Durbar IV
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Hyde Bay Camp For Boys Durbar IV |
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Letters concerning Durbar IV below.
Jim Main writing -- 6/30/2003 --Thank you all for being so prompt in publishing your comments and photos of the Durbar ... Because of her mom's health, Claudette and I had to cancel our trip to the East coast this summer and miss the Durbar. We were actually there in spirit though, as I kept bugging her every minute last week as to what you were all probably doing and how much fun you were all probably having. We just finished enjoying the pictures on the website. What is this? When did the Mercers become camera shy? Mac looks great as usual (he never changes), and how great to see Josh and Todd (who also seemed not to change too much). It was good to see Fred Gale, but I won't continue on or I'd probably mention everyone. I have already blocked June 28 - July 1, 2007 for the next Durbar ... what's the date of the Fourth of July that year? Sorry, just a very bad attempt at Hyde Bay humor. Dayman, Dayman, thanks for making my day with this great website! Best wishes to you all, Bob and Pascal Pine writing -- 6/30/2003 --Many thanks to Rusty, John-John, Freddie and Peter for a wonderful time of memories and finding old friends. We have already saved June 28 - July 1 2007. John Schmick writing -- 6/30/2003 --What a terrific time at Durbar 2003! For those of you who could not make it, please put it on your calendars for 2007 (Lord willing!) The old campsite is completely overgrown, but if you get the chance to walk down the road, your memories will come flooding back. Although toasts were made, we need to thank Rusty Pickett for all the work that he put into arranging and organizing the Durbar. Also, Freddy Gale deserves our thanks for a fantastic DVD of camp years. He gathered together all of Warren Hills' old films and created a masterpiece. Finally, thanks to John Mercer who started this website and ultimately the inertia to get us all to Cooperstown. I realized once again how fortunate I am to have in my life such a special place filled with such unique people . It was a great Durbar, and as the Homeletter used to say, "A good time was had by all!" Rusty Pickett writing -- 6/29/2003 -- Campers, What a magnificent success! A perfect weekend, perfect company, and perfect activities all around. I am sure the Dayman John Mercer will have much to add to the web site over the next several weeks! Stay Tuned! As discussed last night, SAVE THE DATE: Durbar next will be June 28 - July 1, 2007 at the Otesaga. Start working on your network now to get more of those long lost campers! Plenty of warning so mark your PDA! Great to see all who came, and for those that were unable to, I am sure we saw a picture of you skinny dipping in the Susquehanna! Download a Durbar Registration Form. The deadline is March 1, 2003. Send the completed form to Rusty Pickett at Shellback Cruises, 2131 Westrivers Road, Charleston, SC 29412. Attendees--Updated: 3/3/2003 Registrants staying elsewhere: Frank Pine and Lorraine Pine durbar -- noun -- (1) a formal reception marked by pledges of fealty given to an Indian or African prince by his subjects or to the British monarch by native princes. (2) what The Commodore, for reasons all his own, called reunions of Hyde Bay campers and councilors. durbar -- Ghanaian traditional rulers sit in state and meet their people at events called durbars (an English word that comes from an Indo-Persian term for "ruler's court"). To the accompaniment of music and dance, ceremonies honor their ancestors, rekindle their bond to the people, revive unity, cleanse the society, and pray for the fruitfulness of the land and the welfare of the people. Beautifully adorned kings, queens, chiefs, and their elders appear in public procession amidst intensive drumming, singing, and dancing. At their destination king and queen sit in state flanked by chiefs and elders, as sound and motion continue around them: drum languages articulate praises; special guests extend greetings and pay homage; gifts are presented. (from http://www.folklife.si.edu/97fest/durbar.htm) 9/16/2002 -- Rusty Pickett writing -- OK Campers - this is the Co-Trip Counselor speaking - Chiefie gave me permission! Those of you who got the second batch of Henry's scrambled eggs - try