Dressed to the nines in tuxedoes and bow ties, dresses and heels, over 100 people headed for the Owl final club's booze cruise Wednesday night. But their ship never left port.

The punch event--meant to introduce potential members to current members of the Owl--began in the Owl basement with a keg and some champagne. Then group headed for the cruise.

But when the two packed buses pulled up to the pier, the boat was there, but the crew was nowhere in sight.

"We showed up and there was no one on the boat. It was dark," said one sophomore punch.

Punchmaster John C. Portman '01 said the problem stemmed from a misunderstanding between the club and the company.

Although the Owl had scheduled the event for Oct. 20, the company had planned the cruisef for Oct. 22.

"It was an unfortunate occurrence," Portman said. "In a punch season we're trying to show the punches a good time. This hurts the club because you want everyone to have a good time."

The sophomore punch said the officers of the club frantically grabbed their cellular phones and tried to work out a contingency plan.

"We had to come up with something else," Portman said.

Portman said they contacted some of their friends who frequent nightclubs and learned that the Owl could secure M-80, a club on Commonwealth Avenue, for the night.

So after about 20 minutes of waiting in the rain, the buses turned around and took the crowd elsewhere.

Jennifer B. Glick '00, whose boyfriend is in the Owl, said the night was fun in the end.

"Their spirits weren't dampened," Glick said. "People were just there to have a good time."

"Everyone was just sort of laughing about it," the sophomore punch added.

For the underage in the group though, the 21-plus club was not a viable option and about a quarter of the group has to head home.

"From 6:30 to 11:30 [p.m.],we were in formal wear to ride on buses all night," said one punch's date, Suzanne M. Pomey '02. "A lot of people felt it was a wasted night. We were all just really frustrated."

Glick said that although people were not able to go on the boat for munchies, music and mingling, the event still achieved its goal: members met punches.

"The point of these events is to talk to people," she said. "People were happy to do that."

Portman said he was sorry some were barred from the club, but it was the best option at the time.

"Under the heat as we were, those were the circumstances," Portman said. "We were very sorry about that."

Pomey said the experience might force punches to reconsider joining the Owl.

"For the people who are punching more than one club, it makes the Owl look bad," Pomey said. "They just have to hope the next event goes wonderfully."

Portman said the Owl did not lose any money and is currently rescheduling the cruise.