The Memorial Day cruise is always a favorite and gets a great turnout from the Edmonds Yacht Club. This year we had 45 boats gathering in Bremerton. The trip over was pretty rough but we had a lot of fun. Rylie helped Grandpa run the boat and kept Grandma entertained with a game of Candy Land.
When we arrived in Bremerton, we tied up and then watched as other boats arrived. The current was really strong inside the marina which caused some excitement as boaters tried to get into their slips. One boat got caught sideways and hit four boats as it ran along the bow or stern of each boat in its way. There was no major damage but it had everyone scrambling to protect their own boats and to help the captain get into his slip. Our dinghy is mounted on its side on the stern and provided something of a bumper to protect our boat.
We spent some time walking along the dock and looking at some of the boats brought in for the Memorial Day festival held each year.
On Saturday and Sunday there were several christenings of new boats and new EYC members. It has become quite a ceremony as our Commodore has added the blowing of a conche shell, a special reading about naming the boat and its relationship to the sea. Greenery is laid on the bow to signify a safe return to land. The captain and first-mate receive a very nice framed certificate after the christening.
We had plenty of time to play with Rylie and she loved showing us how she could walk on the rocks. She played with some older girls that came on the cruise and enjoyed doing the crafts that were provided.
Part of the festivities included several pirates that roamed the docks and marina. They happily posed for a picture with Rylie and asked us to take one with their camera for them to keep.
There was a lot of sea life attached to the sides of the docks. We discovered a creature that I had never seen before and was told that it is a sea slug. It was quite ugly but I have to admit it was fascinating to watch it move through the water.
The sailboat races that Bob started last year are quite a hit and everyone was excited to get their boats back in the water. The current was so strong that everyone had a lot of trouble getting to the finish line but it made for a fun event.
A tradition for the club is to have a special Memorial Day service on Sunday. We gathered together in the M/V Kirkland ferry which is docked at the marina and available for clubs to rent. We had access to it all weekend which made for a great place to visit, eat our meals, and hold the service. It is a very moving service. A special reading was given about the history of Memorial Day and then all veterans were asked to come forward to be acknowledged. After the service, we were given flowers to drop in the water to honor those who have died in service to our country and who are currently serving. I threw in a flower in memory of my dad who served in the Coast Guard and Rylie dropped a flower in the water to honor her Uncle Mark who is in the Air Force.
Rylie made friends with everyone and one of her favorites was Past Commodore Gary Bruner.
It was a wonderful weekend but all good things must come to an end. We headed back home Monday morning and it wasn't long before Rylie was sound asleep.
