HomeBateman Award Winners

Past Bateman Award Winners

2019 Recipients of the Cruising Station of the Year

Mary Frazer & Walter Keith (Orion), Chesapeake Bay/Reedville, VA
Mary and Walter energetically welcome local and international cruisers to their docks because they love being involved with the cruising community.

Agustin Martin, Canary Islands
Agustin has assisted cruisers for years in Las Palmas, Canary Islands. He is also the regional Cruising Station Host for Europe.

2017 Recipient of the Cruising Station of the Year

Karen Thurman and Evan Kolb are the recipients of the 2017 Bateman Cruising Station of the Year award. During and after Hurrican Irma hit the Florida Keys, Karen and Evan made an enormous difference for the cruising community during this difficult time. Karen, who is the manager ot fhe Hyatt Hotel in Marathon, took over the coordination and distribution of relief supplies from her hotel's parking lot and sent a minimum of five semi-trailer truck loads a day to Key West to help in the relief efforts. Karen and Evan exemplify the SSCA spirit of camaraderie of cruisers helping cruisers.

Nominated by Joan Conover, Cruising Station Coordinator

2016 Recipient of the Cruising Station of the Year

Jean Lassus and Ana Barasso of Sal Pa Dentro, Salinas, Puerto Rico, are this year's award recipient. Jean and Ana provide transportation for members/cruisers around the area. Shopping for groceries or for trips to the doctor - no problem and no cost. They have a small but lovely location on the water at Salinas with a dock for dinghy tie-ups, providing access to community facilities. They are happy to translate Spanish to English if needed. They also have a small cruiser bar, with free music on certain days of the week, and always great finger food. Jean and Ann have the meeting place for members to have a quiet get together at no charge. There is also a free mooring in the harbor for SSCA member use, just have to contact him for availability. With their welcome to members (burgees flying all over..SSCA ones!) and help, they exemplify the SSCA spirit!

Nominated by Joan Conover, Cruising Station Coordinator

2015 Domestic Cruising Station of the Year - Jim and Ann Catchick

Jim and Ann Catchick, Vero Beach, Florida, Cruising Station hosts, have been elected as the Domestic Cruising Hosts of the Year. Members have highly recommended their efforts over the years on the East Coast, USA, and especially the wonderful Thanksgiving meals loved by all Vero Beach Cruisers. Due to these "above and beyond" efforts over the years, the Catchick's are our choice for the Domestic Cruising Station of the Year Award.

2015 Dr. Alan and Mrs. Debra Profke - International Cruising Station of the Year

Dr. Alan and Mrs. Debra Profke, Vanuatu CS Hosts, have been selected as the International Cruising Host of the Year. Members have highly recommended their efforts over the years in Vanuatu, and especially the support given to Vanuata following the terrible cyclone damages of 2015. By leading a convoy of small vessels, all approved by the Vanuatu authorities, and working directly with the communities to provide medical care and reconstruction tools, the Profke's are recipients of the 2015 International Cruising Station of the Year Award.

Both award winners were nominated by Joan Conover, Cruising Station Coordinator

2014 - Susan and Dennis Ross

The SSCA Bateman Cruising Station Award for 2013 was presented to Susan and Dennis Ross, Two Can Play, in La Paz, BCS, Mexico for their substantial support, aid and assistance to the cruising community. For more details, please read the Nov. 2014 Commodores' Bulletin.

Nominated by Rich and Lyn Lewis, Fellowship, and Christopher Harry and Christine Barnes, Scintilla.

2013 - Karen Earnshaw and Cary Evarts

The SSCA Bateman Cruising Station Award for 2013 was presented to Karen and Cary, Majurofor their hard work in helping all who arrive in the Marshall Islands get settled and feel welcome.

Submitted by Joan Conover, Cruising Station Coordinator

2012 - Jerry and Gaila Brandon, St. Marys, GA, USA

The Brandons started assisting mariners over 30 years ago when they hosted families for the Ocean Classroom’s Semester at Sea program. Gaila’s son participated in the Semester at Sea and the couple began receiving mail and arranging laundry and other services for those on board. When this program ended the Brandons continued to welcome boaters to St. Marys from their Riverview Hotel on the waterfront in downtown St. Marys. In 2001 the now famous “St. Marys Thanksgiving” got started when several cruisers found themselves in St. Marys just before Thanksgiving. A local cruiser who had swallowed the hook, Charlie Jacobs (formerly Thirsty Whale) suggested to Mike Derivan on Sweet Dreams, who was one of the cruisers, that a potluck Thanksgiving might be just the thing to lift their spirits. Since boat galleys are not usually up to roasting turkeys the town’s folk did that and the Brandons offered their hotel/restaurant for the feast. Each year the gathering has grown and the Brandons now welcome over 300 cruisers to the weeklong annual event, with assistance from local residents who still roast the turkeys and hams and cruisers who help plan it, promote it on marine radio and cook the side dishes and desserts. In reflecting on their role as a Cruising Station Gaila said that she feels that “cruising stations function as ambassadorships worldwide for cruising.”

