Newsletter 43

      GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY

 NEWSLETTER 2020-01 (43)

 28th February 2020

Greetings Fellow Penguins,                                                                                   

 Our 50th Anniversary Year!

Pugwash noted with alarm that our last newsletter was way back in September - before the Lake Huron cruise! I do try to follow up each cruise with either the commodore afloat’s report or what my spies tell me. . .

For those that attended the AGM celebratory feast, you will have been regaled by Commodore Marriott’s account of said cruise, suffice to say - there were signs (!) of bears, sightings of swimming snakes, minuscule holding tanks (needed pumping out almost every day!) and even when the tank was pumped by somebody at “Wally’s Ice Cream Parlour” the offer of an ice cream following the pump out (by the same operator of said pumping machine!) was politely refused . . .

On the plus side the weather was fantastic, the lake was stunning, and we had the lake to ourselves as the locals seem to give up sailing after the end of August and take their boats out of the water for the winter (wimps!)

Escaping the Swimming Snake in Mary Ann Cove!

Awards for 2019

Spirit of Penguin – Christine and Nick Roy for their companion- ship, commitment, attitude and marmalade. (see picture)

Golden Gaffe - Dave Whipple for a miserable failure in a real life “Where’s Wally by misidentifying Wally’s dock service as an
ice cream parlour.

Dodo Award – Wallis James – for her chat-up line in a local Badachro hostelry procuring a refabrication of a lost jib furler locking plate.

James Raby Photography - Roger Shaw for ‘Celidh on Port Tack, Lake Huron’.

Penguin Newsletter 2020-01 (43)

Penguin AGM, Penguin Feast with Hog Roast

Our AGM was well attended and the evening party equally so. We had to mark the start of our 50th Anniversary year with something memorable -a Golden anniversary theme was settled upon and, having taken the views of many Penguins who had attended previous AGMs and ceilidhs, we decided on no band this time and have a change and go for a PENGUIN FEAST. The occasion proved a great time to catch up with other Penguins and have a good natter. The table setting set the scene with the vintage penguins (those who’ve been with the club longest) had their own honoured top table. So we used the funds saved to go the whole hog and get professional cater- ers in to deliver a traditional “Hog Roast” - of the 80 plus attendees who stayed for the evening, there was enough Hog for at least 120! We had a great time!

Jonathan Walton (son of founder Kevin Walton and just back from Antarctica) gave a memorable after dinner speech, both anecdotal, informative and historical. He also set us an ongoing quiz challenging us to recognize well known anchorages in Scotland. Jonty Pearce added some great humour to conclude the evening and Rachel (Kevin’s granddaughter) also manage to persuade a motley crew of Penguins to assemble on the dance floor to help work off some of the fabulous food.

Vintage member Phil Biggin                                                      and The Penguin Feast in action

some Colwall crew         part of Jonathan’s presentation!      younger penguins             Dick’s 70th

Special thanks for photos to: Peggy Meredith, Marian Keall, Rachel Fanshawe and John Marriott

Souvenir Key Fobs and Mugs

We commemorate 50 years with our special Anniversary luxury Key fobs, also new china mugs, complete with a picture of Loch Scavaig on the back. The keyfobs were freebies to AGM atten- dees, now in short supply so place your order soon! (see accompanying Mail Order Form). 

Penguin Cruises 2020

Our plans for 2020 are coming along nicely. The traditional Easter Cruise (now from Dunstaffnage near Oban) has just one berth vacant (I think!), with three yachts chartered for the week (11th to 18th April).

The 50th Anniversary Cruise (two whole weeks starting from Dunstaffnage, with a possible changeover at Ullapool on the middle Saturday) may well have a space or two left - contact Colin Yule for the latest details) We have chartered three yachts for the fortnight (4th to 18th July). There is a promise that one or two Penguins will join in - with their own yachts!

Still not too many takers for the Llangorse Lake “Cruise” over the August Bank Holiday weekend - lots of activities for hire there and great for the kids (or grandkids!) to have fun messing about in boats - contact Jonty Pearce for details.

Our grand finale for the year is a week cruising from Tenerife in the Canaries - 21st to 28th No- vember - means we will avoid the traffic jam that is the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers - sets off the week before from Las Palmas. We have (possibly) four yachts on charter - maybe still some spaces left . . . Contact Donald McLintock for details.

All the above cruises are detailed on our web-site - which conveniently “crashed” recently! Some bright spark decided that the version we were using no longer be supported and the host thingy would cut us off! Thankfully, we have the services of David Newman - who slaved away with some geeks and persuaded them to guide us through the updates enough so we are still on the internet (eat your heart out Steve Jobs!) http://www.penguin.org.uk

 Penguin Cruises 2020

2021 is also on the radar as cruise ideas include The Spanish Rias (Galicia), Norfolk Broads and the traditional Easter West cast of Scotland cruise. Some ideas for 2022 were aired - Northern Adriatic, the Scillies any other ideas Penguins? let us know!

We may also attempt to run a “derustification” course ourselves in March 2021 for those sailors who “feel the need” - similar to the . . . .