Before everyone starts griping, I have decided to post this in the Map Room as it deals with a special lighthousing opportunity. Anyway. . . .

Many of us are attending the LI regional event on September 20th. That night is the LI Chapter of the US Lighthouse Society's 4th Annual Beacons of the Night lighthouse cruise. Many of us had hoped to be able to make both the regional and the cruise, a "two-fer". Due to a number of reasons, it is not going to be very practical for those of us who will be at the regional event to the very end (hoping to win gold). At our Hoosier Lighthousing Club meeting on Saturday we discussed whether or not people would be interested in doing this cruise if it could be done on Friday night. Well, I have spoken with Bob Muller, Chapter President, about the possibility of doing a second cruise on Friday.

We need some very quick feedback from people who plan to attend, or be on LI in that time frame. If we can put together a cruise for Friday night, would you attend? Cost would probably be the same as for the Saturday cruise, $65 for chapter members, $75 for non-members. Bob is checking to see if the boat is available and if the skipper would give him the same rate on Friday. Any funds raised will go to helping the LI Chapter rebuild the oil house at Cedar Island.

We are kinda "shooting from the hip" on this, but need to get an idea of how many would be interested, even as we work to see if we can actually hold the cruise. If you are interested, please post and indicate how many in your party. If you prefer not to post, you can email me. Hopefully we can get the boat set up and have enough interest to hold a second cruise. Note that you will need to get to LI by Friday afternoon (morning would be better) to allow time to get to the North Fork where the cruise leaves from.

This is not in competition with the Chapter's Beacons of the Night Cruise. I am working with the Chapter to hold a second cruise aimed at all the Forum members who are coming in from around the country and would like to be able to see the LI lights on this cruise.

Are you interested??

Dave

I'm in for 2 participants

Count John and I in for 2 more added to the list.

Count me in for one, Dave. Great idea. hope there's enough interest.

Lorna & I won't be able to make that one. We either coming down late on Friday or early on Saturday. I guess we will be concentrating on the Regional only.

Bob

Carol & I would prefer doing the Friday night "un-rushed" cruise, BUT at this point in time I'm already signed up and paid up for the Saturday cruise. If there was a Friday night cruise, it would be great if we could change our reservations from Saturday to Friday!!

Dan

I am definetly interested. Count me in for one.

Dave,

I'm in the same boat as Dan- literally.

I have already purchased tickets for Sat, but would much prefer to do it on Friday if it happens and if I was allowed to switch my tickets.

Count me in tentatively for 2.

Dennis

Hey folks,

I just got off the phone with the boat captain. He'll run another cruise on Friday night if we get 50 people. I'll do my part, too, and will have some new stories and history to share (the research for the book has my poor little brain on information overload, but I have learned some cool new stuff).

We could "switch" some of the reservations from Saturday to Friday, although it would undoubtedly increase my therapy costs and probably get me a whooping from our events coordinator. But then, as one of my favorite western philosphers, Steve Martin, used to say, "comedy is not pretty." :-)

Dave: Please keep track and let me know as soon as you have an idea if we can get 50. I might be able to arrange a different cruise for a smaller number, or I would consider some sort of special sunset-type tour, either at Fire Island or Cedar Island (although a Fire Island tour would not help the Cedar Island light, which really needs the support right now).

Thanks everyone! I hope we can work it out.

I told Bob that if we can get enough folks for this "special" event, that I would agree to be one of the Chapter volunteers for it.

I hope we can get enough people for it, because it would be a fun evening with the Wackos!

Can we get the news out to the Long Island Chapter and NELL members? Perhaps some had other plans for Saturday and could join us on Friday. Not ALL of them are probably Forum members/readers.

John

John,

Any possibillity of making an announcement on the Harbour Lights site in the info about the Regional?

That might catch a few people also.

Dennis

John,

I sent an e-mail to Shirin asking her to send out an announcement to NELL members.

I also put a post about the possibillity of an additional cruise on the Yahoo Lighthousenuts list and on the lighthousing Forum.

This might catch the eye of some additional people.

Dennis

I heard about this cruise from Shirin. I am a NELL member. Unfortunately, we can't make it. But thank you! I have been registered with the forum for months now but unfortunately don't get to log on very often. I am hoping to change that. I am looking forward to meeting some new lighthouse people at the regional! See you there. Thanks.
Eileen K.

John and Dennis - will get the info out tonight to NELL members. And while you are at it, count me in for one more for the trip.

Eileen - glad to see you've finally started posting!

At this point there are approximately 14 people interested in the trip. I know there are more out there that would enjoy this trip. Remember, this is a great opportunity to go lighthousing with your fellow wackos while helping the LI Chapter raise funds for preservation. We need to have 50 people to make this trip happen.

I'm going to have to say that I won't be able to go - I will be coming home from a vacation in Virginia on that Friday, and it's going to be hard to make it back in time.

Does anyone know how we're looking on numbers? I sure hope we'll be able to do the boat tour.

Lorie,

Numbers are only at about 20 people interested. Hard to believe there aren't more folks interested in having a fun lighthousing experience with fellow Wackos from around the country. We will give it a little more time before we give up on the idea.

Can't believe some of the NELL folks haven't shown an interest, other than Shirin. I am presuming the local I people have been on one of the earlier cruises and don't want to go again. (with a few exceptions, Kristin).

One benefit of this cruise would be that there will be fewer people than on the main cruise, so it makes more room to roam around and jockey for that perpect picture spot.

The boat that we normally use for this cruise can hold up to 110 people. There are open railings around the entire boat, so pictures opportunities will abound! Plus, Capt. Dave gets us up pretty close to the lighthouses (sometimes he even takes some photos!)

There will be plenty of room for all the Wackos who want to attend! I, too, am a bit disappointed at the lack of interest. Is there any way HL could promote it (i.e., on the webpage for the Regional or to attendees)?

I'm working on promoting the Friday Cruise via a special Post Card mailing to HL collectors in the region. Will let you know the outcome of that request to the 'home office' in El Cajon.

Thanks John!

Thanks, everyone, for your interest and efforts. I hope we can pull this off. We're getting within striking range for the Cedar Island oil house fundraising, and this extra event would be a big boost. The contractor and I were at the Shinnecock USCG station on Saturday morning to look at Shinnecock's old oil house (built the same year).

I have to keep this short because I'm on my way to interview two new prospects for our board of directors, but I just wanted to let the Wackos know we appreciate the efforts and will do all we can on this end to make it happen and, if it does, make it the best it can be.

Thanks! :-)