The forecast was for an early calm and then increasing winds through the
day. The Gordon corner is a good place not to be in a small boat in
increasing winds, so a rise before dawn was called for, with only a
small expectation that it would be achieved. However Julian
Robertson's singing has apparently been used to rouse generations of
camping school children from their slumbers, and it certainly did the
trick for us. Tents were packed, breakfast eaten and boats rigged and
departing by 7.30am. And, as with yesterday, the forecast proved
accurate, with only the lightest of airs to start with, but the with the
more adventurous sailors surfing downwind by mid afternoon when they
arrived in Kettering. We onshore had to leap to our stations when John
Walduck came hurtling into dock hours ahead of schedule, did a couple of
wheelies, threatened to mow down a catamaran before deciding it was too
big, and eventually got his mainsail down so that we could get him
berthed. And this was in a Grebe! The rest of the pack soon followed,
and are now safely nestled in the Kettering marina, overlooked by we
happy campers (see pic below). |
Tawe Nunnugah 2014 > TN14 News >