Our First Rendezvous, A Life-Changing Event
We had just bought our DeFever 52 a week or two earlier when our broker called to invite us to the 1995 Winter Rendezvous at Duck Key in the Florida Keys. Why not, we thought, we have a lot to learn! So we fueled up at $0.89 per gallon, and headed south for the fun. Shortly after daybreak the next day, while still at anchor, we saw three other DeFevers pass us near Key Biscayne. They hailed us to say hello and invited us to tag along, but we were not quite awake yet. Little did we know they would all become our very best friends. When we approached the dock at the resort later that day, our Florida Gators flag was flying proudly in hopes that we would attract at least one person who would share a common interest with us. It worked. Bob and Barbara Dein, both genuine Gators, greeted us at the dock along with about 15 other cruisers, anxious to meet the newbies with the 52 named Last Laugh. It turned out to be a life-changing event. The Spriggs, Whites, Hoffs, and Deins are fast friends to this day. And we have never missed a big rendezvous in 12 years! The DeFever Cruisers evolved to much more than just a club. Cruisers are our best friends. And we meet more new friends every year. Moral of the story? Don’t miss a rendezvous!
