One aspect of cruising is the boat owner groups and organizations. These boating organizations often have large, well planned and organized events, with many boats gathering, seminars, dinners, and an assortment of activities. Most of these events are called "Rendezvous." The DeFever Cruisers group also claims that anytime three DeFevers gather, it's a Rendezvous, a mini one. The three boats above were all designed by naval architect Arthur DeFever - a DeFever 44 Performance Ocean Cruiser, a DeFever 34 Passagemaker, and a DeFever 40 Passagemaker (Last Dance).
A beautiful cove along the north side of Hotham Island has a cottage along the shore. The owners host docktails every afternoon.
The small cottage in back is known, in Canada, as a "Bunkie," the place for one's guests - a place for them to bunk in.
The 3 DeFevers became aware of being in the same area through overhearing conversations on the marine radio. Last Dance was heading for Hotham, and Hallelujah and Rhonda Jean joined in. A benefit of having a flexible plan, a requirement on a cruising boat for weather issues, is allowing the crew to adjust the route and destination for maximum enjoyment.
The Hotham Island anchorage made for a wonderful location for the Mini Rendezvous, providing a well-protected anchorage and a festive time onshore with the hosts and other cruising boaters. Visits to each of the boats were a part of the afternoon, known as "Open Boats" or "Trawler Crawl" at the large Rendezvous, always an enjoyable learning experience as well as a wonderful social event. Sometimes the best gatherings are ones that happen serendipitously.
