NL-2021-06 3 Last Meeting - Houston Canoe Club

Last Meeting Minutes

by Frank Ohrt

Houston Canoe Club

General Membership Meeting
May 12, 2021
Online

Recorder: Frank Ohrt

Commodore Natalie Wiest was stuck in West Virginia, and had poor internet access, so Vice Commodore Christy Long filled in for her. Ms. Long opened the meeting and introduced the officers present: Herself, Ms. Wiest, Fleet Captain Bruce Bodson, Boatswain Alice Nissen, Purser Kent Walters, and Recorder Frank Ohrt. Also present was Conservation Chair Tom Douglas.

Mr. Bodson reported three trips in the previous month. These, and their trip leaders, were:

          April 10-17: Buffalo River, AR (Kent Walters);

          April 17: Brazos River, US 79 - SH 21 (Bruce Bodson);

          May 9: Champion Lake (Tom Douglas).

Club mileage leaders were Constantin Platon, 127 miles, and Brent Hwang, 120 miles. Mr. Walters talked about his trip, and referred to his trip report, to be included in this Newsletter. There were no upcoming trips listed at the time.

Mr. Bodson then gave a lengthy trip Safety Minute on safe paddling around alligators. Mr. Ohrt then mentioned that the majority of river fatalities for the prior six months involved paddlers without pfds. He added that two people, without pfds and unable to swim, had drowned in the Houston area a few days earlier. He reminded the members that the first rule of river rescue was not to make a drowning into a multiple drowning. He added that there had been complaints about vehicles with boats on top speeding through a subdivision on the way to the Champion Lake put-in.

Ms. Nissen reported one new member in April, Kenneth Pape, and four in May: Joe French, Karen Suggs, Maureen Dial, and Nathan Sien.

Mr. Walters gave the usual financial report. We’re doing fine, not having much of anything to spend money on.

Ms. Long, acting Newsletter Editor, asked the members to submit any reports for the Newsletter by May 17.

Mr. Douglas announced that May 21 is “Wear your PFD to Work Day”. He added that the Buffalo Bayou Partnership and Houston Public Media have produced three self-guided tour podcasts for Buffalo Bayou, and that may is American Wetlands Month. In response to a question, he noted that the next organized stream clean-ups would be next spring, but that members can gather trash at any time.

Ms. Long announced that the club would hold its June meetings by Zoom.

Mr. Douglas gave a talk about Houston area paddling trails. These were Braes Bayou, Clear Creek, Green’s Bayou, Cypress Creek, and Buffalo Bayou.

Ms. Long adjourned the meeting, inviting the members to continue to chat afterwards. Some did, but the Recorder was hungry and signed out.

Houston Canoe Club

Board Meeting
May 5, 2021
Online

Recorder: Alice Nissen

Vice Commodore Christy Long called the meeting to order. In attendance were Ms. Long, Conservation Chair Tom Douglas, Boatswain Alice Nissen, and Purser Kent Walters.

Ms. Long discussed the newsletter. We all thanked her for her hard work and excellent job so far. She will be talking with Carol Woronow, a relatively new member of HCC and editor of the Sierra Club’s newsletter, who will be giving Christy assistance with our newsletter. Carol knows HTML.

Ms. Nissen said that the date of the upcoming club picnic date is changed to June 27 from June 20 because of Father’s Day. She and Commodore Natalie Wiest decided to have it at Bates Allen Park in Kendleton because Kickarillo-Mischer Preserve is too crowded on weekends. It was also discussed that we need to have a non-COVID HCC waiver to be signed by picnic participants. Mr. Walters brought up that if it was on one piece of paper it would be more efficient, and Ms. Nissen will contact Bruce Bodson and ask him to make up a legal form for the party. She will also check out accommodations at the park.

Mr. Walters will contact Frank Ohrt regarding renewal of the p.o. box.

Mr. Douglas will have 3 slides for the general meeting. He noted the woodpecker banding on the 11^th. (Frank might attend and might have a report on this). Wear-Your-PFD-to-Work Day is May21^st. There are 3 self-guided tours of Buffalo Bayou Park, voiced by people from KUHF, for the month of May.

Mr. Walters will co-host general meeting. Ms. Long will talk about the web site at the meeting. Mr. Douglas said the URL on the ACA website does not work.

The general consensus was that last meeting’s speaker was excellent.

Ms. Nissen said we have four new members this month and one in April.

Tom Douglas said the wind forecast for his Sunday trip on Lake Charlotte is 18-20 mph from the south. He may move it to Champion Lake or Turtle Bayou.

Idea for next safety minute: Tom suggested talking about kayak fishing and the need for a good set of pliers and wire cutters for hook removal.

It was decided that the May, June and July meetings will be on Zoom.

Ms. Long adjourned the meeting.

(Notes for meeting minutes by Alice Nissen, as the club Recorder went off birding and forgot about the meeting.)

Boatswain
Alice Nissen

Recorder,

Frank Ohrt