A Special Thanks

A lot of you may already know of the carbon monoxide poisoning that we experienced during the WYC Christmas Parade. After participating in theChristmas Parade for the past 9 years and always using a generator in an opencockpit along with outboard engines we never dreamed we would be the victimsof carbon monoxide poisoning. But we now know under the right conditions,as long as you are burning fuel, it is a threat that is always possible. The conditions were right the night of the parade for the gas to seep under outcurtain into the helm and cabin areas. The risk to the health of our crew and guest as well as our own will never be taken for granted again and I can’texpress enough for everyone to take caution in this regard.

What some of you may not know is how helpful some of our members andsome of their guest, as well as come Green Hill members were in controlling thissituation and making the outcome much better than it could have been.

First of all I would like to thank Suzanne for taking charge of the situationafter I had passed out at the wheel. This is more reason to make sure your firstmate knows what to do and how to respond in an emergency situation. Now Suzanne will tell you I am not the best teacher in this matter but over the yearsof boating she picked up on what goes on and responded very well in anemergency situation like this. For this I thank her.

Roy Whittaker, noticing our boat was veering off course, followed us and made contact with Suzanne and then called for help about possible carbonmonoxide poisoning. I want to thank him for being alert and for his quickresponse in this matter. He got the ball rolling. Thanks Roy.

We all know Jim Wilson is very good at what he does but I never thought Iwould be on the receiving end of it. As soon as he heard Roy’s call he was to us in a minute and towed us to Green Hill’s bulkhead and help make sure things were in order. I know that’s doing his job but when your on the other end youhave a different outlook on that.

The first person I saw to come on the boat, as I was laying in the cockpitfloor, was Chris Larmore and his gear. He was very concerned about our wellbeing asking vital questions and making sure we were ok until the ambulanceand paramedics came. Again he is trained for these situations but it is nice toknow we have members with this experience and who care.

I would like to thank Dicky and Vic for taking our boat back to WYC for us as we were being transported to PRMC. It was nice not have to worry about ourboat with everything else that was going on.

We know there were a lot of people around concerned about our well beingand there to help if necessary and we would like to thank all of them. All this helped us get through a situation that could have been a lot worse.

As with any captain, when you invite guest aboard your boat, you feelresponsible for their safe return to port. I feel responsible as captain for puttingSuzanne and our guest in harms way. I am very lucky and blessed that everyoneis ok and we have such wonderful friends that came to our aid.

Suzanne, our friends and I are walking testimonials to how easily one can beover come by carbon monoxide poisoning, and how important CO detectors arein any situation where fuel is burned. Please make sure you and your lovedones are protected.

Sincerely yours,

W. Dean Murray

FLEET CAPTAIN’S REPORT

Not much to report this month. Obviously no cruises this past month. Not unless you count the PerDiem/Tom Tom cruise up the mighty Wicomico Creek. Sure hope Bonnie didn’t get sea sick. “Another Day in Paradise” crew were out of the country so material is severely lacking. I did attend my first General Membership meeting. Somehow I missed (forgot) the last one. It was awe (yawn) inspiring though. Tom does a great job running the meeting. Wished he had told me he changed the due date for this report. Oh well he is the Commodore with his mind on much loftier issues. Someone was sitting next to me that sounded a little like Dwight Jeffries. If anyone knows who this was please contact me. He looked at me kinda funny when I gave him a membership application. Howard Sinclair did a fine job of filling in for Dockmaster Roy. Hardly recognized him either without the blue flashing running light. Ron Bozman also had an excellent substitute(no one). Hey! who could ever take his place. Anyway we did agree on a cruise schedule and if you missed the opportunity to submit some really stupid idea’s for cruise destinations, it’s probably because you weren’t invited to the meeting.