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Happy One Year Anniversary of the Second Harbour Lights Reunion! #38691 09/29/99 02:01 AM
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About a year ago today some of us were rolling along on our pre-reunion motor coach tour of lights in Western Rhode Island and along the Connecticut shore. The next day, we blizted Cape Cod to view and visit the lighthouses of the Cape.

The Reunion Weekend started on Friday -- and here it comes, the first weekend in October.

How about a few memories of some of you who were there?

For those who've joined the forums this year, read the information about the 1998 Reunion at:

www.HarbourLights.com/events/Reunion_98/

And view the collector forum threads leading up to, at and after the reunion Look for the "1998 Reunion" Forum from the start page and Be sure to click to "Show Topics From Last YEAR".

Anybody remember the Reunion Fight Song?


[This message has been edited by JChidester (edited 09-29-99).]

Re: Happy One Year Anniversary of the Second Harbour Lights Reunion! #38692 09/29/99 06:35 PM
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Kat Offline
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What a fantastic time Larry and I had last year at this time. I remember the bus rides to all the wonderful lighthouses well...the drawing contest sticks out in my mind as the most memorable. I won a HL lighthouse for drawing Cape Hatteras on a 3X5 card with a itty bitty little pencil on a moving bus. But the best part of it all was meeting fellow HL lovers and collectors !!!! I can't wait to be able to start wearing my black suede Harbour Lights jacket again.
I look forward to the next reunion !!!!!!

Kat


KAT {=*+*=}
Re: Happy One Year Anniversary of the Second Harbour Lights Reunion! #38693 09/29/99 10:30 PM
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Lorie Roe Offline
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Hi John,
It's interesting that you brought up the 1998 Reunion. My husband and I have been talking about it all week wishing it was last year and we were still in New England! We did our own touring of Maine lights up to Portland from Boston. We did tour with the group to Cape Cod. It was a great way to relax, tour lighthouses, and visit with HL friends from the 1997 Reunion. I remember it being so windy at Chatham, that we couldn't get our group picture. I think this is also where Paul Brady discovered the difference in the HL model and the real lighthouse. The day was running late but all on board the bus still voted to drive to Nobska. We were able to take beautiful pictures at dusk. I do remember getting stuck on a bridge that couldn't hold the weight of the bus.(I'm sure glad I wasn't the driver) Overall, the reunion and trip to the east was the highlight of 1998. I have missed the excitement and hype by not having a 1999 reunion to look forward to. Hopefully, 2000 is just around the corner and we can all gather together as friends, HL lovers, and internet wackos for the next reunion.

Re: Happy One Year Anniversary of the Second Harbour Lights Reunion! #38694 09/30/99 10:25 AM
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rscroope Offline
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Sure, rub it in again John, for all of us who couldn't get a ticket! If a knew now what I didn't then, I would have gone on some of your pre- or post tours.


LONG ISLAND BOB
Re: Happy One Year Anniversary of the Second Harbour Lights Reunion! #38695 10/01/99 12:33 AM
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JTimothyA Offline
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>>How about a few memories of some of you who were there?<<

Lessee.... I remember Cape Cod had an extraordnarily high proportion of doughnut shops to citizens, every 6th car was a Volvo and the McDonalds sold lobster rolls. I remember the 'search committe member' who spoke at the dinner informing us the National Lighthouse Museum was going to be located in Nebraska - he turned out to be a pretty funny comedian. I remember Saturday was a very long day that ended in a very crowded tent. I remember in downtown Providence drivers stopped their cars if you even thought about crossing the street. I remember the state welcome center in New Hampshire had the best maps. I remember the boat trip in the harbor was the best part of the Reunion. I remember the bus guide on the trip through Newport pointing out the mansions where snooty rich people lived that couldn't afford the upkeep, and who was quite proud of the fact that Rhode Island was founded by bootleggers. I remember handing out mouse pads in the store room while JC puttered on his laptop. I remember clambering around on the rocks at Castle Hill with Jim Rutherford. I remember the River of Fire thing. I remember those musicians at Bill's Barbecue starting to get real old. I remember folks in Maine telling me civilization ended before you got to West Quoddy and there were "movie people" staying in Bar Harbor. I remember a tennis/basketball court surrounded by a high chain link fence at Point Judith. But for the life of me I can't remember that town outside Rochester NY (where I got lost) that was built on a 45 degree angle.

Rgds,
__
/im

Re: Happy One Year Anniversary of the Second Harbour Lights Reunion! #38696 10/01/99 01:33 AM
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I remember you holding the Artist Proof of Rose Island for me to take a picture of it, with the mini version, in front of the actual lighthouse, Tim.


