KIDS ATTENDING THE 2008 GRADY PALOOZA enjoyed inflatable toys and water cannons!

2008 Grady Palooza Highlights The Grady Life
by Donna Kaler

Some arrived Wednesday, some Thursday, and by Friday the 2008 Grady Palooza hosted by the Chesapeake Bay Grady-White Club was in full swing, with a total of 25 boats and 102 people in attendance during the third weekend of August at Calvert Marina in Solomons, MD. The group included guests from the Fish Tale Grady Club of Fort Myers Beach, FL, the Tidewater Grady Club of Norfolk, VA, and New Jersey's Somers Point Grady-White Club. The Friday evening cookout, sponsored by Tri-State Marine, Grady-White and the CBGWC, officially kicked off the festivities.

A GROUP RELAXES IN THE NETTLE NET POOL provided by Jeff Drury for the 2008 Grady Palooza.

Saturday morning all boats headed out to St. Leonard's Creek. Although no one in the group had ever rafted up 25 boats, within an hour everyone was together without a bump, bruise or insurance claim. Grady-White representatives Joe Hunter and Lee Hale joined in for the day. Ron and Janice Young from Tri-State arrived in the new 2009 Chesapeake 290. (What a great name for a boat!)

All throughout the day people moved from boat to boat and sampled various dishes and drinks along the way. The hit of the day was a Nettle Net pool provided by Jeff Drury. The kids had a great time, too, with inflatable boats, tubes and water cannons. The day flew by, and once back at the docks, 31 revelers crammed into five cars and headed to Stoney's for dinner. The meal was delicious and the laughter contagious, but the highlight was being able to view a glorious sunset through one window and a brilliant full moon from another. What an end to a great day!

Sunday morning breakfast was followed by Coast Guard Auxiliary safety inspections. Fourteen boats received their vessel safety check stickers. Special thanks go to Don Haskin and his crew, for assisting. Thanks also to Jeff Drury (dockmaster), Jack Devine (fundraiser extraordinaire), Dennis Kaler (club president and all around handyman), Frank Gomme (balloon enthusiast and master light stringer), Margie and Gary Reedy (registration & 50/50 raffle specialist), Sue Ravitz (hotel negotiator and PowerPoint professional), Ken Lahr, Bob Sutton and Keith Kaler for assisting with launching and loading the trailered boats, and to everyone who assisted with docking.

Next year's Palooza will be held at Knapp's Narrows on Tilghman Island.