and keep them from flowing off your plate! Waiters can finish cleaning the tables after announcements. No "head of the line" store privileges though and be sure to put your grape soda bottles in the boxes along side the store. For planning purposes - I am working with the Otesaga for a block of rooms for 3 nights Thursday through Saturday night June 26-28 2003! The Otesaga plans usually include full breakfast and dinner. I am planning on about 20 rooms. I know that some of you may want somewhat less expensive lodging at other locations in town, but we will use the Otesaga as Headquarters! Lodging at other locations will be arranged by the individual. I will set up the Otesaga! We will get a Hospitality room also. The other Trip Counselor - Fred Gale - and I have been discussing activities such as the Ed Russell Memorial wrestling tournament, tent play - directed by Schmick, Shoemaker, Turner, Mellor, Main; reviewed by Garver - four-square competition (can anyone beat Chooch Turner), Mouldy Coaster rides, gymp tying, and a nature hunt at Nebo (Scott Carlton has offered a special prize for the most unique arachnid and we will be saving left over scrambled eggs for the skunks and raccoons), and are looking forward to your interests and comments - especially on the proposed dates! These may not be perfect for all - but it seemed to reflect the consensus! Some have suggested repelling off of Natty Bumpo and skinny dipping at the mouth of the Susquehanna as activities though a mud slide may be more fun! For those that want to tent - I have arranged an extra supply of potatoes and onions for your breakfast, but only Marine ponchos and Binder twine are allowed! Campers will be required to supply their own waterproof bags as the store is out of them - Mamie Chandlee forgot to order them! Mac Pickett will be lecturing on Stephen Hawking's latest theories as campers stare at the sky from Rum Hill awaiting the appearance of the Northern Lights. There have been no recent bobcat sightings. Please forward this on to as many campers as you can and have them respond to me at scruises@bellsouth.net ASAP as I will be talking to the Otesaga this week! Looking forward to hearing from you. Dress for the Durbar will be clean camp clothes for visits to the Farmer's and Baseball Museum. Dress bathing suits with flip flops and white tee shirts for dam building (backwater rights are invoked - #10 cans provided), swimming (check in with Harry Turner; those over 50 need only pass the E test to take a boat out by themselves), wrestling (Fred Gale will provide medical coverage), picnicking (only freshly cut hot-dog sticks allowed and the cocoa will be stirred with an apple branch), frolicking, and debauchery (as John John once said - it isn't the volume - but the velocity!) Tom Mercer is the Night Man - no one can go out without their flashlight and sweater. For those that wish to stay in, there will be an encore showing of Forbidden Planet. Tent inspection will be lead by Larry Pickett, and a Trunk Inspection is mandatory. The winner will get a hacker ride to sunken island after the hot rock contest! If needed Skipper Hebb will drive the ST with 6 canoes in tow for the overflow. Fred Gale insists on Traditional White for the tennis - no Serena Williams' knock offs - and retro white balls will be used. Following the Hair and Hounds contest, music will be provided by Mac Mellor and McKee Lundberg (if we can find him) during the milk and crackers break. I will bring my Kingston Trio albums. Jim Main in company with Bob Ballard and the National Geographic will lead the expedition for the sunken Star boat off of Ethical Culture, The Blob, and the African Queen. Tommy Lynn has promised Beach Muck souvenirs for all as a remembrance. David and Sandy Pickett will be posting the UL list for Kooks cleaning. The 'three seater' in back of Mouldy City will be used as the facilities during this cleaning period - it has been freshly painted and has a full supply of lime. As always, FR Woods is still off limits. Peter Black will just laugh - what more do you want - and will be located at the intermediate wash stand. There will also be a wreath laying at the grease trap outside the kitchen. The Sore Shoppe will be open from 8:00am to 8:15am only. Just remember - The "Rusty Nail" WILL win the 8 inch regatta! Because of the Endangered Species act, the Turtle Derby