LCYC Radio
"Tune in to the Cruisers Network for all your news"
by Lindsay Kelly
LITTLE CURRENT--Boating across Lake Huron waters can be a great way to spend a vacation, and an especially effective pastime to escape the hectic schedules of everyday life. Unfortunately, it also brings escape from daily news and weather information. But the Cruisers Network, an initiative of the Little Current Yacht Club (LCYC), is working successfully to ensure boaters are kept abreast--or afloat, rather--of information that can prove vital to their continued smooth sailing.
Each morning at 9 am, Roy Eaton, who acts as commodore for the club, broadcasts across the Cruisers Network on channel 7-4 of the marine VHF radio from an office at the Anchor Inn. Now in its second year, the broadcast is increasing in popularity amongst visiting boaters who are heading out along Lake Huron waters. For those who haven't yet heard of it, the broadcast can be a boon to those boaters looking for local weather and news updates.
"What I do is start off with the marine weather and tell boaters not only what is happening with the weather on the North Channel and Georgian Bay, but also the long-range forecast," he explains. "Then I try to find up-to-date world news and local news."
Mr. Eaton searches the Internet for quirky tidbits he feels might interest the listeners, or important news tips they may not have heard about. Some are fun tips, such as publicizing a group of boaters heading over to the North Channel on a sailing trip. Some are more helpful tips. For example, he will inform boaters headed to Little Current if a cruise ship is docked at the town pier, because there will be limited space for them to dock once they arrive. He also peruses local newspapers for events boaters may be interested in attending once they arrive, such as Manitoulin art shows.
"People are very, very happy to be informed of what's going on," Mr. Eaton says.
The broadcast reaches as far east as the East Bustard Islands (just past Killarney) and as far west as the Benjamin Islands. As of Monday, the antenna was raised about 15 feet, so Mr. Eaton hopes it will be enough to increase the broadcast to the west. The power source at the hotel was also recently increased to provide better coverage.
His broadcast also acts as a medium by which boaters can stay connected while on the water. "In some cases, people want to relay a message to other people in the area," Mr. Eaton notes. "We broadcast across a wider area than they can from their boat."
The broadcast was particularly helpful last summer when a series of hurricanes ripped through Florida. Boaters from the United States, who were concerned about their relatives, friends or homes could call in to find out information.
"We got some very, very nice thank you cards and messages," Mr. Eaton says.
In addition to the radio broadcast, the yacht club will be continuing its WD40 lecture series this year. And, before you raise your eyebrows in question, yes, the name is in reference to the popular lubricant.
Mr. Eaton and his wife came across the idea one year while vacationing on their sailboat in the Bahamas for four months. The yacht club there held a series of lectures entitled WD40 for the Mind. The concept dictated that, while sitting around anchored in the harbour, a boat will get rusty, just as time spent sailing away from civilization will cause the mind to go a bit rusty. Since oil works well to lubricate the boat, a series of lectures works to keep the mind running at its optimum performance.
Three years ago, Mr. Eaton decided to adopt the concept, and this year, every Saturday morning at 10:30 am in the bar at the Anchor Inn, members of the public are welcome to listen in on the LCYC lecture series.
This Saturday, Mr. and Mrs. Eaton will present 'Cruising Florida Waters,' their lecture on their winter trip to the Okeechobee Waterway in Florida. In two weeks' time, a retired educator from Michigan will present 'Sail Small, Sail Far,' her talk on sailing in small boats.
The talks are geared towards boaters, but all members of the public are welcome to attend, and the lectures are presented free of charge.
Mr. Eaton is currently looking for assistance with his radio broadcast. Those interested in lending a hand can contact him at 368-2148.