Another great turnout with 14 Boats on the Friday, and a further 3 on Saturday.  35 members eventually sat down in the evening for the superb pub grub.

The weather was lovely and sunny for most of the weekend, dry, but a little cool in the fresh, gusty north-easterly breeze.

 

Friday

Most boats were in and moored up by lunchtime, although some had difficulty (me, mainly!) with the incoming tide and same-direction wind. Members set to in dressing their boats, adding a bit of red & white George Cross bunting, or flying a flag from the pulpit rail, all ready for St. George’s Day on the Saturday. Most then sat outside in the afternoon sun, chatting and drinking, before going over to the pub for early dinner. Lovely meals as usual, the usual big helpings, such that we were full and ready for early to our beds, except for a few who joined Bill and Sandra for drinks on board “Mr.C” – a very nice finish to the evening.

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Saturday

Bit of excitement to begin with – Coastguard and NHS first-responders were milling around “Opus II” at just after 7am early morning. Poor Sandra had fell and hurt her back, coupled with her still suffering from a form of “long” Covid. The ambulance took a bit of time to arrive, but the emergency services were brilliant and managed to carefully get Sandra off the boat and straight off to the N&N for a check-up. (She improved during the day, and was safely home by late evening, so all good news) Poor Peter had to call his son-in-law to take him home to get Sandra’s things, and then left early back to his moorings – and home, via the hospital. All a bit of a panic, but all’s well that ends well!

After a late breakfast, we settled down sitting outside on the picnic tables, chatting over cups of coffee, before getting the drinks in for the afternoon. Sandra T had even put up her windbreak to give some shelter from the chilly wind, and the sun was again lovely. Ex-members Andy & Lucie turned up in their new motorhome and made themselves at home amongst us boaters. Lovely to see them over the weekend. A few more boats arrived during Saturday, and they were helped in OK, David from the pub having done a great job as “harbourmaster” making sure we all had allocated moorings.

After more drinks outside, we went back to our boats to prepare for the evening dinner in the pub.

We gathered over there just before 7pm, and Sonia and her team busied themselves serving up the meals and ensuring that we were well looked after. We didn’t begin to finish our meals until after 9.30pm, and it was deemed to be a bit late to set up the stage and music for John and Bim to play. It had been a long day, and we had to get up early on Sunday for the AGM, so that was cancelled. Members continued to chat a little longer, before going back to the boats well after 10pm.

 

Sunday

Another lovely sunny day was forecast, so David and Sonia had prepared the outside gazebo for our AGM meeting, setting out tables and chairs before 9am. Sonia and her team made coffee/teas and over 30 lovely bacon butties – served quickly to us by our own ladies. The meeting started just before 10am, after most of us had finished our bacon rolls, and was over just after 11am. 27 members attended.

We cleared up slowly and then broke into small groups enjoying drinks on the outside tables, in the warm sunshine, before boats began to leave after midday.

A number of boats remained another night, and that Sunday afternoon, members gathered outside for an impromptu music session from Bim.

It had been a good weekend and we hope for many more in the new season.

The club again thanked Sonia for the meals and the genuine hospitality that she had provided throughout the weekend.

 

Next event is the Loddon Spring BBQ - Saturday 21st. May

 

Ken 

4 May 2022

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