[Sloop Scoop 2002] #7, August 2 - 16

[Sloop John B]

I'm running out of clever nauticalesque greetings . . .

I had a nice time in northern Wisconsin and although I made it back to 
Chi-town in time, I was too tired and too hot to do the Lady Skipper on 
Sunday.  Next year we'll sweep!  We had a glorious midday sail on Tuesday 
though--good weather, good company, wet dog (Cap'n Jack was trying to 
escape from the boat to the dock . . . and missed), and lots of pictures 
(giving me more incentive to build a web site).  Gloria and I also spent 
some time on Monday cleaning and organizing the boat, so things should be 
easier to find, easier to do, and cleaner the next time you come aboard.

This weekend the Sloop is racing to Michigan City and back.  We'll be 
heading over Friday night and back on Sunday.  Right now I have the 
following folks down:  Thomas, Monique, Gloria, Christianne(?) and me.  Al, 
you said you may be interested--are you? Anyone else?  I have room for one 
or two more (which means a person or two may need to sleep in the cockpit 
or on deck, but that's usually nice).

If you aren't sailing but want a field trip, come over and visit us in 
Michigan City.  The South Shore train is a great ride, the outlets are 
nearby, and the park and beach and lighthouse are nice. There's a beach 
party on Saturday, too. If you're located over that way and want to do a 
*short* day sail out of Michigan City on Saturday, call me--preferably by 
Friday afternoon.  I'll have my cell phone with me at least as a pager and 
voice mail (and depending on cell availability as a phone).

I am planning a weekday day cruise and a Friday night cruise for the coming 
week.  As promised, I'm not racing next weekend and plan a Sunday 
cruise.  Check out the "ON THE HORIZON" section at the end of the schedule 
for upcoming sails & races.

Til we meet on the shore (or until the next sloop scoop) . . .

Schuy (sky)/Lisa

------
SCHEDULE (weather permitting***, as usual . . . )

___Friday 8/2
Race to Michigan City.  Meet at the harbor at 1630 hours.

___Saturday 8/3
Tentative cruising or partying in Michigan City.  Come say "ahoy."

___Sunday 8/4
Race back from Michigan City. More details to follow.

___Thursday, 8/8
Morning cruise.  Meeting time 1000 hours.

___Friday, 8/9
Evening cruise.  Meet at the harbor by 1900 hours.  We'll fire up the grill 
so bring something to grill and something to share.

___Sunday 8/11
TBA, but sometime between late morning and early evening.

___Wednesday 8/14
Tentative weekday evening sail.  Meeting time around 1900 hours.

-------------------------
ON THE HORIZON
*CRUSIN'--tentative six to seven day cruise along the Wisconsin shore, 
tentatively leaving the evening of Friday, August 16th with a couple of 
other boats, or leaving later that weekend or on Monday on our own.  I 
haven't had much interest for this so far, so I think it's getting less 
likely.  If we go, we can swap people on and off the boat at different 
harbors up the shore, since few can commit to that length of time.  Busses 
and trains are convenient to most harbor towns we'd stop in up there.

*IF WE DON'T GO CRUISING, the AIR & WATER SHOW is on August 16th &17th.  We 
had to cancel last year, so I'm giving first dibs to the folks who were 
scheduled for that cruise (Dan, Jonathan, if you aren't available or 
interested in sailing that weekend, let me know).  We'll plan for a 
Saturday sail with a Sunday rain/weather date.

*practice race for Tri-State crew on Sunday August 25th (It's one of the 
MORF casual series--we'll concentrate on finessing what we know and 
learning instrument and possibly spend some time tuning up the boat.

*Tri-State race Labor day weekend (night crossing August 30th to St. Joseph 
Michigan, Sunday from St. Joe's to Michigan City, Indiana, and Monday back 
to Chicago (Illinois, of course).  I'll be selecting crew for this, (not 
first come/first served); let me know if you are interested.  I have crew 
for the night crossing all set, and we'll have a couple of spots possible 
for legs two and three.  Even if you don't crew, you can come visit us in 
port and join the festivities over there.

*end of the season MORF racing

---------------
THE USUAL STUFF:  (this will be the same every week)

Let me know if you are interested in any of the times.  Sometimes I won't 
go out since I don't have crew and later I find out someone showed up to 
sail.

Try to give me a few hours if you have to cancel.  I really don't want to 
leave people behind, so I tend to hang around, so let me know if you aren't 
coming. I'll keep the cell phone on (and charged!) when I'm waiting for 
crew.  If you can't get me on the cell phone, leave a message on my land line.

