The pictures tell it all. Photo Robert Bateman
Your Photographer and Scribe were like The Butcher, The Baker and The Candlestick Maker this morning as the call of the breeze, sun and sea was too much for us after all the rotten weather we had endured for the season. Off we set to see what graceful beauties we would find preparing for the start of racing on Monday the first competitive day of Cork Week but, before we reached the boat the first people we met were the crew of Tokoloshe, South African Mike Bartholomew’s Mills 40 from the South of England, who were in sparkling good humour with the fantastic conditions. The warmth of the sun was such a novelty and good humour was breaking out all over the different types of craft we met on our merry way.
The first boat we met was the Sea Safari RIB filled with people who had decided to take one of the high speed RIB rides around the harbour and what a wonderful time they were having with their skilled driver Alan Venner. Mothers, fathers and little children with their faces painted all having a wonderful trip.
We were on a hunt to see what boats we might be lucky enough to catch having a look at local conditions and and didn’t return empty handed. First we found Jamie McWilliam and Partners in their Peninsula Signal 8 one of the new Ker 40s and it was interesting to see her being sailed with a tiller. Then we came across a beautiful red Corby 36 owned by Richard Goransson and called Inga from Sweden. Next we found a boat with the fascinating name of Great Escape from Southampton owned by Phil Munday a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 52.2 and before succumbing to the hunger pangs we came across Andrew Byham’s First 40 Lancelot 11. Of course the local boats were out surveying the conditions as well and two of these we found were Jelly Baby and Indulgence. We then retired to the absolute joy of Ringabella Bay and once more having the hot sun to enjoy a picnic. This has now become such a rarity.
We then decided to return to the Club to see how things were going for the All Aboard weekend and found the place filled with people all having a wonderful time and a superb atmosphere the like of which hasn’t been seen for a long time due to the lack of fine weather. We watched a crew heading out in one of the dragon boats, we watched a spinnaker packing competition, we saw Under the Sea Marquee and the train leaving for Fort Camden and last but not least one pirate lady who shall be nameless and who had sore feet from standing supervising the walk the Plank competition.
All in all a wonderfully successful day and the expectation of another one to come tomorrow before getting down to the serious business of competitive yacht racing on Monday (9th).
We hope everybody will enjoy a wonderful week.
Picures HERE
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