First mid-week rally
Commodore’s Midweek sailing gets under way
The Club’s founding fathers had a vision in the 1920s of meeting and sailing together in company. From these early beginnings our members have over many years enjoyed the pleasure of meeting old friends, making new friends and sailing together sometimes to unlikely places.
With thoughts of this concept in mind our new Commodore David Roache decided to launch a series of mid week outings for those few of us with the time and the inclination to meet together from time to time informally in locations around the Solent. It only takes a couple of boats and a few crew to make a rally.
And so with a fair weather forecast and no thoughts of reefing the main David and Tim set off from Southampton after lunch on Wednesday the 14th April to make passage to Cowes and inaugurate a new series of mini cruises in company.
With the breeze freshening Fawley soon fell astern, the Thorn Channel passed by and Ariel was up the Medina River to the walk ashore pontoon at the Folly Inn where she was tied up in bright sunshine but with a keen but cool north easterly breeze.
Soon Arvika ’s LSC burgee was sighted coming up river with Mike at the helm and before long she too was rafted up with the kettle on for tea and cake. To complete the trio Julian and Diana Hansen appeared from their afternoon walk having moored Roshanak earlier on the island pontoon and the party was complete.
A short riverside walk up to Island Harbour Marina was a pleasant option for later in the afternoon. A visit to Island Harbour is an interesting pilotage exercise and an accessible option for a night visit, indeed it was a destination for one of the Club’s rallies last year.
Cocktails on Ariel and dinner at the Folly Inn completed the day’s entertainment and after a good night’s sleep all three crews sailed for home ports in sunny but gusty conditions.
With this first outing successfully completed there is cause to believe that this will become an increasingly popular monthly event where like minded members can meet, share a pint or a glass of wine, a decent meal, good conversation and some relaxed sailing in quiet mid week home waters.