Fun facts: in 2001 they served 15 people, in 2006 it was 150, and in 2007, 270 (which required 17 turkeys, 4 hams, 26 pies and dozens of side dishes and other desserts). By 2011 well over 300 came to dinner and the activities now span an entire week with cocktail parties, oyster roasts, book exchanges, a mariner’s flea market and more.

2011 - Keith Vial, Niue

Keith is a retired school principal who serves as a commodore of a yacht club with no yachts. He has done a tremendous amount for cruisers in the past couple of years. He's involved daily with cruisers during season, has now set up a daily net, flies the SSCA burgee and works hard to make Niue a fun, safe place for cruisers to stop. Niue is a Pacific Island just over the International Date Line from New Zealand and one of the smallest countries on earth with the largest raised coral atoll in the world.

2010 - Gonzalo Ravago, Peru

Gonzalo has demonstrated a real knowledge of SSCA and SSCA goals. He has volunteered and provided Spanish translations for various CS Documents, and has helped our members who are cruising Peru. He has also established an excellent cruising library for our membership and has been proactive with the sailing community. One action that stands out for this year is that during the 8.8 earthquake disaster in Chile, he supported the maritime community and forwarded status of boats in his area to both the authorities and SSCA. During a Mayday request from an SSCA CS Host, he passed critical information to the Peruvian Navy/Coast Guard during a search for a missing Japanese sailor. The request came from Mena Satoh (CS Host, Japan), and he acted immediately to notify the points of contact.

Gonzalo has set personal goals for himself of attracting more cruisers to Peru. He represents the interests of the cruisers to the very hospitable yacht club and is instituting programs to make cruiser orientation quicker and easier so that visitors get as much as possible out of their visit to his country. He has been a great source of information on everything from locating medical practitioners to marine supplies. He can connect cruisers with the appropriate vendors for just about any need. One member commented that when they had to return to Peru because of an autopilot failure Gonzalo met them at the yacht club mooring, had the right mechanics on board within an hour and stayed to make sure there were no language barriers for getting the repairs needed. Gonzalo’s dedication to the SSCA principles and goals, along with his warm hospitality, makes him the perfect recipient of the Bateman CS of the Year Award.

2009 - Luca and Anna Simeone, Gaeta, Italy

Base Nautica Flavio Gioia Marina extends a warm welcome to cruisers. It is a family- run marina, therefore making the service very personal. Luca and Anna Simeone are responsible for the marina and they are very willing to answer any and all questions. Gaeta is a wonderful town, vibrant and full of atmosphere, and Anna can tell you everything you want to know about the town and surrounding countryside while Luca gives your boat plenty of TLC.

2008 - Steve and Kay Van Slyke on Kavenga, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

The Van Slykes serve cruisers in a significant capacity in both Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (winter) and in Gig Harbor, WA (summer). One of their many contributions is the annual Puerto Vallarta Gam (Potluck and Pool Party) which they host each February.

Nominated by Joan Conover, Growltiger

2007 - Jack Dausend, Trinidad

Jack was presented with this award for his tireless efforts welcoming cruisers to Trinidad, and helping to organize multiple cruiser events such as the annual SSCA New Year’s Day Gam.

2006 - Rick and Carol Butler, Zippity, Beaufort, SC

Rick and Carol exemplify the hospitality that both Beaufort, South Carolina and an SSCA Cruising Station is known for. For example, as described by the SSCA members Alan and Michele Watson aboard s/v Kindred Spirit, "I dropped my camera into the water back in Georgetown, South Carolina. Sometimes things happen for a reason, you just don’t know the reason until much later, if ever. I ordered a new camera through Amazon and had it shipped to Beaufort, South Carolina.

"Why Beaufort? I looked ahead to where we might be by the time a package could arrive in a location and cross-referenced that with the SSCA “Cruising Stations.” Your next question would be what is an SSCA Cruising Station? Cruising Station hosts are members who volunteer to serve as a contact and host for other members in a given location. They may offer information about a port and facilities, welcome you, provide local maps and guides, accept packages, and assist in locating things you might need. I contacted the Butlers in Beaufort (Ladys Island) to ask if I could have the new camera sent to them. Not only did Rick say yes, but he also stayed in contact with us, gave wonderful advice on the route we would be taking, and offered his own dock as a place to stay.

"If I had not dropped and broken my camera, we would never have contacted Rick and met both him and his lovely wife, Carol. Things do happen for a reason! The morning of our arrival, Rick was out sailing in his beetle cat and quickly hopped on his dock to help us tie up."

2005 - George and Dorothy Bateman, of North Island, New Zealand

The Batemans were appointed as one of the first Cruising Station hosts in 1984. They have welcomed and assisted thousands of world cruisers visiting Opua, New Zealand over the years. It is in their honor that the Bateman Cruising Station of the Year Award was named.