Just 4 Club boats at the Yacht station but again, many members and their guests travelled straight to the hotel, and a few booked in there overnight. – amounting to a very respectable 55 attendees in all.

 

Weather-wise it was a similar weekend as to last year, showery with windy conditions, so most left our boats behind and either stayed at the hotel overnight, or drove each way on the Saturday evening. Earlier in the afternoon, the members and guests who were staying at the hotel got together in the bar for a quiet session of drinks and informal chats - reminiscing over the year's events and the lovely summer that we had.

 

Bob had organised a minibus for those at the Yacht station and it was excellent service, making just 2 trips to ensure all were at the venue by 7pm - giving plenty of time for pre-meal drinks.

 

The food service began a little after 7.30pm, and it was fast and impressive, so that we were ready for the new band to strike up just after 9pm. Cedarwood played some nice ballads until the first interval just after 10pm, and lots of couples crowded the dance floor to enjoy their music. In the meantime Jen and Dawn went around the tables to sell raffle tickets for the Pot of Gold draw.

 

Bob and I held the presentations and prize draws during the interval. Pip ("Prince Albert") won the "Lucky ticket" prize - a bottle of red plonk! Club trophies were then presented - team "Gawd Nose" ( Tony and Kath of "Freeway") won the "Paul Hodgson" trophy for the Fun-day games in early August; the "Broken Oar" was presented to Sylvia ("Cloud Nine") for her twice running aground during her epic first trip to the non-tidal Thames; and the Commodore's Cup went to me again (well, in truth, to my Quiz team including Jen and her brother and cousins), for winning the team quiz in June this year.

 

The raffle was another big success - we had collected £170 of which £50 we gave to the Staff in tips. Chris and Pam ("JB") had the first ticket drawn, winning 3rd.prize of £20; Amy ("Halcyon") winning 2nd.prize (£40); and the Ist.prize of £60 went to Sue ("Splashed Out"); the latter result followed with the usual shouts of "fiddle," as Amy had drawn the ticket and she and Sue were on the same table! Congratulations to the winners and thanks to all who bought so many tickets on the night.

 

The band started again with some more lively and mixed music, filling the dance floor until after midnight. The minibus then arrived to take the boaters back to the Yacht station and the remaining members and guests slowly left the premises.

Well, first impressions were that it was another great night, and the new band went down well!

 

Many thanks to all who attended and helped make it such a good night.

 

We’ve provisionally booked the band and the Parkhill Hotel for next year. please all note our planned date of 11th.October 2014.

Ken

October 2013