The grand re-opening (updated with video)

Nancy, Cory and I arrived around 9:30 and wandered through a busy but orderly ensemble of club members, expecting to see last minute preparations, balloons being blown up, bunting being raised, but instead saw a neat front line of volunteers ready for the first wave of dignitaries, prospective members and the rest of us rabble.

Of course we knew that was just a front covering over the huge effort put in by club members over the past few months, but there was something new in the air, an unspoken but shared sense of pride in the club. Even the biscuits were up-market.

Along with many others, I brought along my camera and set about trying to get some shots of the club, the dignitaries and the sailing, but that sense of pride was a difficult thing to capture on film. In the end, I salvaged a few photos from the event which you can browse online. I don't know whether it was the wind or whether Clare Short just doesn't like people taking photos, but I couldn't get a decent photo without a grimace.

“Stop being a man and go and get the instructions.”

“There aren’t any instructions!”

I tried to get some shots of the new disabled hoist being tried out by some industrious members. After a while, I heard someone suggest that an instruction leaflet would be useful, before leaving things at half mast.

The speeches went well, introduced by Paul Leather, Chris Homer took over her new role with gusto. I took some footage of these while the kids played on the beach — again remarkable to those who've seen it in a state we wouldn't let our kids anywhere near. Unfortunately, the sound on the recordings is interspersed with gusts of wind, since I don't have one of those wooly boom covers, but the footage is available for those who weren't there, with a bonus Muppet Show ending.

Speeches over and the wind picking up, the Juniors went out and looked impressive to me, not being a sailor myself, coping with the now quite frequent gusts. At the same time, Russ took some guests out for a ride, which by all accounts was "a bit hairy.”

The first race got underway with a good turnout judging by the results.  The new RS Vision was also on the water and while it wasn't in the first race it did look rather impressive when I glimpsed it racing towards me, bow proud and imposing.  Perhaps that was the photo which would have captured the mood of the club, which I missed while chatting with Chris Skelcher.

The bar was declared open and Cory dashed upstairs, took his coat off, and rushed in.  Evidently some of my genes have been passed on.  We spent a good hour or so feasting, drinking and generally making merry (sometimes quite loudly, sorry).  Perhaps it was the luxury paper plates, or just the intoxication of good company in high spirits, because when I overheard someone who sounded like they hadn't been for quite some years saying that things were all just as they remembered them, I thought that yes, things are the same, but much, much better.

It was a shame that we had to leave before the afternoon got properly underway, as I hear there were stories of storms and squalls, beachings and more.  No monsters though, as I hear the small green and yellow sea monster going by the name of Molly had already left.

Thanks to everyone for making the club somewhere good to be, whether you sail or not.

Alex, Nancy and Cory.