Porthpean Fun Sail

Sometimes it is the merest and unrelated things that make a difference. On Friday, Andrew had pencilled in an evening fun sail, with options to bring on or introduce people new to sailing, or maybe just sail for fun. It was envisaged as a pretty open forum, although one or two sailors had a sail over to Polkerris in mind, having had the last planned sail abandoned to grey skies and thirty knots of wind. Not so this Friday, although the skies were again grey, and NCI Charlestown was reading 21–30 mph winds from the SSW.

There was the usual shaking of heads and tooth sucking from the few who turned up, until Jan B, who had been considering moments in memory are so often founded in the irrational, and said “I’m up for it. Let’s just go and blast up and down.” As two boats rigged, the Kestrel and the RS400 with Nigel and Ken, the wind eased a whisker, and it was decided we would assess the situation regarding Polkerris from the beach marks. Although the sky inland looked a bit foreboding, blue sky to the south encouraged us to up spinnakers and rock and roll to Polkerris. With the wind on the rear quarter and steady, the sailing was fast but easy, although a little choppy. Being able to tuck into the shelter of Polkerris Harbour made landing easy and it, luckily being high water, no need for anchoring or lifting boats very far.

As we settled on the Rashleigh veranda, the sun came out to warm us and over a couple of beers, Nigel took us down memory lane. Rejoicing is an old fashioned word, but to be able to look back at those years and laugh as we did, really is the right place for that word. Oh, how we were blessed with the wind gods on our side. We set off in a steady force three to four and could hold a close fetch all the way back to Porthpean. The wind held until we sailed past Carrickowel Point, and then as if on cue, switched off to absolutely nothing.

Our Commodore had been whittling like a mother hen, awaiting our return and came down with the tractor to usher his wayward flock back to the coop. Thanks Paddy. As for the merest and unrelated things, it is the fact that Andy Murray got knocked out first round that prompted us not to waste another night watching the ping pong of tennis, and go out and put another one in the PSC memory bank. Thanks Andy.

Pete B.