Sponsored by Morgan Carey  

22nd-25th August 2008

 

WOW! What a great weekend!!!! It really reminded me why we had joined PYRA, good sailing, excellent company, great social event, lots of laughs and even the weather wasn’t bad! (well compared to the rest of August!)

 

Changing the start time was always going to be a contentious issue and not going to suit everybody, but I feel that the committee took the view of the majority and it paid off with around a dozen boats on the start line plus several who either made the trip over early or arrived on the Saturday, so St. Vaast was knee deep in PYRA flags.

 

All those who made the 10:00 start (and those who were late due to finding the in-coming tide up Poole Harbour rather stronger than their engines could cope with!) enjoyed the run down to Poole Head and then came the spinnaker run we hoped for, all the way to France we thought! But no! Two hours in and we are still sat in Poole Bay with our kite barely filling and our ETA looking something like a week next Wednesday before we would make St. Vaast. As boats started to retire and the crew on Quadrophenia started to panic that we wouldn’t make it in through the gate and would end up anchoring off (obviously in a horrible swell with the wind blowing from the east at gale force 8! It’s amazing how your imagination can run riot !!) we to decided that enough was enough and radioed Ken and switched on the engine. Of course as soon as the engine had been on ½ an hour the wind came up and we were kicking ourselves, but that’s life in the PYRA fleet!

 

The trip over was uneventful, though Clive says we had to duck a large tanker mid-channel, I was having a little siesta so unable to confirm (I can sleep through anything!!) Our only problem was our low battery power which meant that the yeoman kept cutting out and forcing me to plot our course from the GPS (slow and laborious in those seas off Barfleur!) Getting into St. Vaast for the first time, in the dark, with no chart plotter, and a hysterical wife is no mean feat either (ask Clive!) We did however make it at 01:00 or there about to find most of the fleet already in and settled for the night. All I wanted to do was go to bed!!

 

Saturday was dry and the market was in full flow by the time we got up. We didn’t actually see much of the market as by the time we had breakfast, showered and wandered over it was packing up! But those who did experience it said it was wonderful. Clive is always pleased to go into town in France once the shops are shut for the afternoon! Whilst ashore we met some of Ken’s “Shore Team” wife’s of the crew who had come over on the Ferry and were staying in hotel rooms in St. Vaast (I would love to experience sailing this way!)

 

After a light lunch on board and a rest after all our hard work the day before, we joined all the crews on the green area beside the marina for the traditional round of “Morgan-Carey Boules”! As tradition dictates Quadrophenia was out in the first round, but we felt vindicated by the fact that our opponents Solent Dream went onto the final against Zorra. Mark Carey and his Zorra crew eventually took the honours (does this strike of nepotism!) the Boules competition ran virtually seamlessly into our evening entertainment, drinks (supplied by Morgan-Carey) and a lovely meal at a local restaurant organized by Ken and Co.

 

There was much toasting of our Olympic sailors and prizes were awarded to those who had actually completed the race over. For some reason known only to himself Ken was determined to re christen Vertigo “Verity” despite them all wearing crew shirts with the name emblazoned on them! There was much shouting and thrusting of breasts (to display their name of course)  but Ken was having none of it and went on to call them “Verity” for the rest of the evening. We can only assume it was a combination of Vertigo, Deity, excitement (at beating Zorra by an Nth of a second, more nepotism!) and several bottles of wine!! Vertigo will of course be getting new shirts made! Ken’s organizational skills even extended to arranging a firework display in the harbour after the meal!

 

Sunday broke rather damp and drizzly but gave us the excuse to remain in bed for a bit longer without feeling guilty. A French Car Boot sale was in progress by the time we got up and we had a wander through the town running into a number of different crews all with their own agendas, some to buy wine, others such as Parallel Universes Crew to take in the sites. They hired bikes and set off in the rain to Barfleur Light house where The 2 Johns fought off their fear of heights to join Matt at the top and watch the yachts head off across the Chanel. Most of us spent it quietly and after an afternoon resting in the sun either ate on board or went ashore and turned in for an early night.

 

With a 06:00 start time we had to be up before 05:00 and even then seemed to be one of the last out of the gate! How do we do that? Ken once again took the role of committee  boat and gave us a detailed start with wonderful sound signals on count down until the actual start, when his horn failed!! (it happens to every one at some time in their lives I am lead to believe!!) The crossing back was unbelievably fast with our finish time being under 10 hours (obviously some did it faster!) However some casualties occurred along the way with Resume losing their mast AGAIN!! Juno stood by and the lifeboat assisted them into the Haven. Never a dull moment in PYRA!!

 

The upshot was a thoroughly well organized, enjoyable weekend for which I am sure we all thank Ken and his “Shore Team” for organizing. All I can say to round it off is “Parp Parp” hope you get your horn fixed Ken!!

 

 

Results

One crew's day tripping to Barfleur!






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