03/07 - 03/09 - 2023 Hontoon Island Gathering

(We’ll, shoot!! I was really looking forward to the best coffee around. We had a lively discussion about trailering and potential trailering issues yesterday. I trust things will work out for you. If your in the SW Florida area in your travels let me know and I’ll launch and come meet for a visit. Good luck,
James)

So sorry to have missed all the great company this year. At this point my trailer brake issues have still not been resolved. I replaced all the calipers had the rotors turned and replaced one piece of brake line But couldn’t get it to work properly. It’s stayed with my mechanic for a week and he couldn’t figure it out, so I brought it to the Champion trailers in Mississippi Friday before last. Today they said they were any conversations with hydra start and hopefully will have it fixed by next week. Meanwhile my boat is still in the water. This will be a real test of the ceramic coating I did this winter.
Looks like a great gathering I’ll keep my eye out for future scheduled events or flotillas.
Best to everyone
 
Greetings All…….Hontoon update.
The state park reservation system is taking reservations for the Hontoon Island Marina as of today. The gathering dates for 2024 will be March 5,6,7.
We have reserved slip 10B for the C-Otter.

Work is underway to have the park in full operation by the end of 2023. We anticipate a return to full programs and activities for 2024 barring another devastating hurricane. So if you missed 2023…. Make your reservation’s. Only 40 spots and 39 left!😁

We are still working on spending the donation money from our 2023 gathering. Devin, the park manager really wants a new mattress for the camp ground host and the park service will not authorize it because they do not have the title. Yet the old mattress is trash. I asked Devin to get a measurement but the individual who had the keys quit……..so no access yet. He’s working on it. Will let everyone know when the purchase is made.
The campground will be closed till next year.

Looking forward to getting together next year for the best gathering ever. Get those trailers serviced!
 
When I reserved my spot, I was not able to pull up a marina map showing slip locations/numbers. Bill from Mystery Girl had an old diagram he emailed me, and I redrew it to make it easier to read. Disclaimer, I can't guarantee that this is accurate. I never noticed before that A and B slips are reversed in some locations...

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It is about 2 months since our gathering--and I am late in posting about 80 photos in the album:Here is the album link.

My only excuse is that I am 86 years old...and not counting....for not getting the photos up earlier. It took most of a day, which I did not have free until now!

Pictured are Peter and Becky Clay, as they repair the Bimini top bow on our 18' Caracal Catamaran, with....duct tape! Peter and Becky are the reason we were able to make it to Hontoon this year.

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To Formally introduce these wonderful people to the C Dory/C Brat community is a real pleasure; Peter and Becky have recently purchased a C Dory 25, and have been working "madly" to get it "seaworthy". They are the reason that we had such a trouble free time at this 2022 gathering. Peter and Becky had driven by hour home (I suspect to check us out, since they had volunteered to shepard our trip to Hontoon Island, at least 9 months before the gathering.) We met in our RV's at about 70 miles from our home at the Ponce De Leon rest stop. They had made reservations for an extra long camp site at the St. John's Marina and Campground, just beyond the Ed Stone Park, and where the St. John's River Grill is located. We were in a 25' Winnie Via (Sprinter Chassis, two steps up from a VW Camper) and Peter and Becky were in a Road Trek Van conversion about one step up from a VW. As you might see in the RV photo,we had a certain degree of luxury--not even found in a 25' C Dory, including two 32" TV's, a separate shower and holding tanks of 50 gallons of black and grey water...Plus 4 people can comfortably sit in the "main saloon"....but it does not float. So we towed our 18' Caracal Catamaran center console. It has a number of advantages: it only weighs about 3200 # on the trailer, and has a 140 HP Suzuki--top speed about 36 mph, and very stable at that speed. Ride is about the same as the Tom Cat 255, because this boat has adequate tunnel clearance. (Higher tunnel than the Tom Cat.). We took Peter and Becky on a "nature trip" on our first full day on the river, the Saturday before the gathering. The next day, we took Peter and Becky to Blue Creek, and the Bird houses. We were able to point out many features along the river which had closed down and not reopened after the floods this last fall.

When you go on an adventure with the Austins, you never know what you will run into....

You might even get eaten.....this gator was in the 12' long category, and would make quick work of any of us....

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As it turned out we had a great day bird watching and even got 4 new birds for the Clay's. They have a home in Florida near Fort Walton Beach, but have spent most of their lives near Wood's Hole Research center where they both worked. Peter would have the boat's cover off, and all ready loaded and ready to roll each morning as Marie and I gimped our way way the 150 feet from the campsite to the boat slip! Each evening I could trust Peter to put the boat to "bed". The only complication we had was that our air conditioning went out on the RV--it turned out to be a micro 12 volt relay, and if I thumped it (a good marine or RV Trick) just the right way it would close for one cycle....So we didn't get the time to visit that I am sure all of us wanted... It was a wonderful experience to have the Clays with us. They are very experienced offshore sailors, and have owned (and still do) own several sailboats.

On the other hand, despite a lot of adversities, the gathering at Hontoon Island went well, of course due to the expertise of our "Conductor" Tom!Pictured
 
Great photos Bob. Thanks for sharing them. I see I'm not the only one that slips into 2022. (I wasn't sure I was in the right album, until I looked at the photos. :lol: ) Colby
 
Hi All
We just finished up spending the donations from our 10th C-Brat gathering at Hontoon Island. Devin (the park manager) requested that money be spent on a new mattress and bedding for the campground host. The old one was in deplorable shape. The park service would not spend any money on it because the camper was donated but not titled to the state. This is where groups like ours can pitch in and meet a need. We had $50 left and spent that on a needed new propane cylinder.

Thanks again for everyone that donated at the gathering and I mean EVERYONE! The park is starting to reorganize their CSO which collects donations and decides how they are spent. My wife Joyce will be part of the initial board when this all comes together. You all know how much we love ❤️ Hontoon Island.

Things are slowly happening to get the park back together. The plan is get everything done by the New Year. We have already made our reservation for next years gathering. Starting the second decade…. Dates are March 5,6,7 2024.

We will post photos of the new mattress as soon as they get it set up. Mite be a while yet. We stopped at Hontoon today to drop off the LP cylinder and the mattress was still in the office

Packing up now for summer travels. Lake Superior here we come!

Tom and Joyce
 
hello Tom,
Any tentative dates for Isle Royale?
I will need to get organized too as I'd love to make it this year.
Alain
(trailer brakes need attention)
 
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