Water in Arizona – Past, Present & Future

By Deb Heisler, Rear Commodore

It’s something we don’t often think about, but our very existence in Arizona relies on the mighty Colorado, Lake Powell, Lake Mead, and the reservoirs of Roosevelt Lake, the Salt and Verde rivers. Where does all this water come from? Where does it go? Who were the visionaries behind our water systems? Attend the January monthly meeting to get the answers and learn about the state’s water history and its pioneers.

Sandra Hurlbut

Our speaker is Sandra Hurlbut from Arizona Project WET. She’ll inform and enlighten us about all things water, so bring your questions and curiosities and let’s discover something new.

Our first meeting in 2020 will be on Tuesday, January 14th at Dave & Buster’s, Tempe Marketplace. Please arrive early for dinner as our program begins at 7:00 pm. Guests are welcome.

Use this map link to the location, near Lucille’s Smokehouse on the north side of Tempe Marketplace. Park on either side of Lucille’s. To locate our meeting room, ask the host at the front desk or make your way to our private meeting room in the back of the gaming area.

Read Project WET Blog posts written by Sandra.

Sandra Hurlbut is an Educator Coordinator with Arizona Project WET, a program within the Water Resources Research Center (WRRC) and the University of Arizona. She’s responsible for the Aqua STEM educational outreach program.

Sandra has been involved with environmental and natural resource issues since the early 1980s and has been with the University of Arizona since 2014. She has a passion for water conservation and is a skilled educator and facilitator. Her experience includes positions within academia, medical research, private industry, and state government. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology – Chemistry from Elmira College, a Master’s degree in Energy & Environmental Studies from Boston University and a Master’s degree in Public Affairs from the McCormack Institute at the University of Massachusetts – Boston.

Annual Pirate Gift Exchange – RSVP for December Meeting

By Deb Heisler, Rear Commodore

On Tuesday, December 10, we will once again celebrate the year’s end with our AYC Annual Pirate Gift Exchange.  

Besides gifts and thievery, the Governor’s Cup Trophy will be presented and we’ll hear your Blunder Bucket nominations prior to casting votes for the lucky recipient of this semiannual award. 

Your RSVP and per-person fee includes hosting our meeting at Dave & Buster’s along with a banquet of delicious food. AYC is subsidizing the dinner to bring the cost down to $20 for adults. You must pay for dinner to attend.

As usual, the laughter and great company are complimentary!

RSVP here by Wed, December 4th

Price: Adult – $20 per person, including tax and tip (regular buffet price is $27.99)

           Children – $13, which includes a $15 Powercard for game play

           Non-Members – $27.99 per person: includes tax and tip

Time: Dinner  6pm – Program begins at 7pm

Location:  Dave & Buster’s, Tempe Marketplace (map).  It’s near Lucille’s Smokehouse.

Heartland Banquet Menu:

• Assorted smoked meats: pulled pork, chicken, chopped brisket & sliced Jalapeno Cheddar Sausage
• Roasted Cotija Corn Bake
• Roasted Tomato & Cucumber Salad
• BBQ Baked Beans
• Baked Mac & Cheese
• Cornbread
• Hawaiian Rolls
• An array of regional BBQ Sauces from across the USA
• Unlimited coffee, soda and tea

Pirating Process:

• Bring a wrapped gift valued at around $20
• Pick a number when offered (only if you’ve brought a gift of course)
• When your number is announced you have two options: 
  • Pick an unwrapped gift or
  • Pirate a gift that someone else has already opened
• After initial opening, a gift can only be pillaged two times

“A good sailor knows everything is always changing.” – Luanne Rice

Around the World Solo Nonstop: October Meeting

Bearded Jerome Rand after 271 days at sea.

Imagine sailing 271 days at sea. Around the world. By yourself and without stopping. On a 32-foot boat built in 1975. Frightening idea? Foolish? Probably. But that’s what Jerome Rand did and he lived to tell us about it.

Jerome is our speaker at the next AYC monthly meeting, beginning at 7p on Tuesday, October 8, at Dave & Buster’s at Tempe Marketplace (map). It’s near Lucille’s Smokehouse. Arrive early for dinner (and avoid ordering during the meeting). Members and guests are welcome.

Since returning home safely, Jerome has been presenting the story of his incredible journey. In the 271 days at sea, supplies and food fell short, equipment broke down, and the harsh environment took its toll. Being farther from land than rescue can reach, it was up to him to deal with all the problems as they came, all while living in isolation aboard the tiny vessel. It’s a story of perseverance and just trying to hold mind, body and boat together from beginning to end.

Jerome kept photos and video of his trip and will bring those to show us, along with charts and diagrams of the journey. He started in Gloucester, Massachusetts, headed across the North Atlantic almost to the Azores, then turned south. Passing by the Cape Verde Islands on the way to the Equator, the route passed the North East Trade winds and then plunged into the Doldrums. From there it was south on a heading for Cape Town, South Africa, to pass into the Indian Ocean and the Southern Ocean gales and south of Australia, New Zealand, and finally Cape Horn. Then, once again he crossed the South Atlantic and North Atlantic on the way home to Gloucester.

Mike and Maryellen Ferring got to know Jerome as the charismatic, fun director of watersports at the Bitter End Yacht Club in the British Virgin Islands. They followed Jerome’s trip on Facebook (yes, even in ocean isolation there’s Facebook) and are delighted to have him speak at the October AYC gathering.

The 32-foot Westsail that Jerome sailed nonstop around the world. Built in 1975, it’s the only Westsail 32 to complete a nonstop circumnavigation.

August Meeting: Ocean Cleanup

By Debbie Heisler

4Ocean, cleaning the stuff that’s clogging the world’s oceans.

How will we clean up the mess that’s destroying our oceans? At August’s monthly meeting, Emilie Johnsen of 4ocean will tell us how their organization is attacking this massive problem.

It reminds me of that phrase, “In for a penny, in for a pound.” Or “If you’re going to take a risk at all, you might as well make it a big risk.”

It seems to me that the founders of this ocean cleanup company made a decision to take a big risk in an effort to start cleaning up the ocean one pound at a time. 4ocean employs people to remove trash from the ocean and coastlines while inspiring and educating others to work for cleaner oceans.

Emilie’s August speaking assignment: “Marine debris as a global issue, why it’s important to everyone, and what we can do to help every day.”

She says, “Plastic doesn’t only impact the ocean and marine life but people as well; plastic pollution has become both an environmental and socioeconomic issue that we can change for the better.”

Emilie’s the Education Supervisor at 4ocean and oversees all education initiatives and programs. She received her Master’s in Marine Biology at Nova Southeastern University, and uses her knowledge of marine ecosystems, plastic pollution, and recycling to help the company represent as the global leader in marine debris solutions.

She’s clearly not afraid of the big risk, telling us, “From reducing our single-use plastic to learning how to properly recycle, we can help guide you in the right direction! The ocean is the resource of all life on Earth. In order to protect ourselves, we must first protect the ocean.”

The meeting is Tuesday, August 13, beginning at 7pm (but arrive early for dinner). Monthly meetings are now held at R.T. O’Sullivans at the corner of Hayden and Thomas. Both members and non-members are welcome to attend.