PNW Rendezvous Summer 2024

[mjknowle]

Hello, folks! Hans, Lisa, and I have been working behind the scenes and are coming down to two places and two dates as solid possibilities. We need your input so we can get this all locked in and happening.

1. July 19-21 at Poet’s Cove
2. July 26-28 at Poet’s Cove
3. July 19-21 at Maple Bay
4. July 26-28 at Maple Bay

Maple Bay has the advantage of being more easily accessible if you’re not sailing in and are coming by land. Poet’s Cove is a way shorter trip for those coming up from the San Juans—and has Customs in the same bay as well.

Please get your votes in by replying on this thread—I’ll keep this open until next Friday morning. Looking forward to seeing you all!

-Martin Knowles | s/v Sagres

 

[Frank Langer]

Hello, folks! Hans, Lisa, and I have been working behind the scenes and are coming down to two places and two dates as solid possibilities. We need your input so we can get this all locked in and happening.

1. July 19-21 at Poet’s Cove
2. July 26-28 at Poet’s Cove
3. July 19-21 at Maple Bay
4. July 26-28 at Maple Bay

Maple Bay has the advantage of being more easily accessible if you’re not sailing in and are coming by land. Poet’s Cove is a way shorter trip for those coming up from the San Juans—and has Customs in the same bay as well.

Please get your votes in by replying on this thread—I’ll keep this open until next Friday morning. Looking forward to seeing you all!

-Martin Knowles | s/v Sagres

Living on Vancouver island we know both of these Marinas well. They are both nice, but quite different.
Poets Cove is a bit closer for US boats and has customs entry, has a very nice restaurant, smallish swimming pool (nice for the kids too) and hot tub (nice for the adults), is very busy on summer weekends with occasional roudy party boats, and has no gazebo for potluck dinners as far as I know.
Maple Bay is more quaint and rustic, docks are older/a bit rougher, has a decent restaurant, no pool, and a fairly large outdoor covered gazebo for potluck dinner, etc. Customs entry for US boats would be at Port Sidney marina, which is on the way to Maple Bay, fairly convenient. Poets Cove is a bit more expensive for moorage and restaurant. We had a very successful Ericson rendezvous at Maple Bay several years ago.
Weighing these factors, our vote is for Maple Bay, July 26-28, which is a week before the Canadian August long weekend if folks want to make a longer cruise work, though at this point either weekend would be ok for us.
Thanks for your planning work to date!
Frank & Karen Langer

 

[Loren Beach]

I agree that these are real good choices. Having visited a couple of rendezvous gatherings at Maple Bay, we liked it a lot.
That said.... Their "vintage" wooden docks were the only real downside. Perhaps the docks and rusty electrical outlets have been upgraded in the last few years??
Bedwell Harbor... I visited as crew on another boat several decades ago. I have good memories, but from the resort descriptions it has changed a lot. Having the Customs Entry there would be very handy, but last trip North up the Island by boat we cleared at Sidney with no problems.
I do wonder how expensive any place is the includes the word "Spa" their resort ad.

We are up for either one, and also agree that ability to attend by land might be a consideration. Perhaps.

 

[Frank Langer]

I agree that these are real good choices. Having visited a couple of rendezvous gatherings at Maple Bay, we liked it a lot.
That said.... Their "vintage" wooden docks were the only real downside. Perhaps the docks and rusty electrical outlets have been upgraded in the last few years??
Bedwell Harbor... I visited as crew on another boat several decades ago. I have good memories, but from the resort descriptions it has changed a lot. Having the Customs Entry there would be very handy, but last trip North up the Island by boat we cleared at Sidney with no problems.
I do wonder how expensive any place is the includes the word "Spa" their resort ad.

We are up for either one, and also agree that ability to attend by land might be a consideration. Perhaps.

