2015 Island Party held back on November 2015
Member boats beached @ Pelican Island on November 2015
The Event Of The Year Literally On The Lake That Still Is Being Talked About!! It's Worth Another Read.
You see no one got their feet wet except "Trey Tabor"
The turn out for the Eagle Mountain Classic Boat Club's Pelican Island bonfire was beyond my expectations with 30 people braving iffy weather, 10 boats, and 4 dogs. I must give a huge ovation out here in the beginning for Andy Butchard for taking his own lawn mower out the day before and mowing down the island. TRWD is forgetting to do that. The crowd began forming around 5PM after Andy Butchard had set up the Limbo and the Burning Man with the help of Dan Stober. Off loading the boats brought chairs, ice chest, blankets, musical instru-ments, lanterns, torches, tiki torches, firewood, just about everything you need for a great bonfire was there. Nick Maggio on his boat brought the cooked meats which arrived around dark. Andy & Ann Butchard brought a large tarp that we hung as a wind break since the wind did not want to take a nap. The last few stragglers arrived just after I did with Cowtown Mariners representatives Linda Elliot, Wanda Spriggs, & Cyndi Herbig pictured here from Left to Right
Ken Ankenbaur & Jim Boswell were also there from the Cowtown Mariners. You see, People from other organizations are coming to these events that the Eagle Mountain Classic Boat Club puts on. In case your interested in joining formally go to this page: https://sites.google.com/site/treybullemlnewsletter/eagle-mountain-classic-boat-club to find out how to join and meet up with us. Membership is very very minimal and you get a lot more in return.
The buffet was on then and as usual there was plen- ty to eat including beef, chicken, and sausage, all on a stick, great finger foods. After our stomachs were full it was almost time to start the lighting of the torches. I had not wanted to start a fire too soon but it was getting nippy so earlier I rolled out one fireplace log from the bonfire and lit it. Within minutes there was several people standing around the lone burning log and the slight gentle heat was a real treat. The "Burning Man" was standing proud as Andy passed around the 25 torches he brought. First one torch was lit and then each turned to their neighbor and shared the light and as the light and heat began to encircle the bonfire you could feel the warmth increase geometri-cally and then overtake us and we had to stand back. I Didn't know Jimmy Buffet’s song “Volcano” with the chorus of “ I Don’t’ Know” but we started it up when all the torches were lit and the words just flowed out but I kept thinking of the song "Back In Black" from ACDC. We sang and danced like no one was looking, thrusting our torches in the air and swirling them around just like Thor. Everyone’s face was aglow with a broad smile, no frowns in sight. After the song it was time to set fire to Burning Man which by the way was built by Raymond Huyge.
Here he is with Andy Butchard. I thought it was "Gilligan" or I should say Gary McGinnity, the first mate of the "Classy Lady"
One lucky lady got the privilege, all wanted to, of setting fire to the red can- dle that protruded from his midsection at a slight upward angle. Then we all threw our torches on the pyre and Burning Man erupted in flames as we stepped back more. Sparklers strapped to his hands began to sparkle and soon his shirt was ablaze and his pants on fire. Soon his straw hat going in the conflagration. As Burning Man toppled over into the coals we stepped closer to enjoy the warmth of his de- mise. I don’t know if anyone was expecting this I certainly wasn't but Gary Sebastian brought his daughter Brandy and David Garcia who happened to be a retired 30 year US Marine and as luck would have it Gary had an old tattered American flag that was ready for retirement. I had nev- er seen a proper flag retirement but it was very moving and with the recent events in France a moving moment that made you proud of your birthplace. While Lee Greenwood played “ I Am Proud to be an American” Gary and David carefully and re- spectfully unfolded the flag and began to cut the blue star field from the red and white stripes. Each remnant then was carefully folded in a triangle and then as TAPS was played each piece was in turn placed on the fire. You should have been there. A big shout out to you Gary, Brandy and David, creativi- ty like this is what makes these get togethers so much fun.