Windermere 24th-26 March

Attending: Keith Jones - West Wight Potter Kaipara Brian McClellan - West Wight Potter Water Mouse Brian Swindlehurst - Cornish Coble Avocet Roger Barnes & Helen - Tideway Baggywrinkle David Chatterley - Canadian canoe Percy Jackson - Sussex Cob John Mayes, Eric Scholes & Tim Evans - the assorted motley crew of Sussex Cob Colin Bell - Cornish Cormorant Edwin Dewhirst - Small sailing dinghy David & Anne Morton & Tony Nield - Wayfarer Restless Two other members - Farthing

FRIDAY — Brian Swindlehurst and I arrived together with Keith Jones close behind us. The weather had deteriorated as we drove north and it was a miserable wet afternoon. Brian and I launched our boats, Keith rigged his and elected to launch Saturday morning. The Sussex Cob team arrived but only to leave boat before heading for the comforts of a caravan. A nasty evening. We retired to the pub for dinner and a warm up.

Up in the night as the wind shifted and made my anchorage uncomfortable.

SATURDAY — After breakfast Keith launched and Tim Evans arrived; he had arranged to sail with Percy Jackson, John Mayes and Eric Scholes in the Sussex Cob. We explored Pull Wyke and had pleasant sailing at the north end of the lake as more members arrived. We couldn’t help noticing a thundering great power boat roaring purposefully about. We had not quite made up our minds where to stop for lunch when the matter was taken out of our hands. We were asked, most politely, by some chaps in a RIB if we would mind clearing the centre of the lake as the power boat we had seen earlier was about to attempt a measured mile world record — which one I haven’t a clue! So we anchored, watched the attempt and had lunch. With three boats to my anchor and a stiffish breeze we were dragging. Nobody bothered until the rocks were five yards distant, well we had finished lunch anyway. The very pretty Farthing came in but unfortunately I did not get the names of the two crew. If you read this sirs will you identify yourselves. Up and away with a fleet dash down south to Bowness. If we had been racing, Edwin Dewhirst would have won on handicap. He drove his boat pretty hard but, I understand, paid for it later when a shroud parted and he joined Colin in the Cormorant. We had a grand sail back up the lake, passing Restless with Dave, Anne and Tony on their way south. Keith, Roger, Helen and myself moored up in the Brathay for the night. We had just put our boom tents up when we were hit by violent gusts of wind. We heard later in the pub, that Restless was just about to land when the gusts hit her and dropped her onto a rock putting a hole in the hull. Dave said she could be mended. The pub time was gainfully used poring over charts for the River Fal meet. Kath was most relieved to find out that Keith appears to have planned a sort of nautical pub crawl, sailing is quite growing on her. It was a wet night.

SUNDAY — A dismal day. A potter around and then pulling out by lunch time. Brian Swindlehurst and I found a new spectator sport watching Keith, at his insistence, pull his WW Potter out on his own. We then had a go moving the rock Dave had bounced on, without success.

An excellent first meet of the season and our thanks to the National Trust warden who allowed us to launch before the camp site was open for the season.