Activities

25th February 2012 - Quiz night at Stubbers in the hall next to the changing rooms block. Start time 7.30pm for 8pm, ticket prices £10 with food, £5 without. Bring your own drinks. Send a stamped self addressed envelope with a cheque made out to the club to Stephen Iles at 8, Woodward Heights, Grays, Essex RM17 5RR

3rd March 2012 - AGM at Stubbers. 4pm

16th June - Marathon, followed by barbqueue

6th October - Regatta

Round Mersea Island Race 2011

Well here it is. Mersea Week. Havering Sailing Club Sailors ready for the annual 'Pilgrimage' for The Round Island Race.

Our start time was 1-15pm with high tide at 3-15pm but Mark requiring his obligatory bacon butty before being able to function. We left home at 8-30 am arriving at the slipway by 9-30am some two and half hours before our start ! Bob, June and Peter appeared after their full English at their accommodation and we started rigging the boat in very light wind. We then all departed to the café for more bacon rolls and tea to watch the early starters trying to get across the start line.

Eventually it was the turn of the 'intrepid Enterprise'. The wind by this time was virtually non-existent, with the tide stronger then the wind and we had to paddle out to the start line. Patchy wind started to fill in and we made the start line in time, picking our way through the moored boats and searching for the wind.

We had chosen to go to Port around the Island, the light wind was from the north east which resulted in us having some long tacks up the outside of the island. Progress was agonisingly slow and hard, but we were out pacing the other boats around us. We got half way up the Island when we were joined by Ken, Dennis and Peter Radcliff in the rescue boat, the sea state was surprising rough considering the light wind. As we approached the top of the island (near to the park), we were confronted by a flotilla of stationary boats. What little wind there was up to that point had dropped completely and we were forced to wait it out with the others for about 10 minutes before the light wind filled in again.

As we rounded the top of the Island we started to pick up some wind but it was short lived and Mark and I were getting increasingly worried that we would not reach the causeway as the tide had begun to turn against us, but with the little wind there was, we battled on nonetheless. It was not to be, as we came in sight of the causeway we were turned back by a rescue boat – game over for another year !

This was by no means the end of this little episode, as we still had to get back with no wind! We were picked up by a rib and transferred to a yacht called “Tiller Girl” with a very good hearted captain who provided us with a beer as we were being towed, but what goes in must come out and Mark almost at bursting point had to relive himself over the back of the boat while being towed, much to the amusement of the captain, we arrived back at the club house at 7pm just before dark.

Although very disappointed that we did not make it round this year, we did have a great day out. Mark and I would like to thank our backup team Bob, June and Peter for their, as always unfailing support, without them, our attempt at rounding the Island would not have even been possible at all.

Report by John Pledger

Club Walk 12th February 2011

We thought our usual and now expected good weather had deserted us this year as we left home in rain, but low and behold it was dry, although grey when we started the walk from the “Green Man” at Bradwell Waterside and eventually the sun shone through around midday.

Visiting first the marina which Sean Connery, Bobby Moore and Roger Moore had a hand in turning into a business in the 1960’s, we proceeded across farmland to the war memorial, beside the disused airfield, which is in the form of a Mosquito Aircraft appearing to plunge into the ground and is a poignant reminder of the 121 named aircrew who never returned from operations during World War Two.

After continuing into the centre of Bradwell-on-Sea village, we joined the Roman road to reach the Chapel of St. Peter’s on the Wall, being the oldest church still in use in England and built by the missionary St. Cedd in A.D.654 on the foundations of a Roman Fort. Two minutes silence was observed here in memory of Peter Morton our Bosun and acting Commodore who died on 31st January and who’s funeral was the day before the walk.

Having reached the sea wall again it was a matter of following it back past the religious community of Othona, the north side of the airfield and the de-commissioned nuclear Power Station, with excellent views of the Blackwater estuary to reach the “Green Man”.

On approaching the airfield unfortunately Peter Banfields’ undercarriage collapsed, but he landed safely in the mud with only his pride dented.

Our thanks to John & Sylvia Slater who acted as back markers, saw us out and counted all of us back in. It was rumoured that they used their dog to round up stragglers, but I did not notice.

Summing up I think the 26 members, spouses, friends and dog enjoyed the walk. We were joined by 2 others for the late lunch in the pub, who provided excellent food and service as well as parking and toilet facilities.

Report by June Hutson