Windermere 12th - 13th April

What a splendid collection of boats we had at this meet. Eleven all told including Joan and Tony Abrams in Mayfly Hwilpe, Albert and Joyce Hattersley’s Falmouth Bass Boat, Sheila Howell’s Lune Pilot, Dick Morris and Percy Jackson with a Glen 14, David Chatterley and Gerald Harrison in the lovely double-ender Iona, Bernard Harmon, Phil Davies and Eric Scholes in Sussex Cob Jay, Peter Filshie in his Drascombe Coaster, Colin McClellan in a GP14, Tim Evans and friend Richard in a Mirror, Ann and Dave Morton in their Wayfarer Restless and Tony Nield and me in West Wight Potter Water Mouse.

I don’t know what Tony and I did wrong, we were the only ones sleeping afloat. People were dashing off to caravans, bed and breakfast and motor homes. Perhaps it was because it was so bloody… cold. Friday there was a brisk onshore breeze blowing when I and David Chatterley arrived. The wind died later and did not really return for the rest of the weekend. Saturday dawned with a white coating of frost over the boat; warmed up later and was an excellently social day with boats drifting around going nowhere, but pleasantly. The fleet met up in the Brathay River for lunch then some of us explored up to the limit of river navigation. Sunday more of the same.

Just one slightly off-note. Justin Marsh the National Trust warden, who has been a good friend to us, said that one member had informed an assistant warden that a fee was not required as he, or she, was DCA. It is true that the National Trust do not charge for launching engineless craft, but it is a camp site and not a public launching site. We do not make a group booking, how can we as we never know how many members are going to turn up and whether they are camping etc. May I suggest for the future that if you are leaving a car on the site and/or are using the facilities that you contact a warden if possible and offer to pay.