Sharing information is a key to GLCC’s success
By Bonnie and Ron Dahl
It is a great honor for us to accept the GLCC 50-Year Burgee. It is the Great Lakes Cruising Club that gave us our start in cruising 50 years ago.
In our first year on the Big Lakes, it was Larry Perkins, then GLCC Commodore, who introduced us to the club with his famous phrase, “GLCC is the best value for your cruising dollar.”
In those days, most of the Harbor Reports were written for the lower lakes. But there were enough reports on Lake Superior to give us the courage and confidence to head out into unknown waters.
Soon we were writing our own Harbor Reports, then magazine articles, and then, Superior Way.
Our first year on Lake Superior was 1974. The first edition of Superior Way came out in 1983. It’s hard to believe that now after many months of work, I’m happy to say that the 5th edition is almost ready to go to the printer.
We are so very proud to belong to GLCC. It is amazing to think that our club started in 1934 with just eight exemplary Chicago yachtsmen sharing information from their summer cruises: “,,,for their own enjoyment and for the betterment of cruising on the Great Lakes”.
The key words here are “sharing information.” Out of this grew our present-day Harbor Reports. Our Harbor Reports are the very lifeblood of our club. We would like to encourage our members to continue sending in Harbor Reports: either new anchorages or additions and updates to present reports.
We would also like to encourage our members to work for one of the GLCC awards which the club offers to enhance our contributions and the cruising experience.
For example, for those who like to write, there is the annual Founders Award which recognizes “exemplary skill and artistry” for the best log of a cruise on the Great Lakes.
Maybe it’s time to venture outside your home cruising grounds and head into new areas to explore. So, this winter when planning next summer’s cruising schedule, start checking Harbor Reports on the other Great Lakes.
The Bayfield Award was established to recognize those members who have engaged in substantial cruising in all the Great Lakes. These are just a couple of awards that GLCC offers. The beauty of these awards is that you don’t have to wait 50 years to get them.
Throughout the years, we have enjoyed the wonderful camaraderie and fellowship of GLCC members, and the many friends we have made along the way.
Thinking back through the years, we will never forget, it was the Great Lakes Cruising Club that gave us our start. GLCC gave us the courage and confidence to head out into unknown waters.
