23 - 26th. August 2013  

   

A long weekend with 10 Boats, + 4 cars. A total of 30 members plus lots of guests over the whole Bank holiday.

Beautiful sunny weather over most of the weekend meant that we all enjoyed another hectic, friendly meeting. The lack of electricity (due to new elf 'n safety rules) for the few of us on the "Wall" this year didn't present a problem - mainly due to the warm weather - and saved some cash! ( ouch! £4.10 per day for electric at the yacht station - soon be cheaper to build your own wind-farm?)

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The staff at the Yacht station were very good to us again, keeping boat movements to a minimum, and all keeping cheerful over their busiest weekend. Most members arrived on the Thursday or Friday, and quickly settled in to enjoy drinking and chatting "al fresco" alongside the boats.

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Old friends/members were also about - Terry of  “Martel II” joined us for most of the fun & came along to our event dinner at the Waveney pub; Malcolm and Julie (Springtide) were rafted up next to "Clanmer" as usual; and Geoff and Merryl (Fly-Eagle),who now moor permanently at the yacht station.

Mike Cole was there again - this time with a new boat - a big Princess 435, "Princess Diane", named in memory of his wife. I could not persuade him this time to renew club membership - but we had a good chat and he gave generously to our charity quiz - as did many other people over the weekend.

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The (now annual?) "members and friends" get-together dinner was arranged for the Friday night, held at the Waveney pub, just over the road from the Broad. 24 attended, including our commodore and vice-commodore, and all enjoyed a very filling meal and some good wine and beers.

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After lunch on the Saturday, 9 of us decided to go for a little stroll into Lowestoft - via the North bank of Lake Lothing - and had a good laugh on the way. We called it the "club ramble" but only got as far as the retail park - the lure of coffee and Maplins was all too much! We all had coffee and buttered scones in Morrison's cafeteria, which, luckily, was fairly empty when us noisy, boisterous lot barged in! Then we attacked Maplins (well, the fellows did - the ladies rushed to the Next clothing store) before beginning the journey back - via Lidl's, in case they too had some goodies for sale? It turned out to be a lovely afternoon, just done on the spur of the moment, but it might well become a regular event?

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After dinner on Saturday night, we all attended Paul's Disco dance in the Boulevard bar. It was a lively evening,  put on for all boaters attending that weekend in the Yacht station, and it included some guest acts singing / playing instruments - including our commodore Bob, and resident songstress Kath. Funny interlude of the night was Geoff still prepared to croon a few ditties whilst relating the fact that his wife Merryl had just gone missing on the Carlton marshes - now in darkness - with police out searching! (thanks to mobile phones, the police found Merryl safe and sound and she was in the Boulevard bar by 10.30 or so?). Some guests were in various fancy-dress, with pirate costumes being in the main, although best of the night for us old sailors must have been "Supergirl". (I didn't look myself, just going by what I was told. Honest!!)

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The Sunday club BBQ was good in the sunshine - with Graham dishing out some nice wines for us to sample. We had to again clear up quickly, as Kath had been booked to perform a solo-singing evening in the Boulevard, and we all went along to support her. 

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Bank Holiday Monday was Gala Day - and the sun shone again. It was the day we had visitors and family joining us - keeping busy in the park fair; watching the powerboat racing; and enjoying the evening firework display. An added attraction this year was Graham demonstrating his model boat, HMS Norfolk, as an official display in the Gala. It was a very successful half hour, with Dave in the "driving seat" on the support dinghy, and it raised more money for "Help-the-Heroes". Shame was that the Yacht station raffle draw was almost at the same time, and attention was divided between the 2 events. Still, afterwards, Graham exhibited the boat on the quayside, and many parents and children stopped to admire the detailed model.

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Quiz report

All 100 of my cryptic-quiz sheets were distributed over the first half of the weekend – raising the amount of £140 for the childrens’ charity “Make-a Wish” foundation. Themes this year were "Beer" and "West End shows" - and the prizes were beer and maltezers, of varying sizes.

Thanks to all those who took part and donated so well Again, it was agreed for the club to donate the prizes so that all proceeds went to the charity.

"Clanmer" won top prize on the Shows theme, jointly first with the Salty bottoms crews - who were adjudged 2nd.on time difference. "Escape" took 3rd., and also 2nd. in the Beer quiz - well done to them. 1st. in the beer quiz was a hire boat, and 3rd. was the crew of "Lily" - another old member.

Congratulations to all of them. What to do for next year’s quiz subjects – any ideas?                        Ken  31/08/2013