These magical days are becoming routine. We are supposed to be heading into Winter, and all we are getting is sunshine, light winds, and lots of eager helpers and participants to make our sailing days go smoothly.
Helpers today were:
Sailing Coordinator: Helen
Time Keeper; Ray
Pontoon Manager: Malcolm
Boat Operations Manager: John
Photographers: Ken and Jai
Support Boat Driver: Peter, then Jim G
Observer: Corey, then Jai
Registrar; Warwick, then Tony
Sailors: Ivan, Michael, Helene, Denis, Col, Brian, Bob, John W
Our wonderful team of general workers were: John P, Jim Q, Marc.
What a great team!!!!!
First to arrive were Royal Far West with helper Lisa. Liam, Lachlan, Jacinta, Oliver, Dallas, Jack, Hattie (who preferred a ride in the Support Boat) from different points in NSW, down in Sydney for some medical treatments and assessments had a beautiful sail across the bay, taking their time until the next group arrived.
Then the 10 students from DY special class trooped in with teacher Carmel, after a bus ride down from school and took their turn in the boats. After signing themselves in, they all fitted themselves into Life-jackets and waited their turn patiently. Dylan and Alan were there first, so they got the first 2 boats that were waiting on the pontoon when they arrived, the others took the opportunity to have morning tea. Then Felix, Talon, Heath, Jayden, Samuel, Riley, James and Oliver all impressed their skippers with the knowledge of sailing that they had remembered from last time. Four of the lucky ones took their turn on the Support Boat for an extra experience of seeing the cove from a distance.
Just at the right moment, Sunshine Pymble with helpers Matt, Raiza and Courtney and AFFORD Ashfield with helper Kris, arrived together. It was a huge pleasure for our team to see these two groups with similar participants, as we were able to blend the two together. Jackson, Joshua, Alessandro and Alistair are old hands now, and enjoy their sail around the harbour, and then Brad (Mr Cooee) got into a sailing dinghy with the promise of a ride in Charlie’s Chariot when he got back, Toby, Charley, Stephen also went for an extended sail. Alister wanted the boat to be continually on Port tack, as that was where he could have his long arms trailing in the water, giving himself and his skipper a continual drenching. Brad kept Manly Cove residents amused with his loud Cooee’s from all over the Bay.
Last of all, Gerard arrived with Patrick….What a wonderful day it was for this pair: Gerard went straight over to the life- jacket bin, donned a correct sized jacket, buckled it up without help, and bounded down to the pontoon to wait, reasonably patiently, until a sailing boat arrived.
We had a brand new helper this morning, Jai, who just blended in as if she had been with us for years.. took the most astounding photos, then became observer on Charlie’s Chariot, before wearing herself out putting things away in the boat room. Welcome, Jai, please stay with us forever, you had a fabulous first day.
