Ben Mewes Memorial Flotilla

[AlanH]

Ben Mewes memorial gathering was yesterday at the Richmond YC. The SSS was well represented. In the morning, about 8 boats went out to Southampton Shoal and threw flowers on the water while Lucie spoke briefly on the radio. Later in the afternoon we went back the RYC and sat with what seemed to me to be about 200 participants in the RYC upstairs meeting room. The room was full and overflowed onto the deck!

SSS boats participating were George Lythcott's "TAZ!" Jim Quanci's "Green Buffalo" and Nathalie Criou's "Envolee". I got a ride on TAZ! and I think that might be my very first time on board an Express 27. We SAILED out to Southampton, around the gathering and sailed back. I think Ben would have appreciated that.


Here are a couple of photos of Ben and Lucie..

 

[AlanH]

Some photos of the flotilla...

Joe Balderrama, bending the bow pulpit on TAZ!




TAZ! crew enjoying the sail, but a little somber, remembering Ben.



The fleet gathers 'round the boat Lucie is on...

 

[AlanH]

Green Buffalo



Envolee and Selket



The waves stayed down for the memorial, but piped up to a nice 17 knots for the sail back to Richmond.

 

[AlanH]

Lucie on board "Unwind"



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Flowers on the water...





Jackie did a nice job representing the SSS, speaking at the gathering at the RYC. I was particularly happy to hear Pat Broderick speak briefly about how Ben was present and supportive when Lucie was so terribly sick with liver cancer. That has been on my mind for several days, now. Kristin wore her derndl and sang an ...Oktoberfest??? song in German!

 

[Submarino]

Thanks for the photos, Alan. Here is Ben's Obituary shared at RYC. Also found on East Bay times. In honor of Ben's service, enthusiasm and leadership at the SSS, we now have the Ben and Lucie Mewes Perpetual Service Award. It will go to a volunteer who has contributed much of their time to the SSS.

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/eastbaytimes/name/bernd-mewes-obituary?id=34912106

Joe Balderrama
Commodore