2025 September: Family, MTOA & AGLCA Events

Sunset in Crisfield, Maryland

September 2025

The first week of September, we flew to Idaho to visit our son and his family. Clark spent a lot of time there working on home improvements with him while I had a great time playing with the grandkids.

Clark and I took Sierra to her Tai Kwon Do practice and we got to see her class. Sierra is 11.

Sierra is third one in - middle row

Sierra and her mom, Devon, went to a Boise State football game while we were there. Boise won!

Sierra in Bronco colors.

The middle girl, Violet, likes to play games as do I. We spent a lot of time together. I taught her Canasta (not American Canasta) and Cribbage. Such fun!!!  We also played Yahtzee. Sierra joined in on some of the games.

Violet - age almost 9

The youngest one, Zoe, and I had fun with "Go Fish", making jewelry, and playing a marble game together.

"Marble Mania" with Zoe (age 5)

Chocolate Moustache

Another one!

While I played card games with Violet, Zoe built a block tower nearby.

Zoe's Radar Tower
Engineer in the Making!

Zoe, Violet, and I did play a couple of  crazy games of Candy Land where for every move I made forward, Zoe found a way to send me backwards! She loved zinging me, and I didn't care in the least. Guess what - Zoe won!

While we were there, Zoe had her first day of Kindergarten! We got to meet her teacher and see the school.

Shortly after returning to New Jersey, we found out we had to hurry around to take our dinghy to the dinghy hospital. The poor thing has been patched multiple times and continues to lose air. We considered buying a new dinghy, but then Clark decided to try re-tubing it instead. To get the tubing job done, we had to take the dinghy to Connecticut. To get the dinghy there, we had to have a trailer hitch installed on the car, buy and configure a boat trailer, take the dinghy to a launch ramp, haul it up on the trailer, and drive it to Connecticut. 

Clark and I have watched shows put on at launch ramps by inexperienced folks. I hoped not to be one of those spectacles. I drove the car with trailer to the boat ramp and met Clark there. I let him back the trailer into the water! We did not do too badly. A man there gave us some useful pointers along the way. The next day we drove the dinghy to Connecticut. 

Unfortunately, although we were only a half hour from our other son's home, the family had a busy day planned. However, since it was a Saturday, one of those plans was our grandson, Jack's, soccer game. We spent an hour watching him play the game (they won 4 - 0) before jumping back in the car for the ride home. The ride home without the trailer and dinghy went faster than the ride north. About 7 hours roundtrip.

Dinghy at the "hospital" 
Waiting for major surgery!

No sooner was that chore done than it was time to prepare for our trip to Maryland for the MTOA  (Marine Trawler Owners Assoc.) National Rendezvous. This year, the organization celebrates 35 years since inception.

The event was held in Crisfield, Maryland. Many members came by boat. We drove due to time constraints and Sunset Delight not quite ready for travel at this time. What took us about 5 hours by car would have taken several days by boat.

Although it is a small town with zero traffic lights, Crisfield, Maryland is known as the "Crab Capital of the World". When we arrived, we were given a welcome bag which included a wooden crab mallet and sharp knife as well as various other items of interest like the Koozie shown below.

Monday evening we had a pot luck dinner with a ton of food followed by an ice cream social with many varieties of ice cream and toppings. After dinner, we had a live Bluegrass band play.

The Eastman String Band
Players: Fiddle, Banjo / Mandolin, and Guitar

I managed to catch a spectacular sunset this evening. I took several pictures from different angles looking across the boats in the marina!

Sadly, we did not know in advance that the entire event would be held outside in a covered structure with, unfortunately, no sides. On the second day of the event a cold front came in and we froze. It rained all day. The temps were in the low 60s, and we had 20 mph winds to add to our discomfort. 

I had not packed long pants for myself. Clark and I both had on shorts. He at least had long pants back at the hotel that he could wear for the rest of the week. We pulled a blanket from the car and wrapped ourselves in that as we shivered together. 

Mid-afternoon someone we have known for several years, who was also at the event, saw what I was wearing and took me back to her boat to loan me sweat pants and a sweatshirt! After I changed, she made me a hot cup of tea and we sat together in her warm salon to warm up. 

On Wednesday the weather had improved to where I could return the borrowed clothing. The rain had stopped and the wind had died down. We were able to enjoy the planned crab picking demo and dinner outdoors near the Captain's Lounge at the marina. Before eating the crabs, we got to see them race. The winner of the crab races won the prize of being released back into the water at the dock. The person who named the crab was deemed the "owner" and she was the one who set her crab free at the end of the races. #6 won, and I have never seen a more excited owner routing on their entry than the woman who chose 6 as hers.

Crabs waiting for their turn to race

Crabs in yellow "cups" getting 
ready to go

"... and they're off!"
Note #6 well in the lead

Woman in front on left side of picture "owned" #6.
She said she could tell this crab was alert and raring to go!

