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Santa Irene Club de Vela Newsletter - 22nd August 2007
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the wild sleigh rides the SB3 sports boats had at Weymouth and Portland in 20 knots of winds. Well on the 15th August the Regatta out of Garrucha with 25 cruisers from Garrucha, Aguilas, Mazarron and Cartegena had much more fun – if you can call it that!
I popped my head out of the harbour just after noon in the Drascombe – Dos Amigos, the race had started, it was blowing F3 to F4 about 12 knots and increasing, the forecast was F5 from the South. I wanted to stay dry so it was time to return to my berth in Garrucha and put the kettle on.
Later I saw some of the 40 footers returning from Macenas with Spinnakers flying the smaller yachts trying to make their way to the windward mark at Macenas and having a hard time of it. Of the 25 yachts that started I believe there were 12 retirements. Speaking to Miguel later, the family were sailing their Beneteau First 40.7 he told me some of the gusts of wind were 37 knots, that’s Gale F8 and at one time the boat recorded a speed of 30 knots. I guess that was surfing down the waves on their way back from Macenas.
The overall results from the two day event , in group 1, the big boats. 1st Jose Baños from Aguilas, 2nd Miguel and family, our local chemist. 3rd Juan Garcia from Aguilas and 4th, Enrique Aguirre, our local Builders Merchant. I´m sure the 15th of August will be remembered by most of those sailors taking part for a long time!
After all that, I had a very happy week with Salvador and the eight year old twins Miquel and Pablo from Barcelona. Not exactly tranquil, but what can you expect from two excited twins who just want to get sailing. I was under the impression they had been in an Optimist before, but no ! They knew nothing about sailing a dinghy. We collected one of my Oppies from Victor, and on the patio rigged and derigged it a couple of times – naming the parts and did a bit of dry land sailing. I was tempted to put it in the swimming pool, its only 7¨6, but this month its being used most of the time. Next day down to Garrucha, first I was out with Miquel then Salvador with Pablo. I still can´t figure out how Salvador fitted into the back end of an Oppie, he sat with his feet over the side. The day after we were told we should not sail in the harbour. Well we didn’t intend to, the twins knew enough to go out in the open water so off we went with the R.I.B and our “Oppie”. Miquel and Pablo took turns in the Oppie while we cruised around just a few metres away, with plenty of sea room. The weather was kind to us, although it would have been nice to have flat water on the day. At the end of the week we had two little sailors. When they were not sailing, they were being towed around in the Doughnut by the R.I.B having fun. Friday was a photo session on the water, Houri was with us, she had been at home most of the week preparing food for the happy sailors. It was a good week for me, seeing on of the “Oppies” being used and 8 year olds sailing.
Lots more to tell you but I´m running out of space and time.
Take care
John Talliss
Tel : 950 475 157
Movil: 658 548 790
E-mail John@Sailrway.com
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