Jan 272016
 

 

The reunion is now history and good history it is.  I will leave this information here until a full report replaces it.   Any who were there and have pictures to share please get them to Bob Orleck and they will be posted in the report with credit to you who took them.  Also if you have any stories you wish to share let Bob know that as well.    

USS ORLECK Boothbay Harbor Schedule 2016

The Portland-Boothbay Harbor Reunion 2016 will take place on June 8th, 9th and 10th of June.  Some folks are checking in on June 3rd so they are already there but most are coming on June 7th to register at one of our two Lafayette hotels (Fisherman’s Wharf and Boothbay Harbor Inn).  A few  will join us on June 8th in the morning that will be sufficient to allow them to participate in all events.  Most people will be checking out on Saturday morning, June 11th.  There will be a breakfast on the 11th.  In fact breakfast will be provided for you on every day of your stay at the hotel.

The closest airport is in Portland, Maine (Portland Jetport) and our Association will be transporting people from that airport to the hotel on June 6th, 7th and 8th and at the end of the reunion from the hotels to the airport on June 11th and on the 12th .  For those arriving on the 5th of June or before or leaving after June 12th, car rentals are available at the airport.   For those wanting to rent a car I have a arranged for a special for you from Enterprise Car Rental. You should check out other company’s prices but I have generally found Enterprise to be lower and in addition they are providing an extra 10% off your rental when you use the special code.  Click on Enterprise Car Rental to see the details.

The event details are fairly solid now and a new schedule is posted.  You will see the date in red as to when the page was last updated.  Updates can occur all the way up to the reunion so keep coming back.  If you print out the schedule of events from the website do yourself a favor and do not bring it and rely on it at the reunion.  You will get a very up-to-date version when you check into the hotel.  Using the old one may have you in a place where we arn’t.

Things have fallen into place very well and it looks to be a great reunion.    Our hotels are right on the harbor in Boothbay Harbor and our hospitality room looks out right over that harbor.  It is a lovely setting.  Breakfast during the reunion are a part of your package as will be the lunches and banquets.  Included will be all transportation during the event, hospitality room, Memorial Service at Maine Maritime Museum and a specially designed 5″ metal name badge with your name printed.  We will be on the Atlantic Ocean for a nature boat tour of Boothbay Harbor.  We will also be chartering a Casco Bay Lines vessel to take us down the coastline from Bailey’s Island to Portland and from there we will have a guided tour of beautiful Portland including the “old port” and the most photographed lighthouse anywhere at the Portland Head Light.   Chances are there will be little time once we reach Freeport to shop the LLBean flagship store but you can always go back because they are open 24 hours a day.  It is possible we might arrive in Freeport in time to breeze through the store but it is unlikely at this point.  What we will be doing in Freeport is dining there at the fabulous Harraseeket Inn.   Earlier in the day before we board the Casco Bay Lines boat we will be at Bailey’s Island to enjoy a lobster bake banquet lunch right on the rocky Maine coast  at Cooks Lobster & Ale House.  Also on the agenda is a visit to the Maine Costal Botannical Gardens 260 acres of the most beautiful floral displays you have ever seen.   We have a lot of wonderful entertainment (great music by the Moon Dawgs and a repeat performance by Maine storyteller, John McDonald as well as some special entertainment surprises.  Maine is a vacation wonderland and what is planned for you is a great vacation at a price you could not do on your own.

It is still possible to get a couple of more folks in but we cannot guarantee anything.  We are past the date for the rooms to be guaranteed to us.  If you want to come please call Bob right away at 802-728-9806.  Make sure you talk to him directly and he will get right to work to see if he can get you in.  What I am saying is that if you have not registered we possibly can get you in.  You will still need to  Go to the registration form, print it, fill it out and send it in (address is on form).  Prior to mailing though call Bob.  He will work with you to make your hotel reservation.  The Boothbay Harbor hotels are closed in the winter and are just now in the process of opening.  There may be issues since we are past the guarantee date if you try to book your own room.  The registration rate for the hotel is separate and is $109. Since we are past the guarantee date we cannot guarantee the price but Bob can probably get that for you if rooms are still available.  The rate, if honored, will be good for at least 3 days before and 3 days after the reunion dates of 8th, 9th and 10th of June.  The registration for the events is made by filling in the form and sending that with your registration fee.  The fee for registration for the events is $325.

If you are flying, make your reservations for the plane and let Bob Orleck know the details so arrangements will be made to pick you up at the airport.  Time is close and arrangements are being made to hire ways to get people from the airport so Bob needs to know as soon as possible what your flight plans are.  Call him at 802-728-9806.

Bookmark this page and come back regularly.

Jan 212016
 

This is a new and great addition to the 500 plus photos posted by others on the Bar Harbor reunion. Be prepared to spend some time for there are 545 photos in this gallery that I received today from Rick and Patti Butler. The photos unfortunately are not captioned and are far too many for me to do that but I think you can get the idea. They are also not in strict time frame order. If you use any of these please give credit to the Butlers.  Well worth the time reviewing.

Enjoy!  Bob Orleck

Click on a photo to enlarge then you can scroll with the arrow that is about halfway down the side of the photo.