S.O.I.A. Anglia Group newsletter - April 2002

Dear April Tars, (to rhyme with showers, loosely)

I arrived home after a gruelling day at work last week to hear the phone trilling away - it was Brian, calling from the middle of Lake Windermere. How did he wangle this? Well, he managed to persuade his brother Graham that his life would never be complete until he had his own Silhouette.

Next he tracked down an available boat - SII Smokey, owned by Alf Baldwin but lately displaced by an SIII (down-grading if you ask me...), and on his way up north on a painting visit to our Eventide "Avocet" he collected Smokey from Nottingham and delivered her to Lytham St Anne's. Finally he had to show Graham the ropes (literally), and where better than Windermere, an hour's drive up the road. Is this fair? I had to be content with hearing their exclamations of delight down the phone... Whilst there they met up with Ken Hooson and Roy Watson of the north-west group, who sail there regularly and are hosting the Windermere Rally in May.

AT THE MEETING on the thirteenth of April we discussed the possibilities for the meeting on the Orwell. Mike Atkins had launched his Silhouette for the first time that day and was sleeping on board. Brian Simpson was also sleeping on board but on a friend's large, luxurious yacht. Tee-Jar will be sulking again... Len Dee brought some photos of his Hurley 22 hull, and the catamaran rig he is hoping to adapt to it. I do remember talking about using pressure cookers on boats - very useful, but ours won't fit on our stove, and um - well, we talked solidly for three and a half hours so something meaningful must have got said. (Or not...)

( Roy Sporne rang to warn me of the imminent arrival of his latest literary offering. Watch this space!

N Orwell and Stour, May 3,4,5,6th.

Friday: Levington Marina, launch and spend the night, supping at the Ship Inn, or the yacht club (some people haven't forgotten a certain memorable barmaid from last year....)

Saturday: Cruise down the Orwell and up the Stour. Stop for the night at Manningtree, eat anywhere, drink in the Yacht Club, where our own Brian Bateman is the social secretary - we can bring takeaways into the club if we wish. He has also given Brian advice on mooring up for the night. Sunday and Monday we can plan on the hoof as it were. Anyone in the area but not sailing could join us in the yacht club on Saturday evening.

TIDES: High Water Harwich, Friday 1704 BST, Saturday 1755 BST. Nearly neaps. Add about 10 minutes for Levington and half an hour for Manningtree.

Any more details required, give Brian or I a ring. (I shall be bringing my hot-water-bottle.)

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Tar: informal C17th name for sailor, short for tarpaulin, also a colloquial term for a sailor, called after his broad brimmed hat, made out of tarred canvas. (Tar, + pauling = covering)

Tartar: 1) a fearsome or formidable person. 2) affectionate term used by wife to describe husband when on board.

E-Mails from Fe-males:

Dear Elizabeth,

I have hesitated to send you a report of an incident that happened to us on Calypso Lady on Friday, 20 July last year, because the pictures that my brother took in the fading light didn’t come out with sufficient contrast and you might think it was a figment of our imagination. However, it did happen and maybe, on reading this, others may say they have had the same experience

(Just to clarify who is who: "We" are me, Betty Tommey, John and Brenda Hale, my brother and sister-in-law, who at different times owned two wooden Silhouettes, and Nick Hale, their consultant engineer son and the best sailor of us all. Nick was sailing at the age of about 4 and was an Optimist national team member at some time in his early youth. Calypso Lady is a 26 foot Evolution. I sail with them because I sold our boat when my husband died. We used to sail in tandem with Calypso Lady which was great. Anyway, I’m glad still to be able to sail on the familiar and unpredictable East Anglian waters.)

We hope for better shipping forecasts this year but will enjoy whatever comes.

Happy sailing, as ever, Betty Tommey

Click here for Betty's story: Stories of Sails and Seals

J Sailing dates:

Anglia Group Spring meeting on the Orwell and Stour from the 3rd to 6th of May. Details above.

Windermere Rally : 10 - 17th May (North-West Group)

Holland cruise: 3rd June - 16th June. Details: Bob Legg, 01394 283150 (Anglia Group)

Isle of Man: 4 - 12th June (North-West Group)

Rutland Water International Paints Trophy Rally : 21,22,23rd June (East Midlands Group)

Brightlingsea Meeting: 12,13,14th July (Anglia Group)

Plymouth Ruby National Rally : 17 - 23 August. (South-West Group)

Anglia Group Broads cruise - probably 14/15th September.

OTHE NEXT MEETING will be on May 11th at the Orwell Yacht Club, Wherstead Road, Ipswich, at 8.00 pm.

INCLUDED: Intriguing happenings on the Orwell, as recounted by Betty Tommey. Coming next month, more Sporne!

Last Gasp. I heard the cuckoo last week and it brought to mind the ancient proverb: 'When the cuckoo's about, the Silhouette comes out.' - so hope to see several on the Orwell at the weekend. (Silhouettes, that is - but cuckoos welcome too.)

So long,

Elizabeth Letzer, April 2002