Contributing Writer Laurie Carlson
Cape Coral Cruise Club
“Where boaters become friends and memories last forever.”
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Cape Coral Cruise Club Wraps Up the Season
with Fun, Friendship, and a Little Adventure!
As Southwest Florida settles into its hot, humid summer, the Cape Coral Cruise Club has officially dropped anchor for our annual summer break. While many of our seasonal members have headed north, we wrapped up the season with three wonderful June events that perfectly captured what our Club is all about—great friends, good food, beautiful destinations, and plenty of laughs.
Hidden Island Picnic
Our June picnic was graciously hosted by Brenda Stewart at Hidden Island. Although attendance was a bit smaller with many of our snowbirds already gone, the lucky 13 members who attended enjoyed a fantastic afternoon together. Some played a friendly game of cards, but mostly everyone simply enjoyed the smaller gathering and catching up with friends.
Brenda treated everyone to a delicious pork loin lunch complete with roasted vegetables, ripe Beefsteak tomatoes, and a mouth-watering cheesecake lovingly prepared by her daughter, Robin—the perfect ending to a wonderful meal. With this picnic being a smaller crowd, all attendees arrived via the Capt. Phil.
Longboat Key Cruise
Next came our much-anticipated cruise to beautiful Longboat Key, hosted by Capt. Ron Sheradin and Alla Wilson, with a little extra creativity sprinkled in by John and Pati Queen. Unfortunately, Capt. Ron’s vessel, Ark Angel, decided it needed some unexpected steering repairs before making the trip.
As every boater knows… “That’s boating!” Fortunately, one of the many things that makes the Cape Coral Cruise Club unique is our flexibility. Cruise leaders don’t always have to arrive by boat to make a cruise a success. Ron and Alla simply stayed nearby and joined everyone for the festivities.
Five boats made the cruise to Longboat Key, including an especially exciting milestone for Jim and Cindy Smith. Their beautiful vessel, Sans Souci, completed its very first Club cruise—a true shake-down voyage that turned into an impressive ten-hour adventure! Jim and Cindy have been active participants in Club events for months while preparing their boat for cruising, and everyone was thrilled to celebrate this accomplishment with them.
The first evening began the Cape Coral Cruise Club way—with food! Members gathered for a wonderful potluck dinner featuring barbecue chicken, an assortment of delicious salads and side dishes, and Pat Kryger’s always-popular Cajun rice, which quickly became a crowd favorite. The beautiful Longboat Key Club provided the perfect backdrop as members decorated the gathering area and settled in for a weekend of fun.
The following morning, cruise leaders Ron and Alla hosted a delicious breakfast of baked strata with Italian sausage, muffins, and fresh fruit before everyone eagerly set off on John Queen’s famous scavenger hunt. One elusive clue had participants walking nearly a mile before it was finally discovered! The ultimate champion of the hunt was Capt. Ron and Alla’s granddaughter, Anastasia, who proudly took home the grand prize—a mini blender.
In true Cape Coral Cruise Club fashion, Anastasia immediately put her prize to good use by making fresh smoothies for anyone in the group who wanted one. It was a sweet ending to a fun-filled morning.
The weekend was filled with everything that makes cruising together so special.
Members gathered around the beautiful resort pool to relax and enjoy one another’s company, while a few ventured out to Longboat Key’s gorgeous white-sand beach. The weather couldn’t have been much better—beautiful sunshine all weekend, no rain to interrupt the fun, although the Southwest Florida heat certainly reminded everyone that summer had arrived!
Saturday evening, the entire group—including all of the boaters, cruise leaders Ron and Alla, and John and Pati Queen, who traveled by car—gathered at the famous Chart House Restaurant for a wonderful dinner filled with great food, laughter, and the camaraderie that keeps members coming back year after year.
The final morning began with a light breakfast of muffins, fresh fruit, and juice before everyone prepared for the journey home.
On the final evening prior to departure, members gathered once more at the marina pool for cocktails, conversation, and plenty of laughs before turning in for a good night’s rest and casting off the following morning.
Although our organized cruises take a summer pause, our Club certainly doesn’t. Throughout the summer, members will be busy making improvements to our private Hidden Island by completing dock repairs, trimming landscaping, and getting everything shipshape for another exciting season of picnics and cruises beginning in September.
Just before our summer break, members Tad Vaughn, Terry Carlson, and Terry Johns hauled the Club’s beloved pontoon boat, Capt. Phil, out of the water for inspection and maintenance. Ron Ridout had also painstakingly pressure washed the entire vessel and refinished every bench!
Thanks to their hard work and dedication, Capt. Phil looks nearly brand new and is ready to provide members with many more years of fun trips to Hidden Island and memorable Club gatherings.
“Lunch Bunch”
Our final event before our break was a wonderful gathering of 15 members and guests who gathered at a local favorite, Rum Runners. A fitting finale with the marina atmosphere and waterfront views that our members love.
Enjoy your summer, stay safe on the water, and we’ll see you this fall for another season of cruising adventures!
As we look forward to another exciting cruising season this fall, we’d love to welcome new members aboard. From destination cruises and dock parties to picnics on our private island and friendships that last a lifetime, it’s easy to see why our members say the people are what makes this Club so special.
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Laurie Carlson
Come Join The Fun!
If you have a vessel with full overnight accommodations, and would like more information about joining our Club, please contact our Membership Chairperson, Laurie Carlson, at 239-910-5543! You can also check us out on our Facebook page or our website at: www.CapeCoralCruiseClub.com
