to no wind. The seas were calm and there was very little current which gave us the next best event of the cruise; the whales! Many of us saw a grey whale working it's way north, then came the best Orca show we personally have ever seen. Many of the cruisers who came on Friday got to see lots of Orcas surfacing and swimming around. As someone said, "it was magical".

We had 20 boats at the dock, including the 2 Sea Scout boats that came Friday night and left Saturday. We are impressed with how much the scouts are learning about boating and navigation.

We will put some photos on the Milltown web site. With this email we have attached a photo that is very special. It's the full moon shining on the water, which we call "Silver Water". Can you see the ferry crossing through it?

Many thanks to Pam and everyone else who helped with the planning, organizing and clean-up. We look forward to seeing everyone again at the last club cruise of the year, which will be on Nov 25-27 at Langley. More infomation will be coming later.

We hope to see you tomorrow (Wed) evening at the clubhouse for the general meeting.

Your cruising hosts,

Grant and Linda Albert

S/V Mei Li

Sept 2nd -5th, 2022 Oak Harbor Marina

Hello Milltown Members- We had a fantastic weekend cruise to Oak Harbor over the Labor Day weekend. Many, many thanks to our co-hosts Margo and Sue. They kept us entertained and fed, which was quite a feat since we had 20 boats! The Jimmy Buffet theme was enhanced with fun games and good food. We played musical circles, coconut bowling, Jimmy Buffet trivia, jelly bean count and lots of music that brought back good memories. Margo and Sue even provided us with Cheese Burgers (and hot dogs), just like Jimmy sings about!

A highlight was the watermelon carving contest. We hope you are able to see the photos we've included so you can see some of talent our club members have. Not only are they skilled boaters, they are also very artistic!

Many of us took the hike from the marina into town to enjoy the annual Music Fest. There was quite a large variety of music throughout the weekend, plus food and craft vendors to enjoy. Even though there was a lot to do over the weekend most of us found time to relax and enjoy visits with our boating friends.

We are so thankful to everyone who came to have fun and be with friends. Everyone worked together to help set-up and take-down. We even had a couple situations where we saved 2 boats from dragging anchor and crashing into the dock!......it got a little windy!!

Our next cruise will be to Kingston on Oct 7-9th. More information will be coming soon.

Your Cruising Captains,

Grant and Linda Albert

S/V Mei Li

August 12-14th 2022 Poulsbo Marina

Hello Milltown members- This last weekend definitely confirmed why the Pacific Northwest is the best place to live! The weather was fantastic and for those of us fortunate to spend time on the water it was truly a gift. Plus being able to spend time with our boating friends at a friendly and accommodating marina just about made everything practically perfect in every way!

Many thanks to our hosts, Kristi and Mike Rimkus on S/V Hooligan. They had their hands full keeping all of us entertained; we had 20 boats plus a couple who came by car. That's over 40 people! But Kristi and Mike were cool and calm and well prepared for all of us.

Saturday morning Kristi and Mike took us on an excursion to the Farmers Market which was well stocked with delicious produce, potent spirits and beautiful crafts. Saturday late afternoon they fed us a bountiful buffet of delicious appetizers, all supplemented with more yummy treats from the cruise attendees.

Mike led us through a rousing game of Black Jack, which was a challenge trying to keep everyone following the rules. It was a lot of fun albeit a bit out of control in the end however he did have the best prizes to give away! One lucky cruiser won a free boat bottom cleaning. Thank you Mike for your creative flexibility and ability to not only change the game location but to also modify the rules on the fly to fit the new venue.

For the evening several of us went on the Art Walk throughout the town, some of us headed to the ice cream shop, and some of us stayed on the dock and had relaxing conversation around the fire bowl. Thank you Chip and Marianne for bringing it again (I bet everyone was surprised to learn that it floats!)

Our next Milltown Cruise will be to the Oak Harbor Marina. More information will be coming about the planned activities. We already have boats assigned slips for this cruise. If you have a slip reserved and your plans have change, would you please let us know? We have new members who would like to be able to join us at the dock.

