Seagull Race Report

Friday 31st December 2010

Seagull Race Report

RLYS Seagull Race 29th December, 2010

The big thaw came just in time!   Lowertown had been a sheet of ice for days on end and would have forced us to cancel the race.    In the event we had a warm (relatively!) but dull morning with thick fog - you could barely see beyond the Red Store before the start, but visibility slowly improved and by the end of the race the fog had almost cleared.    At the turning buoy off Brockles Quay during the race we witnessed a pall of blue smoke extending to about ten feet above the surface with a layer of white fog above it - quite a sight !!

Thirty seven boats of all shapes and sizes took part in the race and many had put a lot of effort into dressing up their boats and themselves to the "Space Travellers" theme.    Congratulations to them all whether they won prizes or not - they all contribute to the fun of the event.

This was a successful event enjoyed not only by the competitors but also by a large contingent of spectators - Lowertown was buzzing with activity!  The RNLI raffle made over £200 while the mulled wine and mince pies (my grateful thanks to Annie and Jackie) made £137.  Together with the entry fees we should have around £250 to distribute to local organisations and the committee will decide next week who the recipients this year will be.

This is my last Seagull race as Commodore of the RLYS and after ten years as organiser of the event I am happy to hand over the reins to David Vipond, the new Commodore.   Penny becomes the new Vice-Commodore.    May I thank everyone who has supported me over the years, especially the RLYS committee who have been enthusiastically involved, and also the many willing helpers with fundraising, catering and other activities who help to keep this such an important event in the life of the village.

 

Richard (Parrott)

See the photos of the 2010 Seagull Race