Author: Useppa

Weekend Fun on Useppa – Thoughts and Pictures by UseppaGin – It was a leisurely two days. Some folks sat for hours on the beach just enjoying the view and each other’s company. Some lunched on the Collier Patio. Old and new friends hung out at the pool. Sunsets were a gift. There was no pressure to be anywhere or do anything. Life on Useppa.

The First Sail of 2021 – Words by Race Committee Chair Bob Stevens, Pictures by UseppaGin – Wow, what a lovely lunch and, after it, a very nice sail.  January 23rd was a perfect day on the water, and the socially distanced Bill’s Grille.  The first Bill’s Grille of the season was just a delight, and our thanks to the crew for a fine job on our behalf. After lunch four races were run; Ed King, with Kim Lockhart as his crew aboard Coot (U38), won all of them.  PurrFect (U4), sailed by Mark Smith, and with Duncan Rowley crewing, finished in second place in the first two races, and third in the third race.  Brian McColgan, with Mary aboard as crew, sailed Oh Happy Daze! (U85) to second place in the third race, and third place in both the second and in the last race.  Amrita (U2) was out, skippered by Heath Wilder and crewed by Steve Acuff, who managed a second place finish in the final race, and a third place in the first race.  Sydney Stevens was aboard Snooper as the timer, and Ginny Amsler came along to preserve the afternoon in pictures.  Mike Albert volunteered to come out to help with the marks, and had Gary Alderman aboard as his crew, They did a perfect job moving the windward mark for the fleet.  All in, a nice time for me out on the water on a simply lovely day. A fine kick off for our sailing this year.

Happy Birthday Gar Beckstead from Useppa Island – Thoughts and Pictures by UseppaGin – We send you best wishes and thank you for all you have done over the years to make the Useppa we know a place where we are all welcome, where we can walk the beach, play croquet, sail, have dinner at the Collier, swim in the pool, tie up at the dock. For some of us Useppa is home, for others it is a place to take a deep breath and relax. Families rediscover the simple joys of being together captured in a Banyan Tree picture. Romances begin. Fishing tales are told over a drink .. or two. The history of 10,000 years of other islanders is passed down. Thanks to your leadership we are today’s Island stewards.

Winter on Useppa – Thoughts and Pictures by UseppaGin – It’s been a gentle beginning to a new year on Useppa. Residents, visitors, birds, and tortoises… we’re all taking it easy. We’re on Island Time and there’s no rush. Being here is a gift, and we all know it.

Island Images – Photos and Thoughts by UseppaGin – Sometimes just looking is enough. Sometimes just stopping and focusing on a painting by nature is all we need to remember how lucky we are to be on Useppa. The birds know. Ospreys bring fish home to their nests. An Egret wades in a pond. Ducks flap their wings going from one spot to another. They live in the moment. These pictures are the quiet Useppa.

Useppa Families and Friends Welcome 2021 – Pictures and Thoughts by UseppaGin – The smiles were genuine. No one posed for a picture. Oh sometimes they looked toward the camera, but their smiles were there before any picture was taken. Bocce, leisurely relaxing poolside, lunch on the patio, walking down the dock, riding jet skis, holding puppies, holding Dad’s hand – New Year’s Day 2021 on the island was a gift everyone enjoyed.

A Quiet End to a Tumultuous Year – Pictures and Thoughts by UseppaGin – People walked the island, ordered a pizza, families sat together on a beach. The last few days of 2020 were soft and serene on Useppa. The last sunset of the year was nature’s gift.

Useppa Duathlon 2020 – Pictures and words by UseppaGin – Even in the Pandemic certain traditions could continue. On Tuesday December 29th some people ran, some swam, and some did both in the 6th Annual Useppa Duathlon. Jack Bound was the First Male and Jessica Carroll/Young was the First Female to cross the finish line with only twenty seconds separating them. Nico and Louisa Bound were the Winning Team. Thanks to Simon Bound for once again organizing the event. Profits from entry fees were divided between the Useppa Fire Department and the Useppa Historical Society.

Santa Kept His Promise!!! – Pictures and thoughts by UseppaGin – Being COVID safe, Santa couldn’t come onto Useppa, but he waved Merry Christmas from a boat. Fire Chief Maria Silva and Deputy Chief Chris Wilfong led a golf cart parade from the Fire Department down along the beach. Keeping safe distances families waved to each other and Santa. There was a cake to share and enough Christmas Spirit to go round. Next year we hope Santa can walk down the dock again, join his friends, ride the Firetruck with Island kids and share some cake and ice cream – a twenty year long tradition that Santa likes as much as we do.

Useppa Celebrates Its Employees – Written by Jim Manz, Useppa Comptroller, with photos by UseppaGin – This year had presented so many challenges for the Club, it seems only fitting that we had to cancel/postpone the Employee Holiday Party due to COVID-19. In a normal year we provide a catered lunch, present the years of service tenure awards, hand out the cards from the Homeowners and Members Christmas Fund, announce the Employee of the 4th Quarter and Employee of the Year, and hold a raffle of 35-40 stockings on the Tarpon Bar Christmas tree. Stockings include an assortment of $50 bills and $25 gift cards. The party ends with a group picture celebrating another year. This year, due to unusual circumstances, things had to be reconsidered. The Employee Party was going to be held outdoors on the Collier Inn patio, where we could maintain proper adherence to the CDC guidelines. Last week we had to abruptly cancel the lunch gathering. We also had to make the announcement for the Employee of the 4th Quarter and Employee of the Year awards via an email blast to the staff. The selections were Carl Stanley in the Service Department for Employee of the 4th Quarter and Annie Pyle in the Accounting Office as Employee of the Year. In discussion with Tim Fitzsimmons and Donald Beckstead, Tim decided that the spending that would have gone towards the catered lunch would be added to the “normal” amount of stocking raffle, nearly doubling the amount to spend. Instead of limiting the raffle to about half of the staff, we were able to ensure that each employee received a random raffle prize. These were set in all cash denominations of $25, $50, and $100 that were sealed in envelopes, placed in a box, mixed up, and drawn to an employee’s name. It was then included in the Employee’s envelope with the Christmas fund card and check. The cards, raffle cash, and service tenure awards were then sorted by Department and given to their respective Department Managers to be handed out to the staff. Would we have preferred to have our annual gathering? Absolutely! But, given the cards COVID dealt, this was the best way to ensure that all Employees were able enjoy their Useppa Holiday experience.