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  May Day Cruise, 2019

Due to members racing at Horsey, cruising with the Green Wyvern, or having sold their boats, it was believed there would be hardly any participants for a formal bank holiday cruise, so the committee decided not to organise one this year. However, as the nine yachts attending the GWYC cruise nearly all had YSC members among their crew, a report on this event is not felt to be out of place here.

It did not start well, with hailstorms and strong winds on the Saturday. With yachts all still mainly on their home moorings, but an evening assembly point at Cantley, most took the prudent decision to motor directly to this venue, omitting the proposed lunchtime visit to Rockland. Mimosa did put in three reefs and attempt to sail, but were forced into a reedbed by one of the strong (and painful, with the hail) squalls. A second attempt to sail was soon abandoned, much to the relief of some of the crew.

This early arrival at Cantley, along with many others attending by road as the afternoon wore on, led to a packed pub and a long, convivial lunchtime. Numbers were swelled by the family of David Valentine, a founder Green Wyvern and long standing YSC member, whose ashes were to be scattered that afternoon. Indeed, it was this event which had drawn so many people, despite the foul weather, which many blamed David for, imagining him sitting on his cloud, cackling with laughter.

However, in the late afternoon, the sun put in a brief appearance, GWYC Commodore, Andy Garnham, said a few words and the family, gathered on Puck's foredeck, scattered him into the river. There was speculation, and perhaps some hope, that parts of David may have been sucked into Puck's leaky seams. Afterwards, the drinks were on David, leading to an even bigger crush at the bar!

Sunday, while still breezy and rather gusty, was a much better day for sailing than Saturday. The conditions did lead to much consideration of sail plans and some boats tucked in all three reefs (or, in the case of Mimosa, left them in) before setting off on the tack upriver. Others felt they could manage with only one reef, while some went with full sail. All attained Coldham Hall safely, although Marigold did have to stop to rescue the crockery and Corsair eventually decided enough was enough after a particularly vicious squall.

After a lunchtime where the consumption of pub sausage rolls was much in evidence (although the evidence was swiftly hidden, to prevent marital conseqences for one consumer!) and some more consideration of sail plans for the downwind return to Reedham Street, the fleet set off again. Those with full sail had the last laugh, as the wind gradually died away to nothing, but giving an excellent trip downriver before it did so.

Pre-prandial beers outside the Lord Nelson were, in due course, followed by a post-prandial session in the Ship, which turned out to be an superb evening, with a takeover of much of the pub, good beer and jolly conversation. A most satisfactory end to an enjoyable weekend.

Boats present: Corsair, Farthing, Force Four, Marigold, Mimosa, Modwena, Pan, Puck, Vixen

last edited on:  09/05/2019 at 07:59   by: The Editor