Loren,
Yes, Poet's Cove marina has been rebuilt if you haven't seen it in a few decades as you mentioned. It has a new large hotel, restaurant, upscale bar, swimming pool, hot tub, and more larger power boats. It's no longer the sleepy former Bedwell Harbour marina.
Frank

 

[southofvictor]

Thanks, Martin! We'd vote for Maple Bay July 19-21. I like "sleepy".

 

[Tooluser]

Either date range, and probably Poets Cove unless there's really good hiking near Maple Bay, for us. Hiking would take the balance, or good stuff for kids to explore.

And, thank you for doing this!

 

[mjknowle]

Either date range, and probably Poets Cove unless there's really good hiking near Maple Bay, for us. Hiking would take the balance, or good stuff for kids to explore.

And, thank you for doing this!

A quick look on Komoot shows a number of reasonable area hikes. I’m not a hiker, so your mileage may vary. (Being a long distance cyclist, the Galloping Goose trail runs nearby…)

 

[bgary]

Slight preference for Maple Bay, but either is OK with me.

And I can make either set of dates work, but slight preference for the earlier (July 19-21)

Bruce

 

[Brass Dragon]

We prefer July 19-21 but can make the later date too.
We prefer Maple Bay, never been but have wanted to visit.
Dave & Joslin

 

[Shannon & Doran Jones]

Hey everyone, @southofvictor we do still check in every now and then. Glad to see the rendezvous is back in Canada this year. If it ends up in maple bay we may crash ut as former ericson owners as it’s pretty close for us by water or land. I know the marina manager and he is lovely at maple bay and will definitely look after the group
Shannon

 

[southofvictor]

Hey everyone, @southofvictor we do still check in every now and then. Glad to see the rendezvous is back in Canada this year. If it ends up in maple bay we may crash ut as former ericson owners as it’s pretty close for us by water or land. I know the marina manager and he is lovely at maple bay and will definitely look after the group
Shannon

Heck yes, one way or another it’d be great to see you guys this summer!

 

[Shannon & Doran Jones]

Heck yes, one way or another it’d be great to see you guys this summer!

Definitely!

 

[mjknowle]

Save the date! The 2024 PNW Ericson Yachts Rendezvous will be on July 26-28 at Maple Bay Marina. More details still to come, but I just confirmed that with the marina, so it’s official. Hooray!

Those of you coming from around BC will notice that this is the week before the BC Day long weekend, so if you’re wanting to work this in as the start of a longer cruise, this should work well for you.

 

[Virginia]

Excellent! Our plan is to be there.

 

[bgary]

me too!

 

[Frank Langer]

My wife and I are planning to attend.
Frank

 

[southofvictor]

Looking forward to it!

 

[wurzner]

Anyone know the logistics for anchoring? I no longer have an Ericson, but would like to attend and anchor out if possible? I heard the area has been overtaken with private mooring balls. We always stayed at Genoa Bay; it has been 25 years since I went in to maple bay. Hoping to meet up.

 

[Frank Langer]

Anyone know the logistics for anchoring? I no longer have an Ericson, but would like to attend and anchor out if possible? I heard the area has been overtaken with private mooring balls. We always stayed at Genoa Bay; it has been 25 years since I went in to maple bay. Hoping to meet up.

Hi,
It would be nice to see you again!
It is not ideal to anchor near Maple Bay marina due to the many mooring balls, but it's not impossible. Of course, summer is even busier, so no guarantees. There is almost always also room to anchor at the village which is north and outside of Birds Eye Cove, but it's a good trek from there to the marina. If you have a dinghy with a motor, you would likely find a spot to anchor, otherwise best to reserve a marina slip.
Frank

 

[wurzner]

Thanks Frank. 50ft slips come at a premium and while completely doable...covers a few drinks at the pub! We have a aluminum floored dinghy on davits with a 15 horse...so heading into the bay shouldn't be an issue. Will look at the map to see what you are referencing. Would be nice to meet up again...I still have a few shirts and I believe a Viking hat too. I think alumni are allowed to attend it properly attired lol.