Are you ready for Plover Days?

By Jan Hrutfiord

The fun filled Plover Days will be Saturday and Sunday, August 21 and 22, with a special celebration for the 60th birthday of the Plover. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday, vintage wooden boats “Wood on Water,” will be on display, with free moorage at the gate 2 dock. Also, about eight steam launches from the Northwest Steam Society will be on display.

On Saturday at 1 p.m., the annual George Raft Race will take place. All are invited to participate, especially local businesses, with the “Prestigious George Raft Trophy” for the winner. According to Bob Knapp from Cat Nap Canvas, the George Raft races started in England.

Richard Sturgill will be the coordinator for the race. Each participant has to make a raft to enter in the race. There is a library of parts, bits and pieces which participants can borrow to add to whatever they find to make their raft. Contact Richard Sturgill for information on making rafts and borrowing parts.

This fun event starts at the Blaine harbor boat launch, and the race course is along the shoreline ending at gate 2, the Harbormaster’s office. Squirt guns and water squirters are allowed, for both racers and participants. All racers have to wear flotation devices. The race usually takes about 30 minutes to complete.

At 2, the birthday party for the Plover with free cake and refreshments will be at the boating center conference room. All are invited.
At noon Sunday, the annual Plover Swim from the end of Marine Drive dock to Semiahmoo will occur. There is a $10 registration fee, registration and orientation will be at 11:30. Flotation devices are mandatory for all swimmers. This includes life vests and wet suits. Swim fins are encouraged. The winner is the one with the most pledges! He or she can even have a proxy swimmer. In the past the money raised was used to purchase the boathouse moorage for the Plover. The city of Blaine funds some of the Plover expenses, but that doesn’t pay for all the expenses, which includes insurance, maintenance, and a Coast Guard certified master and crew. Over $15,000 has been raised in earlier Plover swims.

During the Plover swim, there will be several rescue swimmers, skiffs, and Coast Guard Auxiliary boats going along with the swimmers to protect the swimmers from accidents. They ask, please, no shark costumes! We don’t want to have a panic among the swimmers. Jaws is not invited!