My, hasn’t the ‘Summer’ flown! I’d meant to send this back in July, so apologies for its tardiness. I remembered just before our two week holiday sailing on the West Wales coast, but didn’t have time to send it before leaving. If I’d had my computer with me, I’d have had plenty of time to write it whilst sheltering from the inclement weather.
Still, it gives me more news to add – we have now completed three of the four cruises this year. The Easter Scotland cruise was a great success with three boats circumnavigating Skye under Paul Rose’s commodoreship. The only sadness was hearing of Kevin Walton’s passing whilst we were entering Scadabay. David Newman’s Aeolian Island cruise followed at Whitsun – I only hope his plans to give his wife Katherine (a mal de mer sufferer) a calm time by chartering a catamaran on the cruise helped. But although they don’t roll, they do rock…? And finally Quentin Hayes’ East Coast cruise returned safely having weathered Britain’s best last weekend. Still to go is the ‘Student’ September Scotland cruise. Although few students applied, it will introduce many new Penguins.
Kevin had a huge send off at his funeral in Colwall. He will be much missed, and we feel needs to be remembered in a special Penguin way. Part of this is planned to be the ‘Kevin Walton Memorial Cruise’ – appropriately at Easter, and from Armadale. Jonathan Walton is working on this, and we are hoping for as many as six boats starting on Easter Saturday (3/4/2010), or even at a push Good Friday, (2/4/2010), until 10/4/2010. Details will be discussed at the September committee meeting on the 19th. At Whitsun we hope to return to the Balearics – maybe Menorca, and possible for more than one week – maybe one week for families in the school holiday and one before or after for those not constrained? The third cruise might be the Scillies, but no plans are formalized yet.
As ever, we need your ideas, and offers of help. If anybody does have an idea for a cruise, we need details for the Sept meeting – apologies for the late notice. Cruise organizers will be needed for the Balearic and ? Scilly cruises – if we have voluntreers it saves me having to bully people! So do come forward and email me.
I will send out another newsletter after the meeting – till then, enjoy the last of the Summer.
Jonty Pearce