East Cowes Marina

Sat 1st Oct 2011

For a change we had a pleasant surprise with the weather. There was a tangible steady build up to the weekend with temperatures rising and that special sense of anticipation not known since early summer. The possibility of an impromptu race had been touted for a few weeks and finally it looked as though we might be able to do something. The wind forecast for Saturday was for a light southerly.

Sea Lady set of from Littlehampton at 14.00 and we sailed for a couple of hours before the evening wind fell. We motored the rest of the way to Cowes arriving late evening.

Saturday. The crew of Red Seal, Rascal and Miss Fidget and me met to consider a suitable race course. Originally I had penned a blast to No Mans Land Fort, Bemberidge Tide Guage and back across Ryde Sands (as a kind of game of 'dare' to see who might cut the shortest cut). Anyway, there wasn't enough wind to allow the racers to get that far out. Instead we settled for Seafarers Ale buoy, Gilkicker Point, Peel Buoy and back to Seafarers.

The race stated promptly at 11 am. Sea Lady was the Committee boat. All yachts were of the same class - Super Seal 26s.

The final results were: Rascal (Phillip Linsell) first followed by Red Seal and Miss Fidget in a closley fought contest.

That evening the marina filled up rapidly with both PSSA yachts and many others. It seemed that everyone in the Solent with a yacht had taken advantage of the weather. Rally attendance was one of the highest for the year: Sea Lady, Angelica, Ariel, Red Seal, Stampede, Harlequin, Can-y-Mor, Rascal, Juliska, Penlu, Karenza, Mystique, Miss Fidget, Jans Express

That evening most of us trooped off to West Cowes and Manuel's Restaurant in Shepherds Wharf. All in all, a good end to the season.

David Bamber Sea Lady