You are welcome (and encouraged) to bring food and/or things to drink.  Two 
things to consider:  foods that can be eaten by hand are best (it's hard to 
use utensils on a boat), glass (bottles or jars) and boats don't mix (glass 
can break easily and boats often make sudden uncontrollable moves).  We can 
always transfer wine into plastic containers.  If you are sailing during 
the day, WATER is strongly encouraged in addition to anything else you may 
want to drink.

You are welcome (and encouraged) to bring friends and family--including 
kids (I do ask that you provide one adult for each kid under about 10 years 
old.)  If you do want to bring guests, just check with me first so I don't 
overload the boat.

It's always cooler on the lake.  I'd suggest a jacket for most 
nights.  Light colored rubber soled shoes (preferably with some traction) 
are best (for you and the boat)>  Non-skidmarking dark soled sailing shoes 
and sandals are fine, but most street shoes with dark soles will leave marks.

A swimming suit *and a towel* are good to have, too.  We don't always jump 
in, but it's nice to have the option.  Of course you have the option 
without the suit, too--there are precedents for fully clothed and barely 
clothed water babies.

***"weather permitting" in general means . . . No active thunderstorms on 
radar or announced on weather radio or visible in the sky, winds less than 
20 knots (especially if the winds are from the NE), waves less than three 
feet, temperatures above 60 degrees Fahrenheit.  There are 
exceptions--skilled sailors may go out for a wild ride, and if there are 
kids or first-time sailors, the winds and wave limits will be much 
lower.  We also may leave in "permitted" weather and find ourselves in 
"unpermitted" weather, which we will deal with accordingly.

--------------
DIRECTIONS--Driving, bus, "L" and bus, Metra, bike/in-line skates/walking
-----
Driving directions
The address is 6400 S. Promontory Drive in case you want to put it in 
Mapquest or Yahoo! maps. It's at the south end of Lake Shore Drive, by 
LaRabida Children's hospital.
 From the north:
***2002 NOTE: CONSTRUCTION ON SOUTH LAKE SHORE DRIVE (the lanes will be 
limited and you may get detoured at times. I'll try to update this through 
the summer as it happens.)***
Get on Lake Shore Drive going south (you're on your own for that part!). 
Take Lake Shore Drive until it ends--a sign actually will say LAKE SHORE 
DRIVE ENDS about a quarter of a mile before it happens. There will be a 
stop light and signs showing you could go straight (Jeffery Blvd) or turn 
left (US 41). You'll see the harbor on your left. You want to take the left 
turn-- following the harbor around, and then take the first left (there 
will be sign for La Rabida Children's Hospital). When that road (Promontory 
Drive) forks--take a left fork (again following the harbor around). The 
hospital will be on your right and there is a lot of construction so there 
is no parking on the right side of the street for most of that block. The 
yacht club is on your left. There will be a gate that looks locked but it 
isn't; you can still open it. If you park closer to the parking lot 
entrance, walk down the parking lot ramp.
 From the south:
Get to 6700 South any way you can (Bishop Ford freeway to Stony Island exit 
and North to 67th and Stony, Dan Ryan to 69th street exit and east to Stony 
Island and then north to 67th Street, call for other options) and head east 
to Jeffery Blvd. There is a park/golf course on the left, a gas station on 
the right, and a light. Turn left at the light and get into the right lane 
immediately. Take the first right (US 41). After the turn, you'll see the 
harbor on your left. Follow the harbor and take the first left (there will 
be sign for La Rabida Children's Hospital). When that road (Promontory 
Drive) forks--take a left fork (again following the harbor around). The 
hospital will be on your right and there is a lot of construction so there 
is no parking on the right side of the street for most of that block. The 
yacht club is on your left. There will be a gate that looks locked but it 
isn't; you can still open it. If you park closer to the parking lot 
entrance, walk down the parking lot ramp.
--------------------
Bicycle, in-line skates, walking from the north:
Take the lakefront bicycle path south. At the end of LSD you'll have to go 
left around the harbor to follow the path (it's around mile marker 17 
miles) which will also be following the harbor. At the first cross street, 
Promontory Drive, there will be a sign for LaRabida Children's hospital. 
Turn left in the cross street and take it uphill (this is Chicago, so this 
uphill stuff is relative) and bear around to the left when it forks. Take 
the road to the end and come down the parking lot ramp. Bring a cable lock 
if you have one; there aren't a lot of narrow posts, but we do have some 
porch columns.
--------------
Public transportation:

