The day of our first BCYC duty finally dawned.
We understood that as the sailing club was self sufficient, there would be duty days a few days of the year that we would be required to fulfil; no problem with that. Fingers cross for safety boat then - no such luck.
For reasons only guessed at, but logical I guess, my wife and I were down for galley duty this Sunday - with me head chef.
Now, my egg on toast may be legendary in my own lunchtime, but chef I aint'.
But I am game to give it a go.
Provisions, as per instructions bought, arrived at the clubhouse at a little after 09:00. To be greeted by Wilma - known as Willa - who was to be a third set of hands, and as luck would have it, an experienced galley hand.
Various preparations commenced, with me cooking chicken tikka for twenty. Potato's into the oven in plenty of time to bake and stuff cut up and put out.
Luckily for us, we had not only the usual crowd for lunch but there was also an Enterprise Open meeting to partake in our culinary efforts - and more importantly for us to cope with.
There was a mad hour or so as we made like a restaurant and eventually just about everyone was fed; either with the baked potato plus filling or some of our filled rolls - lucky, lucky people!
So, relax.
On the sailing front;
During the morning, the weather had been a bit dire, well wet, but there were no significant problems on the water.
In the afternoon, however, the wind picked up again and about 14:30 a call came from the OOD / Race Officer for a volunteer to man another safety boat, as there were too many capsizes for the two already out.
Well, as I've said, I'm game.
About 15 minutes later I'm on the water, as crew initially. Just as we get out to the windward mark - three Enterprises collapse. Commence circulating like a nautical vulture. Everyone gets themselves up, so no problem. For the next hour, half as helm on the RIB, we gad about, descending on likely victims, but on the whole everyone sorted themselves out; and there was plenty of capsize recovery going on.
Wind speed got up close to thirty knots and near one metre waves - which for an enclosed reservoir can't be bad? One crew did take a long while to get back upright, but considering it was getting to the end of their third race and the conditions were far from good, maybe thats understandable and as it was only the one crew, maybe BZ'z all round for everyone else.
Brilliant fun tearing around the water on the RIB - but very grateful I brought the dry suit. I got wetter than most days sailing.
About 15:45 the last of the boats were leaving the water and derigging. Most surely crews had more than enough fun for one day!
RIBs out of the water and back into the galley for me, to finish off the day around 16:45.
Overall then, an enjoyable and varied day - given that I'm not sure I would have ventured out on my own in the weather, just about as good a day off the water and could have been got on it.
I hadn't really noticed the tendency before for windsurfers to go back and forward across the reservoir on a beam reach. Just that, back and forward; appearing to use the far side of the reservoir to stop and turn around (surely not?) There was clearly one guy on the reservoir edge walking about on the concrete fiddling with his board - well it is his board I suppose. Don't they do courses - doesn't going back and forward get boring. True, they were going at a fair speed, which must be enjoyable. Can't see me doing the back and forward thing for too long; give me a route around the buoys anytime - clearly I need a purpose not just exhilaration; I wonder what that says about me?
(Note to self; need more photo's)
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