Royal Thames Spring Excuse — 24 April '09

24 April –26 April

24th -26th April 2009

The Club's home waters cruising season kicked off in fine style with the Spring Excuse. Sluicing down the west Solent on n ebbing spring tide, aided by an unusually helpful fresh south-easterly, the Hamble contingent made it to Lymington in near record time. Mooring up at the new and very convenient Dan Bran pontoon was simple, so we put the time saved to good use in sampling John McMonigal's hospitality aboard Saba. Dinner that night was as recommended by the CSO at Lane's Restaurant, just off the High Street. The food was superb, incredibly good value.

Next morning a menacing weather forecast, force 8 gales imminent in Plymouth, disrupted plans to sail to Poole for the night. In the end only John Stork aboard Ciconia was brave enough to set sail. The remainder, led by a wimpish captain of Cruising, spent a totally relaxed day in glorious sunshine in Lymington and then took a bus to Poole for dinner.

Dinner was a black tie affair at the Royal Motor Yacht Club, Sandbanks, a club with which we have reciprocal arrangements. Their clubhouse, on the west-facing side of Sandbanks, has been rebuilt recently and is now a quality location with wonderful views over Poole Harbour and a mini marina. Very welcoming and worth visiting. The evening was a celebration of St George's day, complete with St G himself in shining armour (but sadly missing a dragon), some dancing, plenty of verse and worse. The dancing was of the Morris variety, strangely with mostly female dancers face-painted to look like cats.....Various lucky guests were selected to be taught a dance, amongst them was Martin Smout (Marela).Don't give up the day job, Martin. Our Vice-Commodore presented their new lady commodore with an inscribed plaque and decanter set to record our thanks at being invited to join their dinner.

Sunday dawned, inevitably, bright and clear, with a fresh but unthreatening southerly wind that zoomed us back to Hamble almost too quickly.

All in all, a most relaxed and social weekend, with some speedy sailing.