Who is that man behind those Foster Grants?

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Onward to The Land of the Midnight Sun!
Re: Happy One Year Anniversary of the Second Harbour Lights Reunion! #38697 10/03/99 01:34 AM
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...and I remember thinking, jeez louise I better not drop the APs. Nice shots!

Rgds,
The Good Hands People
[This message has been edited by JTimothyA (edited 10-02-99).]

Re: Happy One Year Anniversary of the Second Harbour Lights Reunion! #38698 10/03/99 09:43 AM
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One year ago today I was enjoying the sumptuous brunch at the Westin Hotel. It's hard to believe one year has passed since the last reunion.

The HL Reunion was truly an enjoyable experience for me. I finally got to meet many of the folks I've chatted with and dealt with over the Internet. I got to share the Harbour Lights Family experience. That in itself was worth the price of admission.

It was a great time and a whirl-wind weekend. It seemed it was over in a flash. I guess time does fly when you're having fun!

I hope I'm lucky enough to secure a reservation for the next reunion. Time will tell if that will become a reality.

I hope to see you all at the next reunion!

Bob aka "Captain Bob" from "It's Only Money"

Re: Happy One Year Anniversary of the Second Harbour Lights Reunion! #38699 10/04/99 12:17 AM
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I remember how friendly everyone was in Rhode Island. I mean not just collectors and Harbour Lights personnel; but everyone we met. This includes people at the airport, hotel, etc. Besides the reunion itself, the Monday trip to Portland Head was also very enjoyable. But probably the most memorable experience was going to Rose Island Sunday afternoon. That was a very impressive tour.
Would love to go back someday.

Warren

Re: Happy One Year Anniversary of the Second Harbour Lights Reunion! #38700 10/11/99 02:51 PM
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I remember all of the people who make up the HL family -- it's nice to have a family that you can choose to be with! I remember the Rose Island tour as being a true learning experience; mind-expanding as to how life on an isolated lighthouse is. And then we persuaded our really cool guide and bus driver to give us a brief tour of the Newport mansions, and stop for lunch; and we got caught in a traffic jam and ended up having only a half hour to change for the Clambake. I also remember being pleasantly surprised at the beauty of Providence and the friendliness of the people.

Re: Happy One Year Anniversary of the Second Harbour Lights Reunion! #38701 10/12/99 02:01 AM
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Gary Toth Offline
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Coming from Missouri, a state with only one lighthouse, (and one not even listed by the Shanklin's, although they do have a picture of it) I remember the anticipation of things to come, the frenetic pace of the days, the relaxed atmosphere on the evenings, the incomparable views, conversations on the bus with Bruce Roberts and Ray Jones, my first visit to the Lighthouse Depot, passing through the relatively calm waters of Newport Harbor, Rhode Island, agreeing that I could see an invisible lighthouse 22 miles past the Cape Neddick light being described by one of the locals, driving from dawn to dusk to visit another 35 lighthouses in the week following the weekend, standing in the rain and fog trying to see the second tower on Thatcher's Island, listening to sound of the waves on the beach below Nauset Light, talking to John Chidester about his beard and cap, giving up on the call for reservations and then calling "one last time", discussing the Harbor Lights signed sculpture sitting on the table inside Stonington Harbor Light with the curator, finding the donut shop around the corner from the hotel, the attendant in Mystic Seaport who told us where to drive to properly photograph the Mystic Seaport light that people are not supposed to photograph, wondering where all the sweatshirts embossed with lighthouses came from, the great restaurant in Saybrook and finding out after the fact that the lighthouse was on private property, the submarine passing in front of New London Ledge Light, meeting new friends at dinner, meeting and speaking with the marine artist, Wyland, at a children's art program in Newport and as he was creating a "whaling wall" on a building in New London, seeing Woods Hole, not seeing all the light on Cape Cod, finding out who belonged to some of the really interesting forum user names, boring people at home for months with stories from the Reunion, wondering how they could design a hotel with so few elevators, begging for film on the boat, a car full of maps, getting a sense of the life of lighthouse keeper on Rose Island, the mystique of the Younger clan, the ornate design detail of Bug Light, talking to John Gaskill about Bodie Island Light, feeling angry with the owner of the Cape Elizabeth light for renovating his privately owned property, the wonder of so many varied individuals from different backgrounds coming together for a common experience, at least for a while .... and two hundred or so other small things.