As the sun  set on the night of the crab dinner, we got to see a cloud formation than many of us had never experienced before. It looked like someone had shaved the tops of the clouds!

Instead of watching crab races, many folks were busy taking photos of the phenomenon!

Cloud formation in Crisfield, MD

Presentations at the rendezvous were a mix of "business" meetings, items of local interest such as the Terrapin turtles from this area, and educational / informative presentations. Interspersed with all that, we had food galore - breakfast, lunch, and dinner with snacks and desserts also available for consumption.

Several times throughout the event, prize winner's names were pulled out of a "bucket". My name was called a couple of times. Since I had already won a prize, the second time was "forfeit" - one prize per customer. The prize I won, however, was a night's stay at a marina that we can actually use! I was offered several choices but only one was on our travel plans. The fact that one was actually of interest astonishes me as I usually win things I do not want.

Clark also won a prize during the gathering, but it was offered, not by the MTOA org, but by Tow Boat US. He won a year's worth of towing service - premium. Hopefully, we won't need to take advantage.

Grand prizes were awarded the final night of the event at the banquet dinner. Clark and I won something at the banquet as well, but we did not take receipt of the items. They were a huge mum plant each. They were gorgeous, but for a number of reasons, it made no sense for us to take them. I gave mine to April, someone we met there, she was thrilled!

During the event, we had the opportunity to check out some unique boats 

Smith Island Crab Skiff

For Sale, if interested!

We had an opportunity to tour an Ice-breaking Ship called "Eddie Somers". Wow! One of their "jobs" is to keep access to Smith Island open in the winter. School children from that island are transported by boat to school each day on the mainland. They can't let ice get in the way of their "school bus". 

The boat became operational in 2022. The mate on board who does the cooking and cleaning truly keeps the vessel in "ship shape". It was so clean it sparkled! We got to go up in the pilot house and the state rooms for the captain and crew - tight quarters and bunk beds for the crew. The first mate and captain had rooms to themselves.

Down below, the engine room was huge with gigantic engines. It was divided into three rooms - the engine room, a work room, and a storage area. Amazing and, again, pristine!

While we were in the area of "Eddie Somers", Clark took some pictures of the surrounding area.

Our last day at the event, we were told "lunch is on your own", so we walked into town to find some food. Along the way, we stopped at a nearby history museum to learn more about Crisfield oysters, crabs, and clams.

As shown in the photo below, town was not too busy.

Other folks had the same idea, and we ended up (not planned at all) having lunch with another couple from the rendezvous who seemed to have the same agenda as us. We saw them at the museum and then met them at the restaurant. I think they call that Serendipity! We had a nice luncheon together before heading back to the marina.

While at the event, Clark brought a number of items for the boaters' flea market. He sold a few things, but most items, sadly the big heavy ones, had to go back in the car and come back home. 

Although a trip to tour Smith Island was scheduled for Friday, Clark and I had to be on our way as Clark had a commitment to give not one, but two, presentations at the AGLCA "Looper Lifestyle Seminar" in Atlantic City, New Jersey. As 70 folks were boarding a vessel to tour the island, we were driving to AC.

The Looper event was held at the Sheraton Convention Center. Several presenters, Clark included, told their "Great Loop Story" experiences. In between times, informative presentations were provided. The one Clark gave on was called "Clark's Practical Guide to Anchoring". I got to be the assistant and advance the slides as needed.

Other presentations included "DIY Maintenance", "Basic Navigation", "Weather Aboard", "Intro to the Great Loop", and "Planning Your Adventure". 

When not attending a session, we got a chance to walk back to our room and check out the displays in the hotel along the way. They have acquired a lot of "historical" items related to the Miss America pageant over the years. They had a gown on display dating back to the 1920s!

Waterford Crystal Scepter and Crown

What Clark found most astonishing as he looked at the gowns was the sizes of the waists on the dresses!

1986 - Susan Akin
Scepter used from 1967 to 1993

The crowns, thankfully, improved over the years.

Margaret Gorman - 1st Miss America
16 years old, 1922

1933 - Marian Bergeron
Started singing the blues at age 12
Later sang with Rudy Vallee and Guy Lombardo

1943 - Jean Bartel
World War II era fashion

1955 - Lee Meriweather
later became an actress e.g. "Catwoman"

Left - 1971: Phyllis George 
became sportscaster in 1975 for "The NFL Today"
Right - 1967: Jane Anne Jayroe
First to entertain Vietnam troops in a combat zone
Later became TV broadcaster

Last, but not least, ....

Me, with the royal wave, being crowned,
Miss America
by Bob Barker (host 1966 - 1988)

The last picture was taken as we made our way back to the car for the drive home. We planned to stop at Clark's favorite restaurant in Tuckerton along the way. When we got there at 6:00 or so, they said they were no longer taking any names for the night - they were full! We moved on and ate dinner at Olive Garden in Manahawkin instead. After our epic journey, we arrived home at 9:00 exhausted and glad to see our own beds!