NEWSLETTER 2018-02 (37)
Greetings fellow Penguins! Pugwash has been busy at the editorial desk and I have the next thrilling instalment of our newsletters to offer....
GREAT NEWS!
Rosie Creber has joined clipper yacht "Dare to Lead" at Seattle (The Clipper Challenge fleet - round the world racers), and promptly WON their leg of the race - Seattle to Panama!!
See the full report and Rosie's blog or via our facebook page.
Our facebook page has been revitalised and many pictures and links to great videos have been posted of our adventures in the Hebrides over Easter. An album has been started and we are hoping for more pictures and memories from the Danish cruise (happein May/June) and Azores cruise (late July)
Please take a look at it and add any comments/pictures/videos that you have - it's proving quite a success in promoting our club and it's activities!
RYA Skipper’s development programme - Penguins attended the first session!
Andy Davey and new Penguin Stuart Holroyd attended and had a very useful weekend which focused mostly on boat handling skills. Keith (Harding - the instructor) was very good at stretching everyone on board during the course of the weekend. Every opportunity was used to test knowledge too, convincing Andy “that I need to work harder to commit lights and signals to memory!”
The RYA representative has put out a plea for more candidates - The 2nd programme has been delayed until the autumn and there are 3 delegates already recruited and dates agreed.
“These are 7 - 9 and 28 - 30 September. There are at least 2 places available so please get in touch with your committee and get nominated!”
Each person nominated needs to have Day Skipper practical and theory, and will be offered a pre-course discussion with an instructor, then two weekends (Fri night - Sunday) in the Solent, with feedback provided and an individual development plan following assessment and discussion.
Funding for each place will be as follows:
£300 the individual, or £400 if club unable/unwilling.
£100 from the club
£800 - £1,000 from RYA
The Emperor Penguin (Commodore!) has indicated that the club will fund the £100 element for any Penguin who is nominated and accepted.
Potholes, Provisions and Pipes - another take on the traditional Easter cruise
Pugwash has faithfully reproduced our Commodore’s report on the 2018 Easter Cruise (please see it on the Club web-site) but as I had been on the cruise (yes - Pugwash does actually sail - occasionally!) I though I would give a rather more irreverent view of things . . .
The journey to Skye - what a long way!
Best described as boring - until you are North of Glasgow - the bonnie bonnie banks of Loch Lomond are a joy to see and the next 100 miles are very picturesque - Rannoch moor, Glencoe pass, and all on Scotland’s main tourist route with very little traffic - BUT THE ROADS! Highways Scotland described the roads as “suffering after a harsh winter” and, not having sufficient funds to repair thousands of miles of damaged tarmac, were resigned to paying out for repairs to cars which had damages caused by these pesky potholes. I mean they were MONSTERS!
Some poor souls - travelling from darkest Twickenham - made it all the way to Fort William but after refuelling made to move off - a decidedly expensive grumbling sound came from the car’s nether regions - suffice to say - the car was laid up for repairs in Fort William for the week . . .
The communal victualling “trolley dash”
Morrisons at Fort William is the tried and tested supermarket for acquiring all those essential things needed for a week’s eating and drinking (and cleaning) on board - Penguins descended on the place early on the Saturday morning and managed to cram all supplies (and the three car-less Penguins) into the remaining vehicles and trundled off to Armadale on Skye for embarkation.
Needless to say, the unloading of provisions for 4 yachts onto the tiny Armadale quay resulted in the inevitable chaos - somebody’s couscous, olive oil and apricots went missing - who knows where they ended up? During the week, the advantage of having four yachts packed with so much food meant that a fair amount of bartering went on at various ports of call! Somebody had forgot to put bread on the shopping list, another boat ran low on milk and even on the last night - the need for a toilet roll was announced and promptly provided from the communal supplies!
Loch Harport, Carbost and the Talisker Distillery
Once safely anchored or moored to the untested buoys on the Wednesday afternoon, the Manchester Mafia (you know who you are!) made to go ashore after their evening meal and the local pub (The Old Inn - very original) was rammed - not just with tourists/walkers from parts foreign but loads of locals - it was the local live music night!
The expectation was building - there was nowhere to sit and the thought of a rousing ceildh with bagpipes and drums was not to be missed so the boys draped themselves over the bar and waited - and waited . . .
Two local turned up - one with a guitar and the other with his pipes NORTHUMBRIAN PIPES! What a swizz!!
The piper redeemed himself by proving to be an expert at playing the instrument, driven by bellows operated between elbow and side of the body, so a great night was had by all. . . .
Cuckoo in the Nest - at Mallaig
On the Friday night, all four yachts moored up at the new Mallaig Marina, ready for a final meal out and a proper shower (at last!).
Whilst securing the yachts amongst the seagull crap and disgruntled fishermen (they were meant to be off the marina by April 1st - the fishermen that is!) a scruffy-looking sailor came amongst us - it was David Newman! The erstwhile internet guru has taken a summer job on the Knoydart estate - a boatman for Doune - Knoydart restaurant/lodge for six months - he is posting some stunning pictures of our favourite cruising ground - the Sound of Sleat (lucky bu**er!)
Next year’s cruises are already in the throes of planning - an organiser has stepped forward and you may well have seen a recent all-member e-mail asking for expressions of interest for the Easter Cruise, Armadale April 20th to 27th 2019, as well as the two other prospective cruises - around Northern Ireland and Lake Huron. Let the Emperor Penguin know if any of these cruises tempt you!
Right - enough from Pugwash - I'm off to sun myself in this (unseasonably) fine weather so watch out for a weather-beaten sailor on your next trip with Penguins.