Long Cruises
Two cruises are planned for each yachting season and are pre-scheduled in the Admiral’s Cove season calendar. Rear Commodore Mike Fortun is in charge of planning, coordination with the Fleet and members, selection of marinas and group events, and implementation. Boaters are encouraged to bring other members and guests. Hotels are coordinated for crew and for boaters who prefer to stay ashore.
A third cruise is offered at the end of the season or early summer and is optional. This cruise, called the Commodore’s Cruise, is planned by the incoming Rear Commodore for the new Commodore for the next season.
Long cruises are scheduled for 5-7 days, depending on the venue selected. We have cruised as far North as St. Augustine, as far South as Key West, across the state via Lake Okeechobee to Sanibel and Captiva, and East across the Gulf Stream and Atlantic to the Bahamas. The typical events and schedule for these cruises are as follows:
- E-mail invitation to all members providing the itinerary, schedule, group events and costs.
- Deadline for signing up.
- Confirmation to attendees.
- Captain’s meeting to organize Fleet into flotilla groups, discuss navigation, complete marina registration forms, and otherwise discuss all group events, leisure activities and dining arrangements. Additionally, alternate plans are discussed as required by weather conditions and forecasts.
The major consideration for all cruises is safety. The ACYC policy is that “no boat is left behind”. For this reason, our flotilla arrangements and communications during the cruise are vital.
Cruise to Fisher Island, Miami, Thursday, February 5 – Sunday, February 8, 2009
The Fleet will travel South to Fisher Island Marina, Miami. Rear Commodore Mike Fortun is planning the group events, optional leisure activities including golf, dining and other activities. Look forward details by e-mail in early January, 2009.Cruise to West Coast Florida, Sunday, March 29 – Friday, April 3, 2009
The water levels are finally up! The Fleet will take advantage of this and cruise to the West Coast via trans-Florida Okeechobee Waterway. This cruise is a must if you have not experienced this passage, sometimes referred to as “the other Florida”. It is difficult to comprehend the radical change in character between the east coast and the central section of the Sunshine State that is traversed by the Okeechobee Waterway. The land here is sparsely developed in contrast to the coasts, has fields of waving sugar cane and hundreds and hundreds of grassing cattle on the open ranges. Small towns along the way exhibit a definite “cowboy” atmosphere, and they seem as far removed from the likes of Miami and Ft. Lauderdale as Florida is from Antarctica. In short, those who enjoy a voyage off the beaten path will find the Okeechobee Waterway one of the most fascinating cruising experiences in Florida.Once to the West Coast, civilization as we know it returns. Rear Commodore Mike Fortun is planning the marina venues, group events, dining and optional leisure activities. Look forward to getting details by e-mail in early January, 2009.