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Santa Irene Club de Vela Newsletter - 5th August 2007
“Another great day in the office”. Sunday 5th August on the Playa Del Cantal, there were seven Cats on the water at one time. Our 4 Hobies, with Vic, Jim and Sheryl, Peter, Graham and Ken, plus 3 visitors. The weather was ideal for relaxed sailing. Off the slipway in Garrucha was the Laser 4000, Wayfarer, our R.I.B. with Chris and Marrianne, the Drascombe “Dos Amigos” with me, David of “Flying Fifteen” fame and Vincent, plus the two lads.
The Sunday before that, the rolling swell was not good for launching from the Playa but the lads and lasses enjoyed a nice social day, with a game of boules and a BBQ. Yes! The lads will light the BBQ at the drop of a Spinnaker, you should drop by for a chat.
No problem for us launching in Garrucha, so out went the R.I.B. Wayfarer, Drascombe, Laser 4000 and Layo in his Laser. Layo is now away sailng in Portugal.
Usually I am in the UK visiting clubs in the English Midlands and the South Coast, oh! And last year Baltimore in Southern Ireland with our friend Dermot. No plans to go travelling this year, so you will find me on the Garrucha slip, Sundays 10.30 to 11am mas y menos.
I´ve just looked at the date – it´s the 8th of August, what´s significant about the date? Next year 2008, it´s the start of the Beijing Olympics. Many of the sailors are unhappy with the venue for sailing, where the winds are normally light, “too light” – many of the sailors are saying – we´ll just have to wait and see.
Weymouth and Portland is the venue for our 2012 Olympics. Recently the Laser SB3, its an 18ft sports boat and goes like a rocket in a good breeze, with four up, (that´s at my weight not Vic and Frank) held their European Championships at Weymouth and Portland. Imagine eighty SB3´s in a breeze of 15-20 knots add to that the waves and you get some wild down wind sleigh-rides. Paul would love it except there is no trapeze and no sitting out – only sitting “on” the side deck. I think I would love it with a wind speed of 12-15 knots and Vic and Frank to hold it upright. The all girl crew sailing “Team Maclaren” finished 9th with a lot of big names behind them. The winner was Geoff Corveth with Sarah Allen one of the crew of four. There is a weight limit.
At last! It looks as though work is starting on the Garrucha harbour extension, the completion date is 2009 – well they were saying that at the Barcelona Boat Show in November last year.
If you take a trip out to Palomares Playa you will see the start of a new break-water. We will talk to Cueves or the Ministerio de Ambiente to learn more – could be interesting for us.
The 15th of August is a national holiday – that´s today Wednesday. The big boys of Garrucha will be having a regatta, if you saw them out last Sunday, it was their race to Macenas, with cruiser´s from other clubs taking part. I will have the results next time.
Salvador and the 8 year old twins, Pablo y Miguel arrive to stay with me soon. They sail an Optimist together, so look out for them on the water.
Remember – come and talk to us, I bet you never thought “one day I could be sailing on the Mediterranean”, well it´s possible now!
Take care
John Talliss
Tel : 950 475 157
Movil: 658 548 790
E-mail John@Sailrway.com
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