Re: Happy One Year Anniversary of the Second Harbour Lights Reunion! #38702 10/12/99 03:16 PM
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My wife and I remember the early morning starts to each day. The great tours on Saturday. The Lobster bake Saturday night and
the Waterfire show. All the great Harbour Light employees and fellow collectors. Sunday morning breakfast and the auction where we spent some money with my wife getting the statue of Bill and the watch. The Rose Island
tour Sunday Afternoon. The Maine tour on Monday. Our visit to Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard. The whole trip was a fun filled and
enjoyable time. We can't wait to go back and
spend more time in the Northeast. We are also anxiously awaiting the next reunion where ever it may be since Denver does not have an abundance of lighthouses (0).


Randall Ronne
President - Colorado Lighthouse Collectors Society
New Dungeness Light Station Association
Re: Happy One Year Anniversary of the Second Harbour Lights Reunion! #38703 11/14/99 02:46 AM
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Looks like we won't be having a Reunion in 1999. 1997-1998-but not 1999. So I thought I'd bring this thread back into view one more time for those of us who are having withdrawal pangs and for those who wonder what all this Reunion stuff was about.

There have already been some memory-jogging posts above this one.

I arrived in Providence Monday evening and made connections with Sean and Liz Thompson the next day. Together we scouted out the the lighthouses that could be seen along Naragansett Bay in Western Rhode Island and along the Eastern Connecticut shore. We had dinner at the Coast Guard Inn Tuesday evening watching Beavertail's beacon flashing across the bay.

While I had an plan for the lighthouses we'd see on the Cape Cod and Portland Head tours, I wasn't so sure in advance of which we could stop and see for the Wednesday tour. I was able to call Stonington Harbor the day ahead to tell them we were coming and she put me in touch with a lady who got us into Watch Hill.

The Watch Hill area is 'old money' with lots big 'cottages,' 'no tresspassing' and 'private road' signs. The best lighthouse guidebooks advised parking in town and walking in. But our contact said we could drive the bus right onto the property.

We sent a few walkers on ahead to make sure the bus could really get through, but the driver did a great job of passing between high hedges brushing each side of the bus along narrow driveways right out onto the point. He was envisioning having to back all the way out. But there was plenty of room at the lighthouse to turn around even. Our hostess opened up a neat little two-car garage-sized museum -- complete with a Fresnel lens!

I called ahead to Stonington to let them know we would be a bit late and my contact there said, she knew where we were. She could see the bus out at Watch Hill. After visiting Stonington and having a box lunch ["Who wants a veggie sandwich?"], I took this group photo:


(See Stonington's tower in the background?)

We got some advice from the Stonington Harbor docent on how to get to the right spot to see and photograph Mystic Seaport's replica of the Brant Point light. Then we drove on towards viewpoints for New London Ledge and New London Harbor and Avery Point, getting lots of good advice from Ron and MJ Foster.

I'd be ready to do it again next weekend; well 'ready', but not prepared.

[This message has been edited by JChidester (edited 11-13-99).]

Re: Happy One Year Anniversary of the Second Harbour Lights Reunion! #38704 11/16/99 03:46 PM
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I was only able to attend the last day, on Sunday. While not having as much fun as the regular attendees I had a great experience. I went principally to meet in person some of the friends I had made on-line in the 10 months preceeding the Reunion. I also got to meet and chat with Mr. Younger outside the breakfast room. A few weeks later I was the surprised recipient of a gift mailing from Harbour Lights that included several Thumbnails, coasters, and magnets. But most importantly, the people were great. I was unable to meet you John as you were "flying around," but there is always next time.

Re: Happy One Year Anniversary of the Second Harbour Lights Reunion! #38705 11/16/99 04:27 PM
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The reunion was a wonderful time for my wife and I. The tours to Maine and Rose Island were great. My wife and I are still trying to find a time when we can go back and visit some of the places and lighthouses we missed
in 1998. We want to say a big THANK YOU to John for the add on tours and taking our picture at a couple of the lighthouses. We are looking forward to the next reunion and meeting more Harbour Light lovers in person.


Randall Ronne
President - Colorado Lighthouse Collectors Society
New Dungeness Light Station Association
Re: Happy One Year Anniversary of the Second Harbour Lights Reunion! #38706 11/16/99 11:42 PM
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It's Sean and Elizabeth



Sean



[This message has been edited by SThompson (edited 11-16-99).]

Re: Happy One Year Anniversary of the Second Harbour Lights Reunion! #38707 11/17/99 02:40 AM
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A couple of Stonington residents that I observed discussing what pollen was going for at the lighthouse that day.

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Onward to The Land of the Midnight Sun!

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