has been postponed indefinitely; however, turtle hunting in Shadow Brook is allowed. Campers must check out with the Dayman though. Families and offspring are of course invited, but they have to listen to three hours minimum of horrendous stories daily! Phone: 1-888-497-2227, Local: 762-3888, Fax: 843-762-9470 Email: scruises@bellsouth.net Web: www.shellbackcruises.com 7/16/2002-- Tom Lynn writing -- I'm certainly never considered the voice of reason, but I must sound the alarm. If we are seriously to be considering a summer of 2003 Durbar -- especially if it is to be in C-town itself, we better be getting a move on. The accommodations tend to be booked up rather fast for the prime months/locations. Here are my thoughts on the matter. (I am not sure of the absolute possibilities of all aspects of them!) I believe we must take a page or two from the wonderful Durbar II which the late great Bobby Russell and, the likewise, Walter Lord (perhaps others, as well) produced. That used the Otesaga Hotel as the base. Although it's rather pricey (and we had no kids in the group), it offered us the ability to have a "gathering room" which we used to socialize (have drinks/snacks) and view old photos/artifacts and movies. My idea is that we could have a group of folks stay at the Otesaga and (hopefully) procure the use of another such hospitality room. This would certainly depend upon the hotel's acceptance of our use in this manner. We could use our get-togethers to firm up the agenda/itinerary each day. Other folks could select accommodations as suit them (cost- wise and family/activity-wise). Some might prefer to stay in town, while others might like to stay on (and make use of) the lake. As far as activities, those who wish to gather a large group for swimming (and who aren't already on the lake) could gather for an afternoon at Glimmerglass State Park's "beach." Another activity certainly could be an "archeological" expedition to the camp site. Obviously, there could be trips to the museums (as well as to Howe Caverns?) for "rainy day trips." As a side note, unfortunately, the Chief Uncas has been removed and there are no longer any lake tours offered. However, we could certainly avail ourselves of boat (sail, motor, pontoon/party boats?) from Sam Smith's Boat Yard. A lot is possible, but we have to start to come together on this, even if it just means getting that core Otesaga Hotel group started so that we could get a hospitality room lined up. Of course the first thing is to come up with a date! After those first two or three steps, we let everyone know the date and then: it's every man/family for himself in lining up accommodations. Once the ball is rolling, we can work out details of activities, etceteras. What do you think? Should you throw some dates out there and get a referendum going? One last thing, if anyone wants to start considering accommodations, s/he can go to the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce website at www.cooperstownchamber.org. You can also request a terrific "Visitors Guide" be sent to you from that website as well (www.cooperstownchamber.org/reqbroch.htm) it tells which motels accept pets and have lake access (swimming/boats/swimming pools -- NB the Otesago Hotel no longer has a swimming pool, filled in for a putting green!) Also, the the Hyde Bay Colony (nee Rathbun's) has cottages which generally aren't in the guide, but that information can be obtained. Sorry for the length of this, but first bell (buzzer?) has to go off soon! -- Tom Ps I'd certainly be willing to be PART of a COMMITTEE ... if it gets THAT desperate 6/27/2002 -- Harry Turner writing -- I notice the Durbar info. Unfortunately, I rent a place for the kids and me about a mile up from 5 mile point every first 2 weeks of August and wouldn't be able to get up there in July (Last year we watched a great display of fireworks over Hyde Bay after a Beach Boys concert on the lawn of Hyde Hall). 5/4/2002 -- Paul Pickett writing -- Thanks - it definitely has the Hyde Bay touch! Paul 5/4/2002 -- John Mercer Writing -- Take a look at the definitions above, where I hope I have answered your question. Dictionary definitions never help when dealing with Hyde Bay stuff. 5/3/2002 -- Paul Pickett writing -- For us young'uns, tell what a "Durbar" is. This idea sounds fun - keep me posted. It may give me the excuse to come back. |