Happy Sailing,

Linda and Grant Albert

MSA Cruising Fleet Captains

July 9-24, 2022 Progressive Cruise to San Juans

Hello Milltown Cruisers- Most of us are back home after a wonderful 2 week club cruise throughout the San Juan Islands. The weather was fantastic, the winds were light and the scenery was beautiful. How fortunate we are to have such a great destination just hours away.

We had as many as 13 boats with us at many locations and as few as 2 when the boats split off for separate routes on the way home. Several boats joined us for the planned itinerary and others took off to explore other destinations, including Canada. We had plenty of time for relaxation, trail walks, bird watching and visits with our boating friends. We also had a few minor normal boating challenges. But with Milltown Sailing Association members there is always group problem solving. In the end all of the engine, battery, and anchor issues were put right and everyone kept on enjoying the cruise. Plus we had lots of practice reading charts for tides and currents.

Besides the beauty of the San Juans the best part of the trip was being with our boating friends. Many thanks to everyone who helped with the logistics. Examples included Carl putting on his diving suit and fetching Dena's sunglasses (he had to fight off a curious crab), Dena finding Henning's missing cell phone (for some reason it was in her purse), Mike helping fix Brian's outboard, John picking up groceries for people, Grant and James working together to get an anchor unstuck and then untangled, Mike keeping everyone informed of where we could get ice (the islands really do run out of ice), and Leanna & Carl helping fix Henning's battery. These are just a few examples of all the teamwork that went on to make the cruise a success.

We hope to see many of you at the next cruise to Poulsbo (August 12-14) or and at the Clubhouse for the next monthly meeting coming up soon on August 10th.

Until then -- Happy sailing,

Linda and Grant Albert

MSA Cruising Fleet Captains

June 10-12, 2022 Port Ludlow Back Bay

Ahoy MSA Members,

Here is the re-cap of Milltown's June 2022 Cruise to Port Ludlow Back Bay

Back Bay was lots of fun. The weather on Saturday was beautiful. Total of 10 boats including first cruise for Escape with Jamie and friend. The new format for the blind dingy race was lots of fun. All of the dinghy's started in the middle of the wagon wheel and had to go out and collect ducks while making a full circle of the raft up then finish back inside the wagon wheel, this almost worked. There were still three remaining ducks outside the wheel so we called everyone back out until they were all collected, this created much chaos which was great fun to watch. The winning boat collected 10 with a second place tie at 9. David S and Dena managed to win again, we have to figure out how to slow down the fold-a-boat! We had 4 beer can boats and one submarine show up for the rematch of the beer can boat race with David Schaal coming in first. After dinner was a rousing game of floating corn hole and then the burning wicker man, best one ever. The attached photo is about 10 minutes into the burn. Sunday we had a great sail home.

Another big shout out of thanks to Marianne and Chip Handewith on SV Endless our cruise hosts.

Hope to see you all at the Friday night log dodge dinners and races this summer as well as sometime on all or part of the July Cruise destinations.

Thank you,

Linda and Grant Albert

MSE Cruise Fleet Captains

May 27-30, 2022, Langley

Hello Milltown Members-

We had a record setting group of participants at the annual Memorial cruise to Langley last weekend. There were 23 boats, one 12 ft teardrop travel trailer and several drivers who came to the marina to join in with the fun and friendship that has become a staple for Milltown cruises. Many thanks to Janet and Bill on the sailboat My Sunshine for hosting this wonderful weekend. They kept us well fed with breakfast sandwiches, muffins, fruit and never ending coffee. But the best of all was Bill's delicious home made lasagne he made for everyone. It smelled unbelievably good being warmed up in the boats and served to all of us patiently waiting on the dock. What a fantastic meal we had with everyone else providing the salads, breads and desserts.

The traditional Beer Can boat race was again very competitive with lots of time, talent and thought put into the construction of the boats. Perhaps not too surprising that a young child won the race with her simple design that she didn't spend a lot of time over engineering. It was wonderful! Another adult participant made the comment, "I can't believe I spent all day building something just to watch it sink"! That about sums up the challenge of the Beer Can Boat Race.

On Sunday Captain Grey Bread made a guest appearance to officiate the annual Boat Renaming Ceremony. One boat, SV Wiley B, has been officially renamed and we wish the owner many years of good fortune and fair seas.