Bus:
Get downtown (again, you're on your own). Take the #6 bus (Jeffery Express 
it runs south down State Street between Lake and Congress, and then runs 
down Michigan to Balbo and turns at Balbo to get on Lake Shore Drive)--or 
better yet the #14 if it's at weekday rush hour (gotta call the CTA for 
this route but it's on State or Michigan for part of it's route) --to 67th 
and Jeffery. There is a golf course to the north and two gas stations on 
either side of the street to the south. From there you have two options: 
walk or another bus.
*Walk east across Jeffery and then north across 67th street and the golf 
course to the end of Lake Shore Drive. You'll see the sailboat harbor on 
your right (there's a powerboat harbor on the left. You don't want to go 
there. Cross the street (I suggest with the light, here!) and you'll end up 
on the bike path. Take the path east (turn right when you get across the 
street) and then turn left on the first street you come to (on the left). 
There is a sign for La Rabida Children's Hospital. Keep to your left as the 
road forks and walk until you see the gate to the Yacht Club. It looks 
locked, but it's not. Come on down!
*Take the #67 bus east. *Every other* #67 goes to LaRabida, so ask the 
driver if he is going there. Take the bus to La Rabida, and you'll see the 
harbor on your left. Walk to the gate (which looks locked but isn't) and 
come on down!

"L" train & bus
Take the Red Line (Dan Ryan/Howard) to 67th street
or take the 67 (67th street) bus to the end of the line (every other 67th 
street bus goes to La Rabida and hence the harbor). You'll see the harbor 
on your left. Walk to the gate (which looks locked but isn't) and come on 
down! (If you don't want to wait for the La Rabida 67, take any 67 to 67th 
and Jeffery and follow the directions for walking from 67th and Jeffery above).
OR . . . (if the green line is more convenient for you)
ON WEEKENDS DURING THE SUMMER ONLY--Take the green line (the branch that 
turns *east*, not the one that turns west--it's every other train) to the 
end of the line at 63rd and University. Take the 63rd street bus east to 
the end of the line--that will be the beach at 63rd. You'll see the harbor 
to the south. Walk along the bike path until turns to the left (at the end 
of Lake Shore Drive). Take the path east (the harbor will still be on your 
left) and then turn left on the first street you come to (on the left). 
There is a sign for La Rabida Children's Hospital. Keep to your left as the 
road forks and walk until you see the gate to the Yacht Club. It looks 
locked, but it's not. Come on down!

Metra
Take the "Metra Electric District South Shore Branch" (NOT the "South Shore 
Line", which is a different animal) train from either the Randolph, Van 
Buren, or 12th Street stop on Michigan Avenue stations. You
have two choices. You can get off at the "Bryn Mawr" stop (at 71st and 
Jeffery, named after Bryn Mawr school--which was my grammar school (and 
which has since been renamed) -- just down the block) or the "South Shore" 
stop (71st and South Shore Drive, across from the South Shore Country 
Club). The Bryn Mawr stop is slightly closer, the South Shore stop is a 
nicer walk along the lake.
--From Bryn Mawr stop, walk north (the tracks run east/west at that point, 
so if you face the direction the train was headed in and turn 90 degrees to 
your left, that will be north) along the right hand side of the street 
through the next light (67th street) and along the park/golf course until 
you reach south end of Lake Shore Drive. You'll see the sailboat harbor on 
your right (there's a powerboat harbor on the left. You don't want to go 
there). Cross the street (I suggest with the light, here!) and you'll end 
up on the bike path. Take the path east (turn right when you get across the 
street) and then turn left on the first street you come to (on the left). 
There is a sign for La Rabida Children's Hospital. Keep to your left as the 
road forks and walk until you see the gate to the Yacht Club. It looks 
locked, but it's not. Come on down!
--From South Shore stop, cross the street to the north to reach the 
entrance of the country club. Follow the sidewalk/bike path north and west 
along the country club golf course and the lake and the park and parking 
lot until you reach the first street on your right. There will be a sign 
for La Rabida hospital. Turn right and head uphill (this is Chicago, so 
this uphill stuff is relative) and bear around to the left when it forks. 
Walk until you see the gate to the Yacht Club (on the left hand side of the 
street). It looks locked, but it's not. Come on down!
-------
VITAL INFORMATION:

Lisa/Schuy Jewell
Land line:  773-752-6266
Cell phone :  773-343-0153
E-mail:  sloopscoop@jewellgems.com

Boat Name:  Sloop John B

Boat location:  Jackson Park Yacht outer harbor.  We're on one of the 
mooring cans, and we'll either shuttle people out in the dinghy or pull to 
the dock by the parking lot to pick folks up.