Sailing-The-Great-Loop

Thursday, August 10, 2006

Eight Days at First Buffalo River Marina


Talk about a unique setting........



This ship, USS The Sullivans DDG68 is moored near our dock at the First Buffalo River Marina. It is a memorial to five brothers from Waterloo, Iowa who served together on the USS JUNEAU during World II. The Sullivan brothers: George, 28; Francis, 27; Joseph, 24; Madison, 23; and Albert, 20; lost their lives during the Battle of Guadalcanalon Nov. 13, 1942. They were adamant about serving together in spite of Navy wartime policy separating family members. To prevent a tragedy of this magnitude from happeneing again, Congress passed the Sullivan Law, which would prevent brohers (and hopefully sisters) from serving on the same ship.

Not only is the is the view unique at the Buffalo marina but where else can you awaken to the aroma of hot cooked cereal emanating from the General Mills Plant across the way. The Buffalo skyline includes numerous vacant building with massive grain storage silos. There are some right here on the marina property.

My daughter Jennifer and her sons Max and Jacob joined us for a sail. Husband Brian promises he'll show up next trip. (I think he gets seasick.) It was great to see the boys enjoy the sailing.............and they came without i-pods or gameboys.

Mike's niece Debbie and her husband and four children all joined us for a sail that turned out to be a little too exciting. Several fell victim to seasickness but we enjoyed the visit.

Mike loves feeding ducks and geese and no matter what marina we are in they seem to find him and his stale Ritz crackers. We enjoyed riding our bikes near the Tifft Nature Preserve and around the local marinas. Deer, wild turkey, lots of bunnies and birds greeted us daily. At RCR Yachts we saw our first brick boat. Upon returning the following day for a picture we were disappointed to find it gone.

Mike met with his old buddies from Bishop Duffy High School, Niagara Falls, New York (Class of 1959.) Paul Brynski, Peter MacPherson, Joe Moran, Lenny Bevilaqua, Lee Erickson and Mike met at the Red Coach for lunch and rehashed a few old high school football games. Mike and I visited with Judie and Peter Macpherson at their new summer place at Sherkston Shores. The weather did not cooperate on Monday July 18 so we set out for home at 6:30 AM Tuesday July 18, 2006.

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