September - December Newsletter

SEPT- DEC 08 NEWSLETTER

ST IVES WEEKEND
Those of us arriving on Friday congregated around the Commodore’s boat and enjoyed a few bevies whilst sitting in the lovely sunshine before heading our separate ways for the evening, some of us ate on board, others tried the new restaurant on the quay while the majority went to the Chinese, there were mixed reports of the food, the consensus being it was better before they began the buffet idea. We finished off the evening in the Ollie Cromwell, which we found out stays open till past midnight on a Friday before heading off for bed. Someone who will remain nameless nearly fell in after missing the edge of the boat and hanging by the canopy rail before hoisting himself back onto the bank.

Saturday morning we awoke to thick fog, which took until nearly lunchtime to clear to another lovely sunny day, by which time everybody had arrived and there were 14 boats moored around the Dolphin. It was lovely to see Bernie and Dee back from their annual trip to Boston and the Witham, they had travelled down from OVRC that morning and Dee said Bernie had to stick his head outside the canopy to see where they were going the fog was so thick.
Janette and John handed out the Treasure hunt questions, which they had taken a lot of time and trouble compiling, and everyone went off to try and suss out the clues, some used it as an excuse to have a pint in nearly every pub they passed, a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

In the evening 42 of us congregated in the bar to hear the results of the quiz which was won by Lorraine and Mark who were presented with a bottle of plonk, well done to them.
We then sat down to dinner in the restaurant after which we adjourned to the bar and rounded off the evening chatting over a few drinks.

Sunday it was quite foggy but luckily it cleared a bit earlier and we launched 13 dinghies and Dave and Di Mole’s electric launch and headed off to the backwaters. We had to go at a steady pace because the rowing club was staging a number of races. It was quite a sight and people on the bank were taking pictures of us as we cruised into the backwaters and spent a pleasant couple of hours exploring. Unfortunately Dave and Di had to be towed back by Colin and Lia because they broke down but everyone else made it back OK and surprisingly dry this year. We stopped off at Floods tavern for a spot of lunch, which was very pleasant before drifting away back to our respective marinas.

A good time was had by all and for once the weather was excellent.
LAYING UP SUPPER – SLEPE HALL
There were a good number of us staying on our boats on the Saturday evening, so after donning our finery we all met up in the Pike for a drink at 6.15 before boarding the 3 mini buses used to transport us to Slepe hall. Over 80 people attended, members and guests, along with the Commodores and their ladies from CMBC and UBC.
There was time for a drink and a chat with old friends before being called to our tables. Thanks to Dorothy Goodhew who said grace and then the excellent meal was served. Thankfully the staffing problems appeared to be sorted out and the service was slightly speedier than last year.
John our Commodore thanked everyone for attending and said he hoped we would enjoy the rest of the evening. Alan Taylor from Cambridge Motor Boat club, who also belongs to PEBC added his thanks and said how lovely it was to see so many members there.

We then began the dancing before the raffle was called, there were lots of prizes and I think some were luckier than others, going home with a carrier bag full. Peter organized the Roll a pound which was won by Mike Webber and Lia kindly sold the lottery bonus ball numbers. More dancing ensued with ‘Delilah being played more than once and sadly the evening sped by all too quickly. The transport arrived to ferry us back to the Pike and while some headed for bed, a few of us congregated in the Chalet bar for more drinks and a sing song, the perfect way to end a very enjoyable evening.


FIREWORK PARTY
In recent years the weather for our last outdoor event of the season has been very kind to us, cold but dry, this year was to prove an exception. Saturday stayed dry all day although the sky looked very grey at times we thought we would get away with it, but by 4 o’clock it had begun to spit with rain which steadily got worse and worse and by 7 when the proceedings were to begin, it was really bucketing down.

The Pike members are a hardy bunch and don’t let a bit of rain deter them from enjoying themselves and we were delighted that over 50 members turned out on such a horrid evening to support us. Thank goodness for the chalet bar, which was lovely and warm and dry, and the Gazebo, which had been erected over the BBQ. Andy Purvis and Bob Wasiewicz did a grand job cooking the burgers and sausages and Dianne provided the tasty soup. Lynton had also made some Gluhwein, which went down very well.

Mike Webber and Colin Worthington Ellis did an excellent job letting off all the fireworks and by the time they had finished had to go and change ALL their clothes, Mike had to borrow a pair of Colin’s jeans as his were so wet, good job they are almost the same size.

We had a roll a pound at the bottle, which was won by myself, and a new game, which involved the ladies clenching a pound coin between their buttocks and dropping it into a paper cup, easier said than done. It was quite hilarious and was won by Julie Webber.
Dianne Mead was in luck tonight as she won the Bonus ball.

A big thank you to everyone for supporting the event and making it another fun evening.

