HYC Easter Rally 6th - 9th April 2012
Published 01:00 on 15 Apr 2012
Just for a time I thought the weather might beat us again, just as it had for our club rallies at Easter for the last two years. But NO, the weather gods smiled upon us and we all set off on the tide on Good Friday. The sailing boats on a two tide strategy via Poole, and the motor boats on a one tide dash to Portland. Our rallies are increasing in numbers (very gratifying for your Events Officer!) and this time we had:
Sailing Boats:
Sparkling Spirit - Tim & Jenni Waite
Athena - Gordon & Carol Bentley and crew
Sentosa - Grahame Solway, Jilly Thornton and crew
Motor Boats
Tallulah - Brian & Dawne Dunton
Chelsea Blues - Rob & Lyn Ardley
911 Virgin - Terry & Barbara Couchman (new members and their first rally with us)
Emily Jo - Henry, Sharon and Emily Firman (very new boat, just one week in ownership)
Icarus - Peter & Lin Day
Double Bubble - Bob & Mary Gray
Yasmine - Chris & Pat Porter
The weather was superb for the outward passage(s) and, by Saturday afternoon, we had tied up safely in Portland Marina ready for a night out for all 25 people at The Cove House Inn on Portland. A fine evening was had by all, with good pub grub amongst friends old and new. On Sunday, with the weather forecast for Monday looking particularly unpleasant, Sentosa left early and managed an average of 11.5 knots on a one tide run back to Portsmouth. Double Bubble also departed as Bob needed to be back. Tim & Jenni on Sparkling Spirit, never to be put off by the weather, made a spirited run back on Monday and I was pleased to receive the text that read "tied up safely in Haslar, arrived with a gale up our stern".
Athena stayed in Portland marina awaiting a crew change and a further onward passage and the remaining rally members decided to decant into Weymouth Marina and stay for a few more days.
We all enjoyed the delights of Weymouth, discovering the now excellent Royal Dorset Yacht Club restaurant where we were made most welcome. The rain and wind came and went and, by Wednesday everything everything was settling down so, on Thursday morning we planned to set off back to Yarmouth for an overnight.
Sadly a horrible stomach virus started sweeping through us all. Icarus stayed in port with Peter Day laid up in bed. The rest of us made the dash to Yarmouth and one by one nearly all went down with a particularly unpleasant 24 hour bug! By Friday we were all on the mend at each boat made it's own way back to home ports (including Peter & Lin on Icarus who arrived safely in Haslar on Friday).
All in all a most successful rally.
Brian, Events Officer, Haslar Yacht Club
Related
- Easter Cruise to Portland (6 - 9 April 2012, 07:00 - 22:00)
Last updated 13:22 on 25 October 2023