As everyone probably knows the weather went from lots of wind, some sun, rain, wind, rain, wind, and more rain. Good thing there was a Pursuit Race over the weekend so the wind didn't go to waste.

Thank you to everyone for helping with set-up, take-down, docking boats, sharing food, etc, etc. A special thank you to Janet and Bill for making this cruise such a success with good memories for all.

The next cruise is an anchor-out at Back Bay in Port Ludlow on June 10-12th. More information will be coming soon.

Your MSA Cruising Captains,

Grant and Linda Albert (S/V Mei Li)

April 29 - May 1, 2022, Kingston

Hello Milltown Members- What a wild time we had at Kingston last weekend! We had 18 boats plus some members joined us by ferry for the "Where the Wild Things Are" themed weekend at Kingston. We had the traditional trivia contest, scavenger hunt, BINGO game and a modified relay race which we called, the "Wild Rumpus Relay Runway Review". It was a fun time for people to "roar their terrible roars and gnash their terrible teeth and roll their terrible eyes and show their terrible claws"! Thanks to everyone who came along to play and have a little fun with us.

A highlight of the weekend was having time at the dock for visiting with our boating friends. Several people took to the streets to do a little shopping, walking and beach combing. The winds were practically perfect for those of us who came on Friday and left on Sunday. As a bonus the only rain came in late in the evening on Friday and was all done by 9:00 am leaving us to enjoy a mainly sunny Saturday.

It was a great weekend to be back out on the water! We are looking forward to more monthly club cruises, with the next one on Memorial weekend, May 27-30th at Langley. More information will be coming about that cruise.

Thanks again to everyone for joining us on our Wild Rumpus weekend!

Thank you,

Linda and Grant Albert

MSA Cruising Fleet Captains

March 11-13, 2022 Port Ludlow Marina

Hello Milltown Members- The Cruising season has begun! We had a fun and successful cruise to Port Ludlow last weekend. Many thanks to Valerie and James Stein for hosting this cruise. They did a fantastic job of helping us celebrate Saint Patricks Day with the always fun Limerick Contest. We also got to show off our artistic skills by creating artwork highlighting the culture and history of Ireland. Once again we are impressed with the many talents Milltown members have! We even had big bon fires both Friday and Saturday nights using up all the drift wood the Port had removed from the marina. Valerie and James made sure that we had lots of nourishing snacks. The variable weather (sun, rain, wind, sun, big squall!) kept our hosts challenged with the group activities but thanks to their flexibility we had lots of time to gather together to talk with old friends and make new ones. Plus both Valerie and James were always available to help grab a line as boats arrived and departed. Thank you!

We had a record 15 boats, one Pickup Camper and one RV. The Sea Scouts brought 2 boats full of scouts and it was really fun to get to know them and share boating experiences. We look forward to seeing them on future cruises. Saturday morning 22 people had a refreshing nature hike up to Ludlow Falls.

The first Pursuit Race of the season was a challenge for those of us who came on Friday with light wind. Boats coming on Saturday had great wind but Sunday was the day for a challenging race with lots of wind across Admiralty then the challenge of lighter wind after crossing Possession Point. Watching from behind (!) it looked like 4 boats almost crossed the finish line at the same time. That's what I call an almost perfect Pursuit Race!

Our next Milltown cruise will be April 29-May 1st to Kingston Marina. We will be sending information later about how to reserve a slip and what adventures you can expect on this cruise. We have chosen the children's book, "Where the Wild Things Are", by Maurice Sendak as the theme for this cruise.

Always keep sailing,

Grant and Linda Albert

MSA Cruising Fleet Captains

November 26-28, 2021 Langley

Hello Milltown Members-

What a way to end a wonderful year of cruising with Milltown Sailing Association! Once again we have proven to be strong and hearty people who are not willing to let a little rain and wind (really it was a lot!) keep us from coming together to celebrate the holidays and spending time with our boating friends and companions.

We had 10 boats plus a few people drove over to the Langley Marina. Patrick, the Harbormaster, was very helpful getting all the boats settled into the right slips (more about the slips later). Friday night we had soup and bread and desserts at the dock with the comfort of a couple pop-ups and fire bowls to keep us warm. There were games, of course, with Holiday BINGO and the humbling test of being able to Walk, Think & Talk game.

