CRUISING
The Yachting Section hosts a series of group boating rendezvous or ‘Cruises’ on every long weekend of the year. We sail to a variety of beautiful destinations in Howe Sound and the Gulf Islands including some of the Club’s Outstations.
Each Cruise has a different theme and variety of group activities. They always include a social warmer happy hour, a grand feast, a great party, some awesome prizes to be won, a guitar sing along and lots of fun and laughs. Many of our members feel that Cruises are the best club events. They are wonderfully relaxing and fun. The welcoming and comfortable atmosphere lends itself to easily meeting other members, making new friends or reuniting with old club buddies, all through our mutually shared passion for boating and socializing.
Cruises are run through the volunteer efforts of club members. There is an expectation that you volunteer to help out for some of the many light duties required in the preparation and running of these events. Duties include: shopping for food, liquor or prizes; assisting in the transportation of supplies and equipment to and from the club to our cruise destination; helping with setting up for parties and meals; the preparation and serving of food; the clearing, clean up and washing of dishes; helping with activities and events such as a golfing, dinghy races, volleyball, badminton, bocce, cards, games, walks or hikes or restaurant dinner parties. You’ll find we have a lot of fun doing these things and a lovely sense of camaraderie develops through or interaction as a club.
Notification of upcoming Cruises including the event details are advertised a month in advance. Members receive an e-mail followed by a reminder e-mail a week prior to the event. Cruise notices are posted in the club house and dockside notice boards. They are also published in the club’s ROAR newsletter and posted under the Cruising heading of the Yachting Sections web page.
Victoria Day at Silva Bay is the Golf Tournament and Chilli Cook-off. The event starts Saturday afternoon with a meet and greet “Pot Luck” Appetizer on the dock. Bring a chair and an instrument! Sunday morning at 8:30 we meet the bus for a trip through the scenic country side of Gabriola Island. The Golf course is a rustic 9 holes situated on the south side of the island. After 9 holes, you can enjoy the very nice restaurant and have a beverage while the remaining groups finish. The bus leaves at 2:30 back to the marina where the chili chefs will be serving up home made chili. Prizes for the best chili and golf scores are announced.
Monday morning finds everyone preparing for their departure. As this is a VRC event, and space may be tight, all vessels who dock at the outstation are expected to participate. Thank you goes to the Nanaimo Yacht Club who trade their slip (D-48) on the May long weekend for our slip (D46) on the September long weekend.
Canada Day Cruise. Our big Canada Day BBQ will be at the VRC Ganges Outstation docks on Salt Spring Island. Activities include a baseball game, Frisbee Golf, pot luck, and hiking. There'll probably be a couple of guitars around, bring your own and join in with others on the docks during a 'sing-along'.
On Thanksgiving join us at Camp Artaban for the long weekend. We'll be preparing and serving a fabulous candlelit turkey dinner. We have a potluck dinner on Saturday with the main event – Thanksgiving dinner - on Sunday. Volunteers are essential to making this event a success. For more information on ticket prices and their availability, check out the 'Next Cruise' on the VRC website under the Yachting section, the posting in the ROAR or posters around the club and dock closer to the event.
Last year was a great cruising season. Many of you volunteered at events and some of you at several. Each cruise takes organization and work and the more involved the easier it goes. If you’d like to volunteer either for the organizing beforehand of a particular event or onsite during it please let us know.
For more information, contact our Cruising Officer.