Reedham Regatta was often remarkable for its gloomy, chilly days; but since moving our Spring regatta to Rockland last year, we have had nothing but sunshine, endless blue skies and excellent sailing breezes for this event.  (Let's hope I haven't just jinxed next year...)  Boats began arriving from mid afternoon on Friday and, following some unseen force, all the crews found themselves migrating to the pub where a convivial afternoon in the sunshine was had.  After a break to return to their respective boats to eat, everyone then somehow ended up on the motor boat Silver Jubilee, which had been hired from Martham as a giant floating bedroom by the crew of Wandering Rose.  Here, wine was drunk and outrageous sailing stories were told, causing much hilarity.  Joe's story, involving an oil lamp, a burnt bottom and a collapsing cabin roof was voted the best.

Saturday morning dawned bright and breezy and crews assembled in Rockland Dyke for the briefing, before setting off to race a long looping course, ending up at the Beauchamp Arms for lunch.  Here, the pub were setting up for an evening music festival, so it was relatively bustling with people.  They had put on a couple of real ales, presumably for the benefit of their music audience, but somehow, we didn't leave them with very much...  Afterwards, another briefing, another river race in a good breeze and retirement back to the basin at Rockland.  This was a bit fuller than last year, but some inventive mooring saw our overnight fleet of seven yachts and three motor boats snuggled up in there.  I assume someone had a conversation with the owner of Oakey Dokey before he was totally hemmed in by yachts....?

Then we all found ourselves in the pub again, where the annual game of Spot the Buoy provided pre-prandial entertainment.  Some were convinced there was no buoy in the picture; one person figured it might be in a tree... perhaps they were playing Pin the Tail on the Donkey instead?  Either way, none of them were correct, as David Radley turned up the next morning and nearly got it spot on to win the fizz, chocolates and liquorice allsorts.  Nineteen people enjoyed the evening meal, which was the usual convivial affair around one large table in the function room, where we were well looked after by the pub staff.

Early Sunday was windless and very hot, but the breeze had filled in by mid morning (did I mention the good weather?) when the fleet were sent off on a downriver race to Cantley, hotly pursued by the Officer of the Day, who arrived just in time to count the laps as the competitors looped up and down Cantley Reach three times.  A prompt prize-giving saw Melinda take the Beauchamp Arms Trophy for best overall on Saturday, with Paul's 3rd and 1st narrowly edging out Bill Clark on Morning Calm, who had a 1st and 3rd.  Third and fourth overall was similarly close, with Wandering Rose just beating Glory with a 4th and 2nd against the latter's 2nd and 4th.  It pays to concentrate in the final race of a series!

Flight managed a fifth in every race and fifth overall on Saturday, but spoilt this tidiness by being sixth overall for the weekend.  The Harriet of Reedham Trophy for Sunday's race and the overall trophy both went to Morning Calm.  There was then a run on cheesy chips from the pub before people started leaving.  A hardy few stayed on to enjoy some more sunshine and reflect on another successful event.