Saturday people dodged the rain showers and went to town for shopping, eating and watching the Tree Lighting. Then back to the dock for potluck and time for visiting. It was fun to hear people share stories of their favorite Christmas Memories.

So back to the weather......the weekend just kept getting more rainy and windy, so by Saturday evening it was obvious we needed to take the pop-ups down and stow away the food. Late in the night/early morning the wind was steady with gusts of 30 knots. As my nieces' 4 year old son would say, "it's getting kind of wobbly out here". That was an understatement! Along with the wind came the waves that were a real challenge with trying to keep the boats safe against the dock. Lessons learned were that it's important to have proper fenders and keep checking dock lines that may come loose. One of our fenders popped cause the boat bounced against the dock so hard. Also, if it's windy we can expect bigger waves, so smaller boats shouldn't be out on the outside dock.

Sunday the wind finally calmed down so we headed back home to Everett. But then the heavy rain came and guess what...... if your life jacket gets wet enough it self inflates! So another lesson, always have an extra cartridge for your life jacket on board your boat.

So even though it's easy to keep talking about the weather we need to be reminded how fortunate we are to be able to have these boating opportunities. On Friday someone commented about how lucky we are to have such a beautiful place; to be able to look out over the water towards the mountains and watch the seals and eagles. Sunday morning gave us a spectacular sunrise along with the challenge of wind and large waves, but also the fellowship of sailors working together to keep everyone safe and secure.

Thank you to everyone for making this and all the cruises this year fun, safe and successful. We are always learning from each other and Milltown is just the perfect group to learn with.

With gratitude,

Grant and Linda Albert

October 8-10, 2021 Kingston

Hello Milltown Members- what a memorable weekend we had with 13 boats that came for the the annual Oktoberfest Celebration at Kingston Marina. Many thanks to Pam, Sue and Margo for nourishing us with streusel and schnapps, and for keeping us entertained with Oktoberfest activities. Hammerschlaggen had a few modifications this year which the participants quickly excelled at. The Weiner Toss and Potato Poop Relay Races kept us laughing and energized. We couldn't help thinking, "would we let our kids/grandkids play these games????" But of course we would because they are so much fun! Plus the games really highlight how strong and young-at-heart we Milltown members are! You can see some great photos on the Milltown Facebook page (thank you Dennis Pearce).

Thinking back we wonder where else can you have warm sunshine, glassy seas, gusty winds, rain squalls, thunder clouds, hail, heavy rain & a double rainbow. Not to mention orcas, seals, & herons feeding at the dock. Plus a sail boat race & the challenge of dodging freighters, cruise ships, ferries & crab pots. Not to mention being with boating friends to share stories, skills & knowledge. And all of this happened over 48 hrs and just 16 miles from home!

Let's do it again!!

Our last cruise to the year will be the weekend of Thanksgiving, Nov 26-28th at Langley. More information will be coming.

Thanks again to everyone who made the Kingston Cruise a fun and memorable one, especially Pam, Sue and Margo.

We look forward to seeing all of you at the Milltown 40th Anniversary party at the clubhouse this Saturday, Oct 16th, 6:30pm.

Happy Cruising,

Linda and Grant Albert

MSA Cruising Fleet Captains

S/V Mei Li

Labor Day 2021 Oak Harbor

Hello Milltown Members- What a wonderful way to end the Milltown Summer Cruising Season with the annual Labor Day Weekend Cruise to Oak Harbor. We had 18 boats come and go during the weekend with several people joining us by car. Margo and Sue hosted the Pirate themed party and what a fun time for all. Deciding who won the best dressed pirate costume was a tough decision, especially since not only were the costumes great but the people actually acted like pirates! And the watermelon contest really highlighted people's creativity. It's amazing what people can do with a spoon, a paring knife, legos, carrots, bananas, smoke house almonds and a bottle of rum!

Our aging balancing skills were tested with the Musical Circles game. It helped to have a little luck. Also, we got to get a little smarter by learning about what the pirates real names were. Who knew that Blackbeard's real name was Edward Teach? Makes you wonder what your pirate name would be??!?

