Pirates of Polkerris…
When the Caribbean comes calling and the bay becomes balmy and beautiful, getting out on the water feels utterly irresistible. Last Wednesday evening, completely becalmed by the stillness of the heatwave, but unable to suppress the lure of the water, a band of disappointed sailors found the perfect solution to their windless woes – a Club Night Out! And so it was that Polkerris, or more truthfully the Rashleigh, began to whisper our names from across the water. It didn’t take much time to scramble Don Kioti and deliver all 3 RIBs down the slipway and into the water. Well, what with a Nationals looming, it seemed only logical that the RIBs had a test run prior to their important safety role in September …..
Bruce, being Bruce, decided to eschew a lift across the bay and join the fifteen sailors by paddling over on his SUP, and as the merry band set off East, sporting shorts, shades and massive grins, the setting sun began to glance off the glassy surface and set the water on fire. It was stunning. The warmth hanging in the air felt like we were in another country and most of us spent a quiet five reflecting on just quite how lucky we are to live here. This bay, this county, this scenery. Unbeatable.
Arriving at Polkerris, all the sailors were delivered to shore and dispatched to the bar, while one nutcase offered to park each of the RIBs just off the beach and swim back each time. Why not? The water was almost warm and the conditions nothing short of perfect. Finding a space just under the wall of the Rash, it was towels out, drinks up and shoulders down. And so we sat and laughed and chatted and laughed some more. We shared stories and flexed our yoga skills (or not), drank cold beer and felt alive.
Being sensible sailors, we sent Bruce out to bring the RIBs back to the beach (or did he offer? I can’t remember….) and we all departed Polkerris with a little light left in the sky. Within minutes of the 3 boats leaving, all had stopped to stare at Gribben Head. Just peeking over the top of the headland was a huge glowing ball of orange quietly rising in the evening sky. We were utterly mesmerised. A cloudless, still night, over the bay, was the perfect backdrop for the massive full moon that caught the glow of the setting sun as it made its silent ascent. You could hear the camera shutter clicks up and down the coastline. It was truly special.
The trip back was a laugh and half. Jeremy & Suzanne gave Bruce a chance to use his SUP as a mono-ski, and in our boat, we were side-tracked with photo opportunities of silly people trying to pretend they were holding the moon in their hands. Arriving back at the beach, we were lucky enough to find that Nigel had come down to meet the merry/silly/giggly crews with all the trailers and on top of that, with Don Kioti at the ready! It was a wonderful team effort to catch each RIB and deliver each one safely out of the waves (which had come from nowhere) and on to the trailers. The evening ended up in our lovely Clubhouse with a last snifter and some terrible games of pool. Thank you to Janet, Paddy, Ken, Jeremy, Suzanne, Bruce, Steve, Sue, Tosh, Finn, Amber, Jenny, Andrew, Chris and Nigel. Absolutely the best evening.
Sarah.
