The Avalon Ball 2017

If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable.

On Our Way To Avalon In Catalina Friday May 19th (Page Three)

We are on our way via the Catalina Express! First stop? The bar! Sounds like we drink a lot but alas, sasparilla is a main-stay! A glass of champahne and a good BM (Bloody Mary) is all we need to get our partying motors started!


We are on our way--- Watch out Catalina!

Our group is always right on time!  It's so nice to travel with responsible adults.     It's about an hour ride and this time it was so very smooth!   We departed at 12:15 PM and arrived at 1:16 PM. No dolphins however...

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
One wild weekend coming up!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
We gather and catch up on the latest

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Must have food (Thank you Sam)

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Newbies! Linda and John... What are they thinking right now?

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Gary helps us provide evidence of the trip!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Sue is happy... Everybody is here and they have their tickets!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Friends makes the world go around

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
OK... Where be the boat??

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Note to self... "See a dolphin for granddaughter...
Take pictures" (Thank you Sam)

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Love the matching colors (Thank you Sam)

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Bill is already having a great time!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Awe!!!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
"Better reception now!"

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
It's almost time to head for the dock  (Thank you Sam)

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Roll roll roll your bag... Gently down the path!  (Thank you Sam)

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Here comes the gang (Thank you Sam)

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Who is the old guy in the fish shirt? (Thank you Sam)

  On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Mike! Where is Brigitte? (Thank you Sam)

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Here she comes (Thank you Sam)

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Wally is going to play golf! (Thank you Sam)

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
It's a beautiful day for sailing the bounding main!  
NOTE:  Sam promised NOT to sing!

Did You Know? - "Sailing, Sailing" is a song written in 1880 by Godfrey Marks, a pseudonym of British organist and composer James Frederick Swift (1847–1931). It is also known as "Sailing" or "Sailing, sailing, over the bounding main" (the first line of its chorus). The song's chorus is widely known and appears in many children's song books. The preceding verses are little known.

The words of the chorus are:

Sailing, sailing over the bounding main;
For many a stormy wind shall blow ere Jack comes home again!
Sailing, sailing over the bounding main;
For many a stormy wind shall blow ere Jack comes home again.

The complete lyrics and music are found in the Franklin Square Song Collection (1888), and The Academy Song-Book and The Abridged Academy Song Book.

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Oh oh... Here comes Donna the Riveter!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
We must give Kathy "Dolphin Watching Lessons" ... She missed this one!

Did You Know?

Male dolphins are called bulls, females are called cows.

Mother dolphins produce milk that is very rich in fat, often up to 50%.

During echolocation, dolphins can emit up to 700 clicking sounds per second.

The land ancestor of the dolphin lived about 50 million years ago and looked similar to a wolf.

The largest dolphin is the orca, sometimes called the Killer Whale.

Dolphins once were hunted commercially for the small quantity of oil extracted from parts of the head used to lubricate watches.

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Gary has his Tilly Hat and is ready for business!

Did You Know? - Tilley was founded in 1980 by Alex Tilley. As an avid sailor, Tilley sought to make a "classy, durable hat", suitable for a sailboat he saw moored (and would later purchase) in Toronto. Over the course of three months, Tilley developed the hat that would become their signature product.

Tilley expanded the product line to shorts and pants designed for sailing, but soon found that many of the Tilley products were being used for travel.

Tilley then expanded into "lightweight, easy to pack, practical travel clothing".

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
"I missed my first dolphin sighting of the day.... darn!"
Chick here if you also missed it... Upper left hand corner

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Dressed in nautical outfits... We are ready!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Battle of the dueling cameras

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Just cute!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Paul is going to get in trouble!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Only Donna is small enough to get under the railings!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
If Paul tried that we would need a tow truck to get him out!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017

Did You Know? - Rosie the Riveter is a cultural icon of the United States, representing the American women who worked in factories and shipyards during World War II, many of whom produced munitions and war supplies.

These women sometimes took entirely new jobs replacing the male workers who were in the military. Rosie the Riveter is used as a symbol of feminism and women's economic power.

Similar images of women war workers appeared in other countries such as Britain and Australia. Images of women workers were widespread in the media as government posters, and commercial advertising was heavily used by the government to encourage women to volunteer for wartime service in factories.

Rosie the Riveter became the subject and title of a song and a Hollywood movie during WWII.

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
"Ouch! Stop pushing! You stepped on my toes! That's my bag! Ouch!"

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
First things first.... Food!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
We got the thumbs up from John!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
"M-m-m-m-m Who shall we leave behind in Catalina? I know! Paul!"

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
"We are OK.... Everybody can come back!"

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Little do they know the real us!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
More Newbies! Bad Mike and Brigitte!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
We get help pushing away form the dock!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
All smiles!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
FACT: Every calorie is manually removed by Marion using chopsticks!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Watch magic happening before your very eyes! They disappear!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
It's tradition!  Thank you Marion!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
"Bet you can't have just one!"

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
I found something in my beard...

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
...and I think he has some friends!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Checking on the newbies!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Linda and John seem to be enjoying the voyage...
Of course, we have yet to leave the pier!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
There is the genuine $1,000,000 smile!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Kathy doesn't know it but there is a dolphin
somewhere on Paul's shirt! Do you see it?

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
...and there are three more on the inside!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Thank you Mary.... Healthy snacks.... Bring on the champagne!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Zot.... Donna hits the snack table!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Penny for her thoughts!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017

Did You Know? - To keep one's eyes peeled means to be alert, observant. This seems an odd phrase, but dates back to the 1820s in Britain, when Sir Robert Peel established the first organized police force. The officers were known as 'peelers, or 'bobbies'. They were expected to be particularly observant and to keep their eyes 'peeled', after their founder's orders! Of the two popular names, only 'bobby' survives.

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
"Hey guys! We be arrived in Avalon!"

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Mary captured the moment!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
"We made it in one piece!"

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Sam appears to be confused?

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
"Avalon?.... I thought the first stop was Honolulu!"

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
"Look... I gots the map and it says Honolulu"

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
"That's my Sam!"

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
The antenna placement needs a little work!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Ghislaine is ready to hit the dock running!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
"Leading the charge!"

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
You do not get a smile like this everyday!

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Sue, Donna, Sandy and Charlie line up to make a quick exit

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017

On our way to the Avalon Ball May 19th 2017
Page 4 -Arrival And Settling In