Flotilla Picnic 09 2013                                             

                                               

The annual Flotilla picnic was held on a beautiful day at the Dunedin Marina Park.  There were 44 people who showed up for this annual event, there were games of competition, plenty of culinary delights. It is always so enjoyable at these affairs to taste other people's unique recipes. Tom Loughlin & Guy Warner were on  grill duty and they did an outstanding job. Those burgers were like mini-meat loafs.

The Corn Hole game, tossing sand bags at a target was very popular and very competitive I might add among the men and women. Then there was the balloon toss competition and yes a number of people were splashed with some refreshing water as the balloons exploded. The Corn Hole game was loaned to us from Sand Key.

Buddy Casale did exceptionally well in the Corn Hole game and rumor has it he was down at Station Sand Key practicing all week, just a rumor I don't want to ruffle any feathers or beards. All in all it was very nice day getting to socialize with each other and their families. Christine Carlson , picnic chairperson and her staff did an exceptional job of setting up and coordinating the events.

Don Hoge gave us a peek at the gift Capt. Dickinson will receive at the Change of Watch on Wednesday from the Sector St. Pete Auxiliary. Hopefully Capt Dickinson won't come across the pictures while visiting our website. Here is the wheel that will be presented to her and a brief history of it's origin. Don did an excellent job of restoring it.

Don had made some inquiries as to all the nautical gifts she and her husband, a retired USCG Commander, had received over the years and they have never received a wheel.

                    


Wheel was owned by RADM William Rafferty, USN. He was a veteran of WW I, WW II, and Korea. He retired in San Diego in the early 1950s and was a neighbor of Lee and Veronica Eastman, Jerrie's grandparents. RADM Rafferty gave the wheel to them. They passed it to Jerrie's parents, Leigh and Dorothy Eastman who passed it to us in the early 1970s. As part of our household goods, it has crossed several oceans and continents to get to Tampa/St. Petersburg. It will now likely find a place on the wall of CAPT Dickinson vacation home on Chesapeake Bay.

Thanks to everyone who worked with Christine on this affair, I don't want to mention names in the event of leaving someone out. To Nic Nelson our resident Bag Piper, great job once again Nic.

Brava Zulu