Pusser's Sponsors Party In the "Freshwater Caribbean"

Pusser's was on hand in Michigan - Grand Traverse Bay, Marion Island, to be exact - to aid the festivities of the Lats and Atts Cruiser Party on the weekend of July 29/30.

The party began with a Pusser's Painkiller Rendezvous on Friday afternoon (July 29th). A flotilla of boats and readers of Latitudes and Attitudes gathered off Marion Island in Grand Traverse Bay for an afternoon of sun, fun and the great taste of Pusser's Painkillers. At 5pm the band was rushed back to shore to set up for their evening gig at the Apache Trout Grill.

The Saturday party began at high noon when the first of many kegs was tapped and a fresh batch of Painkillers mixed. At 1pm, Captain Jack Klang gave a demonstration of proper fire extinguishing while Northern Fire and Safety refilled fire extinguishers for the participants. A line handling demonstration and insurance seminar followed.

The evening's entertainment began with a special guest appearance by Michael Beans, a regular feature at Pusser's Marina Cay in the British Virgin Islands; the yacht club house band followed. The event's featured artists, The Eric Stone Band, topped off a beautiful Northern Michigan evening. It was the perfect end to a perfect weekend. Check out all the highlights of this event on Latitudes and Attitudes TV this fall.

Organizer Dave Dudgeon said after the event: "I have lived in the Great Lakes all my life. I know the beauty and intrigue of cruising in this freshwater playground. Last year at the Chicago boat show I made a decision to host a Lats and Atts Great Lakes Cruiser Party. As word spread, I was presented with an opportunity to hold this event in Traverse City, Michigan. It wasn't a hard decision to make. I grew up frequenting the area. The islands, the clear water, shipwrecks, and maritime history make this as close to the Caribbean as it gets in freshwater."

"I think the party was a huge success and the plans have begun for the 2nd Annual Great Lakes Cruiser Weekend. Stay tuned and plan your vacations around the last weekend of July, 2006. We plan to be back in the Traverse City area, and maybe even sailing the Beaver Island group the week prior to the festivities. So, if your doctor has you on a low sodium diet, get un-salted and sail with us in the Great Lakes."