Many thanks to Sue and Margo for the Muffins and Mimosas on the dock. We had a fun and relaxing weekend with our boating friends and time to share our boating stories and future plans for enjoying the Salish Seas.

Look for an email soon about the upcoming anchor out cruise, Sept 24-26th.

Hope to see you at the General Meeting tonight at the Clubhouse.

Thank you,

Grant and Linda Albert

MSA Cruising Fleet Captains

August 6 - 8, 2021 Poulsbo

Hello Milltown Members!

We had another wonderful cruise, this time to the Scandinavian town of Poulsbo. Dale & Edith (S/V Cielo Sin Fin) and Mike & Kristi (S/V Hooligan) were our co-hosts and they kept busy keeping us fed and entertained. 15 boats made the trip with warm sunshine and a gentle breezes and just a bit of light rain.

Our co-hosts had some fun and different games for us. One tested our navigational knowledge of North and Central Puget Sound, and the San Juans. Thankfully our Cruising Director did fairly well with his knowledge of the Salish Sea. It probably helped that he's a racer, too!

Another fun activity was KUBB, which is a game that originated over 1,000 years ago. Apparently the Vikings played it with bones and skulls. Our co-hosts modified it so we used sticks and blocks instead. Good plan!! It was a test of hand-eye coordination which apparently is another skill that disappears as we get older. Anyway, it was great fun for us and all the other people at the city park watching us. The blocks are in a black, mesh bag and we will put it in the clubhouse storage room. It will be fun to play again at other clubhouse activities.

It was so good to see our boating friends and have relaxing time at the dock. As always the town of Poulsbo had lots of shopping and good restaurants to enjoy.

Many thanks to Dale and Edith and Mike and Krisiti. You gave us a delicious and nutritious breakfast both days and fun opportunities for learning and laughter.

Happy Cruising

Grant and Linda Albert

MSA Cruising Fleet Captains

July 10-25, 2021 Progressive Cruise to South Sound

Hello Milltown Members- The Mount Rainier Vista Cruise was a success! We had a total of 14 Milltown boats with most of the boats participating the whole 2 weeks. Most of us followed the planned itinerary which took us to several ports, marinas and quiet coves from Everett to Olympia. Some adventurous boaters took time to explore other amazing destinations in the South Sound. The weather was spectacular for most of the trip, except for a few rain drops and clouds. But eventually the clouds cleared and we had a marvelous view of Mount Rainier. The wind was elusive for most of the trip, so the sailors in the group got to indulge for a few short hours before the wind died and the motor was back on. This meant we were able to get to the dock or anchorage quicker and enjoy the peacefulness and relaxation that cruising is supposed to be! We stayed 2 days at most of the destinations which gave everyone plenty of time to explore the surroundings, have relaxing time on the boat or dock, and even time for boat repairs and maintenance.

Many thanks to everyone for sharing this experience with us. We are so grateful for the friendships we have developed through the years and how much we have learned from everyone. We'd also like to thank everyone for working together and helping with docking, anchoring, reading charts, planning activities, etc, etc. As someone recently said, "many hands make light work!"

Happy Cruising to all,

Grant and Linda Albert

MSA Cruising Fleet Captains

May 28-31, 2021 Langley Pursuit Race #2

Hello Milltown Cruisers- What a wonderful cruise to Langley we had over the Memorial Day weekend! We had 18 boats plus several drivers join us for the weekend festivities. Many thanks to Janet and Bill on S/V My Sunshine for hosting this cruise. There were some new club members joining the regular cruisers and Janet & Bill made everyone feel welcome. The Beer can/soda can/water bottle boat race was great fun with lots of cheering. The wind was just right to create a battalion of 3 boats that finished the race as a 3-way tie.

On Sunday 'Captain Greybeard' made his inaugural appearance to perform the boat re-naming ceremony for three boats. Welcome S/V Old Crow, S/V Invictus and S/V Hooligan. If you have Facebook you will see lots of good photos of the weekend fun.

