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 Cruising News, Events and Notes
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| Welcome to the Cruising page of the Royal Southern Yacht Club. Welcome Article |
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 Exbury Rally May 2008
in Cruising News & Reports
Posted
By: RSrn Website Team Read
By 182 Visitors |
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EXBURY RALLY MAY 2008
Having retired in 2001 and then sailed across the Atlantic to spend five years cruising, this RSrnYC Rally to Exbury was our first opportunity to sail mid-week with the Club.
What a delight it proved to be……….
We actually started off for this on the previous weekend by joining up with the Pontoon Party at Yarmouth, sadly it was a windless weekend but Pontoon Parties are notorious and this one did not fail to match up! |
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On the Monday we managed to pick up a buoy in Newtown and then we had a cracking sail over to Beaulieu on the Tuesday where we found Jerry and Peggy Lewis (Tahilla) who were already on the new visitors' pontoon at Buckler's Hard, and we were soon joined by Macavity, Paladin, Hy Flyer, Black Swan, Kirsten, Naivasha, Rin Jinn and Cream Cracker. Jerry and Peggy kindly hosted a "bring your own bottle" party on their foredeck where we met up with several long standing friends as well as meeting some other members who we had not met before. which was rather nice.
Our evening was made by a delicious dinner on board Black Swan with Judy and Bill Nutt, who had friends on board from Leicestershire; Robert first knew them over forty years ago. It was a great evening. The weather was clearly on our side and continued through the next day. |
| Hy Flyer and Cream Cracker kindly transported us all down to the Gilbury Jetty at Exbury, where, we were met by a charming Zimbabwian who let us through the private gate into the Exbury Estate and gardens. We all split up into small groups and went our own different ways bumping into each other during the visit. The many varieties of rhododendrons and azaleas were truly magnificent together with the acers and many other trees. |
| Although we were warned that it would be very crowded we did not feel restricted or unable to see anything we wanted. Some went on the small train. I was lucky enough to be with Derek and Diana Gange who are very knowledgeable and made the day for me. The queue for delicious sandwiches was pretty long but moved through quickly and we found an area with benches, all on our own, to sit and eat them. Some others were sensible, well planned/been there before and took picnics! I cannot wait to go to Exbury again and believe that the Autumn is a real mass of colours. |
Between 1500 and 1530 hrs the two motor cruisers returned us to our boats, up-river, and everyone agreed we could not have had a more spectacular day.
On return to our boats we all started to make our way down to Gin's farm. Some berthing up on the newly installed pontoons, which have replaced the old piles, others went onto buoys in the river with the least agile Sunday's Child and Naivasha on the Club Pontoon, joined by David Marsden in Dusk. Rain was threatened but it was clear and held off for the trek from boat to Clubhouse, but, it really did pour down whilst we were having dinner. |
The Royal Southampton put on an excellent meal and looked after us very well, as is the norm at Gin's. Angus and Annette were very noble and drove down for the evening.
Once again it was a great opportunity to talk and to get to know other members whom we had not seen for some time. |
Most of the boats left fairly early in the morning and the general opinion was that a great time had been had by all - thanks to Ann Arscott and Maggie Widdop, plus the weather in the background.
We look forward to future mid-week rallies and to enjoy sailing in the Solent when it is not like Piccadilly Circus. |
Sue Davis - Sunday's Child  See more Exbury Gardens images |
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Royal Southern Yacht Club is a trading name of Royal Southern Yacht Club Ltd
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