Ahoy, mates! Just sit right back and you'll hear the tale of Party Boy's fateful trip. Picture it: Gilligan's Island wrapped its three-season run back in 1967. Nearly 40 years later, the sitcom's surviving cast members — Bob Denver, Russell Johnson and Dawn Wells — turned up at FantaSea Yacht Club in Marina del Rey, Calif., to celebrate the Season 1 DVD release. The party offered up a heavy dose of TV nostalgia, and an amusing glimpse of what life's like for stars of yesteryear...

As I say, Gilligan, the Professor and Maryanne were all there. Too bad Ginger was a no-show. Series creator Sherwood Schwartz joked that Tina Louise — who played the castaway-cum-movie star — is still bitter because "the show wasn't called Ginger's Island." The diva could not be reached for comment.

Ironically, two friendly Ginger look-alikes were posted at the front door, greeting guests with fake flower lei necklaces. Oh, they were serviceable enough in their bouffant red wigs and sparkly evening gowns, but Party Boy couldn't help feeling disappointed that real women got this gig. I know some fine out-of-work drag queens who do Ginger with much more flair!

Fortunately, Dawn Wells brought plenty of personality to the luau. Does she ever get sick of fans calling her Maryanne? "Well, I'm cool about it," Wells said with a smile, "because I'm greeted with love everywhere I go. She's such a beloved character. I've done so many other things as an actress, but I don't think the world knows that! You take the gamble that a TV series is gonna be successful, so you then accept what comes with that or else give it to another actor who doesn't mind."

Despite what fans might think after years of reruns, the Gilligan's Island cast isn't still getting rich off the show, and doesn't own a piece of the DVD. "They pay you to come here," Wells slyly admitted, "but they don't do anything else. The producers and writers have done very well." Chuckling, she added, "You can't really bad-mouth it, though, because residuals didn't exist back then. You'd think they'd be grateful for our success in reruns, but no one wants to give you money now for something you did in the past. They're not gonna do that! Plus, Maryanne's been a benefit to me in [other ways]."

That's why Wells and Co. put up good-naturedly with Gilligan aficionados and their perennial questions. "People always go, 'Where'd you girls get all the clothes if it was only a three-hour tour? If the Professor could build a radio, why couldn't he build a boat?'"

The Skipper's little buddy, Bob Denver, answered that one: "If you were on an island with Ginger and Maryanne, would you want to build a boat?"

After a cool boat ride on the S.S. Minnow — this one's hull was happily intact — Party Boy was surprised to spot Survivor: Thailand winner Brian Heidik among Gilligan's guests. Yikes! What brought the former softcore porn star to this wholesome shindig?

"Anything that has to do with being on an island in the middle of nowhere, I'm up for it," he said with a grin. Heidik confessed that his desire for an appearance fee may have cost him the chance to do Survivor: All-Stars. So he's settled for writing "some good bathroom material" as the National Enquirer's resident Survivor expert. "The jealous past losers will vote off all the winners," he predicted. "I'd rather sit and watch everybody else suffer, and get paid for it, than go out and suffer again with the odds even more against you."

Hmmm... Maybe Ginger was right about skippin' this shindig. Then again, meeting Maryanne was pretty awesome. Now, that lady's a real Survivor.