Newsletter Santa Irene Club de Vela, Sailrway.com, Sailing Club, Mojacar, Almeria, Spain

I’m writing this on Wednesday the 4th and it’s all a bit late, that’s because I’ve had the dreaded BUG! I’m pleased to say all is well now and I’m looking forward to the Garrucha Regatta on Good Friday and Easter Saturday. It’s the big boys, but we are involved in “Erisana”, Franks 36 footer. I just hope we can get the spinnaker to go up the first time.

I didn’t get near the water, last weekend, but there were 4 Hobie 16’s off the Playa del Cantal and I know they enjoyed their day. The previous weekend, I sailed “Dos Amigos” up to the playa from Garrucha – anchored and put the kettle on – while the Cats sailed around us, Sue and Layo brought us safely back to port in a Force 4. I’m looking forward to some quiet weekends when our sailors can settle down and gain experience.

As the weather warms up perhaps we’ll be seeing some new faces, even the youngsters may want to get involved. If you are a parent, I’ll remind you, we have a family membership, Youth sailing is big in the UK, its big in Club de Mar Almeria, so what’s the problem here? We have little in the way of facilities and that’s not for the want of trying. I’ll be asking a few questions at the forthcoming political meetings. Oh! and I’ve lived long enough to not necessarily believe the answers.

Now how about us lot with the “bus passes” I’ve just been reading about Tony Bullimore at 68 years of age, he’s one tough pensioner – as is his Catamaran, it started life in 1983 as an 80 footer and is now 102ft. at this time he is blasting his way around the World in an attempt to beat Ellen Macarthur’s record of 71 days. The start and finish is Hobart in Tasmania, but requires a loop up around the Azores. “Good Luck” Tony, it’s a 27,000 mile solo jaunt in his 100ft Cat with a 100ft mast. I hope he succeeds, it could be “Round the World in 69 days for a 69 year old”

Another teenager with a passion for sailing is Megan Baker who at 17 sailed her Laser, from Exmouth, Devon to Cherbourg, France. At 04.30hrs on 21st July 05, Megan started from the Fairway Buoy Exmouth and 18hrs later arrived at Cherbourg, just before her 18th Birthday- the distance was 103 miles. But it’s not that simple, these projects require a lot of research, preparation, planning and personal commitment. Congratulations and good luck to them all, I wonder what they’ll be doing in a few years time?

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Would I like to do a long trip? The circumnavigation of the UK would be good, not a solo, but with the “Young Sailor of the Year”, 18 year old Katie Miller who did it in her boat “Elektra” or better still my pin-up of 30 years ago, Clare Francis. She crossed the Atlantic single-handed and was the record holder in a time of 29 days. I met her at the 1977 London Boat Show – where is she now?

I see all the competitors in the Velux 5 Oceans race, have now rounded Cape Horn and are heading North for the finish at Norfolk Virginia, USA. That other bus pass holder, Sir Robin Knox Johnson is stopping off at the port of Ushuaia for a hair cut and a few repairs to his boat “Saga Insurance” The Mojacar Bus Pass holders are fit and well and sailing on Sunday, so come and join us, see you on the slipway at Garrucha or Playa Del Cantal opposite Mr UK at 11am.