Note: Report written by Patti Bandy. Pictures by Patti Bandy, Jon Marsh and Brenda Leo
On September 13, 38 members of the Wine Country Classic Boats chapter took our yearly fall trip, Destination: Naples, Maine. The majority of the group stayed at the Bayview Cabins where Sherri and Steve Matte were great hosts. The rest of the group stayed at The Augustus Bove House just down the street from the cabins. The first night we had a welcome reception outside by the docks where we all provided food, drink and fun as people were just arriving for the trip. Our eight boats were launched at Moose Landing Marina and docked at the Bayview Cabins for the duration of our stay. A special thank you to Jason Allen who let us launch the boats and store the trailers at the marina.
Friday morning, we had our coffee and breakfast at the cabins, and around 10 AM we headed out for our cruise down the Songo River/lock toward Sebago Lake. We had lunch at Frye Island’s Frye’s Leap Café. After lunch, we took a leisurely cruise back to the cabins in Naples. To end the day, we had dinner at Gary’s Olde Towne Tavern.
Saturday, we departed the Bayview Cabins at 10:30 to meet up with The Songo River Queen, the famous waterfront tour boat. As we arrived at the town docks, Jon March from the local ACBS Chapter, Mountainview Woodies, and Brenda Leo from the Town of Naples greeted us. Jon and Captain Kent Uicker arranged for professional photographer Ed Mercer from the Bridgton Lakes Chamber to fly his aerial drone as our boats travelled “in company” of the grand Queen. Jon took our club member Sally Botelho aboard to PA announce our boats to the passengers as they circled the boat. After this excellent meetup, she was shuttled to the Razzle Dazzle and we honked farewell to the Queen, and started north on the 11-mile-Long Lake to Harrison for lunch at The Olde Mill Tavern. After lunch we headed back to Naples. The weekend was absolutely gorgeous, both venue and the weather.
Sunday, everyone was on their own. Many went boating and beaching their boats on the sandbar on Sebago Lake. Some of us went to Maine shopping in Freeport then to the Portland Headlight. And, of course, to the Lobster Shack Restaurant in Cape Elizabeth.
I especially want to thank Jon March, for helping Jack Young coordinate our trip to Naples which took over a year. He was so instrumental in getting members of the Mountain Woodies Chapter, local restaurants, accommodations, all the PR work that was done for us to have a memorable trip to Maine. He is a wonderful asset to the scenic and historic Naples area and its attractions. I also want to thank local MWCBC members Mike and Cheryl Harkin for helping us at the docks on Saturday and Kevin Cantwell and Kathy Conary for leading us to Harrison for lunch on Long Lake…. all are such friendly ambassadors for the ACBS! And thank you to Brenda Leo from the Naples Info & Tourism Service, who helped tremendously getting pictures, and Dawn Debusk from the Bridgton News… who met up all at the Olde Mill and even rode back to Naples aboard one of the boats!
