Head of the Harbour/ Championship re - run.. Whatever! First time on the water for ages!

  The sailors rushed to the water this weekend as the weather finally turned favourable for a pleasant afternoon without gale force winds, rain, fog, mist, no snow or sleet, but nearly every other condition known to prevent sailing..

                    Out on the course the yachts were few and far between, but Wistari made an historic showing clueing us that  "it must be Championship" .

 


Tony and the crew on Intriigue and Lex and the guys on Doctors Orders made a good fast run for the line, while Rob Auty and team on Solitaire broke before the barrier and retired to repair a foreleg .. or forstay in this case!
                                         
                                                                            

                               The dinghy fleet made their way across the channel to the Quoin Basin
           

                                                     While the big boys got it started..

                                              Intriigue took a few practise runs at the line..

 

Tony led the charge across the start line ..

 

Wistari and Doctor's Orders pushed them along

                
                                                      the challenge was on...

 

                                     Then along came the old lady.. wish I was that well preserved!

                                                                           

                                                            .. and Sepia suits her..

                               Then it was over to the dinghy fleet in the chop hanging precariously
                                         to the sides of the red rib as Colleen " let it rip"!

                                                                           

                  Over here there were young boys working as hard and smart as big boys

                                     Matthew Eiser took Bic sailing to a new level..

                                                     Peter and Chris Mann were out in the 125

there was side gripping tension

                                         There was plenty of company..

                                                                     Everybody got wet!

Some made it look easy

 

 

There were family duos

 

 

 

some came in triplicate

 
                                                                there were races within races...

 

there were moments of fear..

                                                                and recovery.......

                                              for some .. it was a walk in the park....
        

 

there were close encounters........

                                                                                       

 

follow the leader...

                                                   .. do it 'my' way..

                                                                   and Dad's Way!

                                                 .. some added colourful sails

 

and some looked better without ..

                                    finally we all headed home ....with a grin from ear to ear..

 

 

but along the way ..

 

we found this ....

                                                       and .. Is that a No Don't take our photo?

 

I thought NOT .. it's an except the inevitable and have a laugh !

                           after all.. we're from the PCSC.. we know boats... and Middlebank!

                                                             See? No Problem!

 

then there was the MUD..

 

and the foreleg problem...

                                and since space at the pontoon was at a premium..

                                         Herc took Tiernan and the pacer for a tow...

                                           as usual the boys watched while the girls worked...just saying!

                                                      Captain Tim kept an eye on proceedings..

 

.. and a helping hand.. while others were knee deep in mud..

                                    .. to watch  Tiernan ski the pacer right into the ramp...

                                               quite successfully ! (for a boy)