We also had the 2nd Pursuit Race of the year and it was a good one. Friday was an upwind race that tested racers' skills for when to make the best tack. Monday the sun was warm, the mountains were out and the wind was perfect for a downwind wing on wing or spinnaker run. Milltown gave other boaters a pretty site with most of us with our sails out. To make the race even better the Orcas and gray whales were out. We truly live in a beautiful place!

So we are officially starting the summer cruising season. There will be more opportunities for practicing boating skills, sharing stories at the dock and enjoying the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Emails will be coming soon about the next cruise which will be to Port Ludlow Back Bay on June 11-13, hosted by Marianne and Chip, S/V Endless. The Progressive Cruise to the South Sound (aka Rainier Vista Cruise) will be for your choice of a 1 or 2 week long cruise with lots of options for making personal stops along the way. This is scheduled from July 10 through the 25th.

See you out on the water soon.

Grant and Linda Albert

Cruising Fleet Captains

April 23rd - 25th, 2021 Kingston

Hello Milltown members- Our second club cruise of the season took place last weekend at the Kingston Marina. 15 boats either sailed or motored over with several more people joining us by ferry. The weather was typical for April, cold and wet, but we endured and had a wonderful time being with our boating friends. The theme was from the book, "Swallodale" by Arthur Ransome, which gave us lots of opportunities for a scavenger hunt, Swallodale BINGO and the Best Frocks Butter Making Relay. Lots of laughter and adventure! Not everyone knew about the very nice beach next to the ferry parking, but it was soon discovered by those who participated in the scavenger hunt.

We had lots of time to gather on the dock and visit with our boating friends. Many thanks to those who brought fire bowls to help warm the cool mornings and evenings. It was so wonderful to be able to reconnect with our boating friends after a long year of COVID precautions.

Our next cruise will be the annual Memorial Day weekend cruise to Langley, May 28-31, 2021. Janet and Bill on the sailboat My Sunshine will be our hosts again this year and we know we will have a great time. More information will be coming about what you can expect for the weekend, but if you want to get a head start rumors are that there will be the very competitive Beer Can Boat Race again. Also, there will be a boat renaming ceremony, so let Grant know if you're interested.

We have 18 slips reserved at Langley. If you would like to join us, please email the following information to Grant and Linda Albert by May 18th.

Your name and contact number
Boat Name
LOA
Beam
Do you prefer port or starboard tie?
Are you willing to raft?
What day will you arrive?
What day will you depart?

Thank you and happy sailing,

Grant and Linda Albert

MSA Cruising Fleet Captains

March 12, 2021 Port Ludlow Pursuit Race

Hello Milltown members- Many thanks to Margo Hayden and Sue Marsden for once again hosting the annual Labor Day Weekend Milltown Cruise to Oak Harbor, with 15 boats in attendance and others coming by car. Although the Music Fest was cancelled because of Covid, Margo and Sue made sure we had lots of good music with the theme of Jimmy Buffett. Every year they come up with fun and creative activities to keep us entertained and this year was no different. We had a scavenger hunt which got us off our boats and out exploring the local beach. We had Jimmy Buffett Crossword and Trivia contests which were a real challenge except for one member who confessed that he was a "parrot head" way back in the '70s. We played Pin the Tail on the Parrot and Bowling with Coconuts, which highlighted the fact that we really do lose balance and hand-eye coordination as we get older, but still a lot of fun!! The final activity was the Watermelon Carving Contest which showed that some of us can do fantastic artwork with a watermelon and a dull steak knife. If you look at the Milltown Facebook page you will see the entries. Hopefully this will be an annual event.

The prizes were great and the breakfast muffins and mimosas much appreciated. Monday morning brought predicted winds (15-25 knots) which gave us a fast and wild ride home.

Everyone did a good job following the Covid guidelines of social distancing and wearing masks when not being distanced. It was wonderful to be with our sailing friends again. We look forward to the next cruise which will be to Kingston, Oct 9-11th. Our next email will give you information about how to sign-up for that cruise.

Happy Cruising,

Grant and Linda Albert

Cruising Fleet Captains

Take Care and we hope to see you out on the water

Grant and Linda Albert, S/V Mei Li

Milltown Cruising Captains

May 26-29th, 2023 Langley Marina