Drachten/Amsterdam, May 2005
Special invitation for our members in the USA, UK and Germany
Dear Members, The Dutch economy isn’t going as well as we all had hoped for. Therefore the minister of economics mister Zalm can no longer disagree, that the guilder was traded in for too low for the euro, which leaves us much to discuss and to do. Even though we still have to settle a few things, the Dutch aren’t afraid to make ourselves heard, in several political and social discussions. Watch the true relay from the Greek mythology of Alcyone, why she was sad and how her love made the world better. Wasn’t it true that Ceyx and Alcyone (daughter of Aeolus, god of the wind) called the wraths of the gods upon their selves because they compared their marriage with the marriage of Zeus and Hero a typical humanly way of acting. And weren’t the consequences a disaster. Hera didn’t put up with them and send a very disturbing sign to Ceyx. Then Ceyx in return went to the oracle to get an explanation of this omen, his ship got caught by a very heavy storm. The ship broke apart and all aboard disappeared in the sea, including Ceyx and with Alcyone’s name on his lips.
At home Alcyone couldn’t wait until Ceyx was back, with so much joy she looked forward at the arrival of Ceyx. Such a sad situation was even too much for Hera. She commanded Iris (God of the rainbow as well as messenger for Hera) to go to the caves of Hyphnos, god of sleep. Iris then asked Hyphnos take the shape of the dead Ceyx and appear in Alcyone her dreams and let Alcyone see the accident at sea. For this Hyphnos called Morpheus one of his thousand children, and Morpheus showed his self as Ceyx at Alcyone’s dream. The next morning Alcyone rushed to the shore and saw into the horizon. Floating in the waves she saw the body of her husband Ceyx. This made her so sad that she threw herself of a cliff, into the deep. The gods at Olympus were so impressed by this that they decided to turn Alcyone into a ice bird. The ice bird went to Ceyx his body and gently stroked her soft feathers over his remains. This was to much for the gods so they turned Ceyx into a ice bird as well. That way Ceyx and Alcyone were together again.
Of course you could think like this story about the Cormorant. Cormorant and Alcyone have something which is hard to explain.
They have the same godfather: Max Gunning, godly designer of the so called centreboard-grundel. Like the love that united Alcyone and Ceyx, the love we share for the Alcyone and Cormorant brings us together.
So that love and peace may stay!
We would like to invite you all to come at another warm meeting at the weekend of 18th of June. Friday night we will meet in Stavoren, and at Saturday we’ll all fight our way to Hylpen to spend the night there and at Sunday 19th of June we can say goodbye to each other with a drink at the sherry party.
Here we will set apart and continue our lives knowing we all search for that love and inspiration.
Your humble chairmen is doing all they can too make sure everything will go as planned, with a never dissolving love, and enthusiasm.
Of course you can support us like every year by getting the check book on table. You can deposit € 20,- like the years before at the account Postbank 3721241 in name of Alcyone Circle, located in Drachten, with the following explanation, contribution 2005. Please also answer Arjen van Boekel by e-mail within 14 days if you are visiting the summer meeting and how many people will share our Grand Diner at Hindeloopen. Then we can make our reservations for the harbour and the restaurant ‘de Hinde’.
We hope to meet you all at Stavoren on Friday and join our cosy and informal sailing reunion.
Kindly regards,
Arjen van Boekel
Joost van ‘t Hull
Board Alcyone Circle International