AGM
The AGM was held at Olivers lodge in St Ives this year and we were made to feel very welcome. It was a good turnout and lovely to see so many of you there, after the normal proceedings we had an excellent three course lunch which was surprisingly good considering the price. Peter was elected our new Commodore with Julie Webber as his Vice; John becomes rear Commodore and will carry on as treasurer. John Bevan has stepped down from the committee after many years of excellent service and we are very pleased to welcome David Lindley onto the team, all other committee members remain the same.(See attachment). The Charlie belt was presented to Mike Webber, who had retained it from last year after managing to drop his new car keys in the river.
Mark Day presented the Presidents cup to John and Janette Coulson for all their commitment and hard work, it was a very popular decision and received a sustained round of applause.
Peter then presented Janette with a beautiful bouquet of flowers, and John with a bottle and a lovely engraved tankard.

Taste of the Thames
Lynda and David Fensome took their boat Lady Lynda to the Thames for a few months this year, they have written a very interesting article, which many of you may find helpful if you are contemplating doing the same in future.

Having spent a most enjoyable weekend on the Thames with friends on their boat last year we decided to take the plunge and do the same ourselves. As we had neither the courage nor experience to attempt costal navigation we decided to have our RLM lifted out by Westview Marina and transported overland by Beverley Transport to Bushnall’s Marina at Wargrave. Our 12-week cruise of discovery had begun………

We decided to follow the low loader for the journey, a strange experience following your boat along the M25, we arrived safely and whilst the weather was cloudy and rain looked a possibility, we re-erected the canopy and filled the water tanks before heading
for Henley on Thames just four miles downstream. As we approached Marsh lock, our first lock on the river the heavens opened and we had a mini rain and sleet storm soaking us both, ‘Sods law’ therefore operates on the Thames just as it does on the Ouse. Thankfully all of the locks are manned (apart from lunch time when they are left in ‘public mode’) and most of the lock keepers are more than happy to take your ropes and give tips and advice about the local area, some even have ‘tea gardens’, sell plants or even sell a small selection of souvenirs. Many of the locks also have overnight visitors moorings.

Having spent a couple of nights on Henley reach (£6.00 per night) which was an ideal location to explore Henley we made our way upstream to our pre booked, temporary mooring at Benson. The logistics of retrieving the car was made extremely easy by Thames Travel (The local bus service). Being based at Benson was an excellent location for cruising upstream to towns such as Abingdon similar to St Ives, and the elegant city of Oxford, then through the very rural stretch towards Lechlade, the head of navigation. Heading downstream, towns such as Wallingford, Goring, and Pangbourne that nestle in the Chiltern Hills, offer good amenities, including free moorings and a good selection of watering holes. As we passed through the beautiful beech wood valleys that are characteristic of this stretch of the river it was a stark contrast to approach the Reading Caversham conurbation and it’s urban landscape. However it has a redeeming feature in as much as Tesco have a superstore on the riverbank and is therefore ideal for re-victualing.
Beyond Reading the river rapidly regains its rural aspect and small villages and towns such as Henley, Marlow, Bourne End and Cookham offer ideal overnight moorings. As you pass through Boulters Lock approaching Maidenhead and Bray you may consider that you detect subtle changes in the river and the mansions that line the banks tell you of the affluence of the area. The river remains very picturesque and it is a thrill to round a bend at Windsor in your own boat and see Windsor Castle appear on your starboard bow. Leaving the town of Windsor the river winds its way through places such as Egham, Chertsey and Weybridge, which begin to have the feel of the outer London suburbs. Shepperton was the limit of our downstream cruise and we had to allow time for our return trip to Benson.
Our estimated distance travelled during the twelve-week voyage was 350 miles. The basic costs of the sub-contracted elements are as follows. Lifts out/in and road transport for the whole trip was £1,500. The Thames experience certainly adds a further dimension to your cruising particularly if you undertake it on your own craft. Should any club member be contemplating such a trip either Lynda or David would be happy to answer any questions.
Tel 01582 881501

THANK YOU
The committee would like to thank Di Mole for recruiting so many new members this year from Jones Marina in St Ives; we hope you all continue to enjoy the events we have planned for next year.

BOAT SHOW
Andy Purvis can get boat show tickets for £10; please contact him if you are interested.

CHRISTMAS DRINKS
Why not come along to the Xmas drinks next weekend 14th December from Midday at the Pike and Eel, there will be a free drink and raffle and it is the ideal opportunity to meet up with friends and exchange those Christmas cards.

HOLIDAY IN HOLLAND
Long standing members of the club Paul and Carol Branson are thinking of buying a 42-foot catamaran with a beam of 21’ 10 and chartering it in Holland next year. It has two en suite cabins for guests, one double and one twin, and is fully powered, no sails. If anyone would like a fully skippered (by Paul) and catered (by Carol) holiday exploring some of the lovely towns and villages in Holland, they would love some feedback from you.
You can contact them by email at paulbranson@lineone.net

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS SHOWN US SUCH PHENOMENAL SUPPORT OVER THE PAST YEAR. ON BEHALF OF THE COMMITTEE MAY WE TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WISH YOU ALL A HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND A HEALTHY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR.