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Bim had kindly donated a bottle of malt whisky as the “ticket” prize (all attendees being given a raffle ticket on entry). Bim opened the event with a welcome speech and the ticket raffle was drawn – Jan (Crown Jewel) being the winner. This was followed by opening the buffet and calling members up on a table-by-table basis – very nice food and plenty of it. During this period, Jen (Lady Grace) and Sandra (Mr.C) went around selling raffle tickets for the Pot-of-Gold, whilst Angela (Emma Louise) was busy rolling up the counterfoils and placing them in the large “Raffle drum”, ready for the draw. The band struck up at 8.30, playing some blues and rock music to start off with, and took their first break at just past nine – early, due to a bust guitar string (no wonder, they had been playing heavy and loud up to that point!) We started the presentations during this break, Bim and I up on stage to do the presenting and draw the raffle.

We acknowledged the winners of trophies previously handed out - The “Paul Hodgson” shield to Colin, Pip, their daughter, and Mike and Denise, - team “Martham Marauders” - for winning the “Funday” games. The Quiz night trophy (Commodore’s Cup) had been awarded to (my) team “Jen’s Quizzers”, and was already being proudly displayed on Bim’s “Frances Mary”

We awarded this year’s Challenge trophy to Paul and Valerie (Swordfish) for their epic voyage/road trip in bringing their new boat from Majorca back to Brundall. They started off in May, but didn’t complete until July. Plan was to sail up to France, enter the canal system and head to Dunkirk – and hence back to the Broads via North Sea. Started off well, 150 miles to Barcelona, had a 4-day break there, then off to Palemos, but storms forecast – so on to Rosas through rough seas (2m waves). Decided then to have boat transported on lorry through to Dunkirk, whilst they flew back home. Then disaster, Paul mislaid his passport, and it was 10 weeks before new one arrived. After 7 weeks, already losing most of the summer months of possible cruising, a frustrated Paul relented and arranged final stage of the journey by lorry again – Dunkirk all way to Brundall. Job done!

And, finally, the most prestigious of our trophies, the infamous “Broken Oar”, and it was awarded this year to Tim and Dee (Hideaway) for a funny story of a missing sunshine roof. The story goes that back in April, during hurricane force “Storm Eunice”, Dee opened the back door to Tim, just back from shopping, and the wind blew through the boat, lifting the heavy sliding roof up and over into the mooring basin at WRC. Luckily discovered next day, still in the basin –but floating a few hundred yards away. Next day, 3 fellow moorers and Tim, managed to retrieve it, it was that heavy, and replaced it – but not before Tim and Dee had to spend a night under a makeshift canvas cover, through the continuing rain and wind. There it is -  “Roof Blow off”, as the little engraved shield says, or as I said in the presentation, in my best Michael Caine voice, Tim saying to Dee - ”I only asked you to open the door – not blow the bloody roof off!”

As usual, hearty congratulations to all our 2022 trophy winners. The presentations were quickly followed by the raffle, tickets picked out of the drum by Bim. The raffle initially raised £187, but I asked for an effort to raise it to £200, and a grand final total of £202 was achieved. Fantastic! £100 for prizes, and £102 to the club, just enough to alleviate the potential loss on the evening’s costs! First prize of £50 went to Mike and Denise (Edith Rose); second (£30) to Ray and Margaret (Blue Nymph); and then third prize (£15) the same – lucky Margaret! (Then Ray, being nice Ray Ray that he is, donated £20 from his winnings back to club funds. Nice one, Ray!) A consolation prize (£5) went to Peter (Opus II) with the 4th ticket out of the box,. Well done to all who took part in the raffle, and to the ladies who collected the money and sorted out the tickets. Then it was the band’s turn again, not so loud this time, and playing from 9.45 right through to the finish at 11.15. Lots old favourites this session, and many got up to dance the rest of the night away. Everyone helped to clear up at the end, all to Zane’s satisfaction, and he gave me our £30 deposit back from the room hire. Members drifted off from 11pm onwards, this time walking back as the taxis didn’t turn up at the allotted time. No worries, it was a lovely evening, and the short stroll back to the yacht station was no problem.

Sunday

The morning started with heavy showers, but lighter winds – and still from a warm southerly direction. The good news was that John was on his feet again, feeling a lot better, as he heard all the tales from the previous evening. All agreed that it had been a lovely evening, even with a noisier band than usual. We chatted outside our boats, in between showers, before a few prepared to leave around late lunchtime – to get through Somerleyton Bridge at low water. (The bridge was having major repairs done and was only opening for an hour each day – the rest of the boats planning to leave first thing Monday morning to catch that “swing”).

 

It had been another successful club event, unfortunately the last one of this fantastic boating year. We have been very lucky in having good weather at all our outside events, even the early season ones.

Provisionally, the venue next year will again be the Fox & Hounds social club, with the same informal Buffet Dance format, but probably with the return of MariaSax!

Please note the booked date of 21st.October 2023.  -        

 Ken, October 2022