Here we are... Damn, it's been a fantastic season! I hope you've all had as great a time this year as we have!
For our part, we've cruised to Chicago for the Blues Fest, spent a lot of time up and down the lower West coast, introduced the SaucyWench to the finer (and not-so-fine) points of boating, shared some fun and exciting times on the water with our kids, gotten trashed with the marina-folk as well as the town-folk, and we've become closer as a couple and as a family. Isn't that what boating's all about?
2008 has presented some wonderful moments as well as some challenges. The season began so innocently! The weather was calm and the climate was ripe for an easy season in every way! ...And then fuel prices soared. Cruises became shorter. Dock parties became more important! And the second half of the season became choppier. The lake averaged 3-7' instead of its more usual 2-4'. Yet again, we found reasons to spend more time at the dock.
Despite the man-made obstacles, Lake Michigan continued to provided us with its beauty and its passion!
Thank you all for the good times and the memories from this year!
LMBP has, once again, exceeded expectations in its growth and its membership quality. We've grown from a first time member-pruning level of somewhere around 700 to over 2100 again! AMAZING!
We're due for another optimization of our forum. I am already paying an extra $50 per month out of pocket to be able to host this site. I can't afford to pay for the server and software that would be required to support all of you members who have registered but not participated. My free version of our Forum Software is limited in its capabilities.
Therefore, I'll very soon be deleting anyone who has registered at least a year ago and who has failed to post at all. Additionally, I'll be making a regular practice of deleting anyone who has registered, but who has not activated their account within one month.
This is it, folks!
Sooo... We're once again at the end of a season. It's the third season-end for LMBP.
We wish only calm waters and smooth sailin' fer ye, Lads! And when yer in need of a winter water fix, we're hopin' that ye'll find yer way back to the home of the inland pirates at www.LakeMichiganBoatParty.com!!!
Sincerely,
--Chris Cramer, aka "Nauti Rogue"