Plans are under way for the “new” 19th Annual DIFF Surf Fishing Tournament to be held Thursday September 30 thru Saturday October 2, 2004.  See you there!

                                                                  Mark Weir

Cont. from page 1.
as usual.  However, I never got to my final packing.  A hurricane named Isabel kept showing up on TV weather forecasts.  I began looking at NOAAWeather.com and AccuWeather websites.  All showed the projected path to be the North Carolina coast.  Initially I took comfort in their predictions thinking it would change course, they always do.  She was headed for Davis Island!

     Thursday September 18 was to be the last day in the office before my tournament vacation.  Between meetings and conference calls, I checked every possible web site.  At 1:00 PM Isabel was located at 34.9N by 76.1W or about six miles off Portsmouth Island with winds estimated at 100 mph and barometric pressure at 28.6”Hg.  Tom Dunaway posted a phone report from Jack Dunaway at 12:40: “The power has finally gone completely out...winds are about 60 steady with higher gusts...not much water yet.  I can hear the surf breaking over the island (four miles away).”  I could only imagine.  The next few days were full of anxiety not knowing what the people in Davis were facing.  What was the condition of island cabins, vehicles, docks,  ferry boats, etc.  Was it remotely possible we could still have the tournament?  On Saturday afternoon Roger Wise got the answer from Bob Vogel...due to catastrophic damage from hurricane Isabel, the island cannot be open for the DIFF Tournament.  I posted cancellation notices on diffclub.com and on drumwagon.com.

     DIFF President Roger Wise called an emergency meeting of the DIFF Board of Directors at his home on September 25.  We carefully read the tournament rules, made the necessary decisions and decided to mail a notification explaining the cancellation details:

· In accordance with the tournament rules, $45.00 of the 2003 entry fee will be applied toward next year’s tournament entry fee.  A new entry form must be submitted for the 2004 tournament, along with the balance and annual membership dues.  2004 tournament entries will be accepted beginning at the annual membership meeting Feb 28, 2004 and ending with July 31, 2004 postmark.

· As an alternative, you may request a $45.00 refund.  If you do not request a refund, it will be applied to next year’s tournament fee.

· The generator raffle will be held at the next annual membership meeting in Pineville,  Feb 28.  You do not need to be present to win.  Mail your remaining tickets to DIFF by Feb 15, 2004.  Additional tickets will be available at the meeting.

· The 2003 tournament tee shirts and hats will be used for the 2004 tournament.

Page 2

Cabin 11 in parking lot

Cabins 10 A&B

Unhappy camper