The Calais rally for me started in the Belgium bar in Ramsgate on Thursday night before the second May bank holiday and it finished there on the Monday night, 1st June. In between was a roll call of invites and entertaining with some great sailing there and back. I had already tried twice before to go to the Calais rally but usually bad weather thwarted my efforts. This time I was lucky. I was crew on Tony Brighton’s new boat, a three and half year old 1050 Maxi called 'Mon Amie' along with crewmates Rune Bakken and Don Shackley. Bon Amie is a fast cruiser-racer and she likes to go fast. The Little Ships had already left on the Thursday bound for Dunkirk and we followed their route on the Friday morning casting off at 0400 and sailing outside of the Goodwin Sands then straight to Calais nearby Dunkirk, crossing the busy shipping lanes. It took us a credible five hours to complete the 35 mile long trip.

Little Ships gather at Ramsgate before departure to Dunkirk

Friday was the best day of the weekend weather-wise and gave us time to dress the boats with signalling flags, meet fellow members of LSC and members of the Royal Navy Sailing Association who were also celebrating their 75th anniversary this weekend. 

 Sheemaun, Rodney Pell's classic Watson motor yacht, now the Historic Yachts Flagship had crossed the channel with the other Little Ships on the Thursday and had then joined the LSC rally. Pat Dittner, our East coast vice commodore on Demeter also came with Mike Dittner and crew Gabe and John arrived late on Friday night.

Some of us were there on Friday afternoon to welcome HMS Puncher to Calais, with Norman Hummerstone, our honorary life vice president and long standing Calais rally organiser meeting her personally at the dock. HMS Puncher is manned by members of the Royal Navy and trainees from the University Royal Naval Unit (URNU) with whom the Club has a long- standing relationship.

Norman Hummerstone welcomes HMS Puncher

What followed was a cavalcade of receptions, boat visits, drinks onboard and presentations.

 

 

So to recap on Saturday there was:

  • 10.30 FST Pimms party onboard HMS Puncher to celebrate the RNSA 75th year and hosted by them
  • 14.30 FST Beer call onboard HMS Puncher
  • 16.00 FST onwards – open invitation from the rally skippers to welcome the trainees and Royal Navy personnel to come and visit our boats and partake of various onboard pontoon parties.
  • 19.30 FST dinner at Calais Casino in our own function room
  • 22.30 FST after dinner, some robust souls went on to party the night away until the early light (Rune and Don) or when the bar at the Calais Yacht Club closed (most of Hard Seed).

On Sunday

  • 10.30 FST bacon butties and bucks fizz (yes you guessed it) back on board HMS Puncher with some rally participants looking the worse for wear from Saturday's gruelling festivities
  • 12.00 FST trophies and plaques hosted by the Calais Yacht Club and City representatives with a kir cocktail and canapés. The LSC Mercer shield is awarded to the owner of the yacht attending the Calais Rally and making the longest non-stop passage in relation to water-line length. The shield this year was presented to the East coast regional co-ordinator of the Royal Navy Sailing Association.

LSC trophy being present at the Calais YC We had been keeping an eye on the weather forecast and debating whether to go back on Sunday afternoon or on Monday afternoon going out on the first bridge opening. The decision was made to leave at 14.00 FST on the Sunday to ensure that we made the most of the SW forecasted before the NE came through.

We were joined in the 'friendly passage race' back by Wight Wizard and Hard Seed with some creative and lively sailing and sail trimming going on. Whilst one of Hard Seed's ploys to distract us was to blast out 'the final countdown' over the waves, whilst taking photos of Mon Amie, we held our position well. Hard Seed hard on the wind

Mon Amie and Hard Seed arrived back in Ramsgate after 6 hours in time for a farewell dinner and glass of wine or beer at the Belgium Bar with Wight Wizard joining us a bit later.

Hard Seed left the next morning to get back to Chatham and Wight Wizard to get back to Ipswitch. Great fun was had by all. See further pictures from the rally here.