Wednesday 29th April
16h00 to 19h00: Registration
19h00 onwards: Music - Glen Fuller
Food - Pizza (free)

Thursday 30th April
O7h30 to 09h30: Breakfast
Scrambled Egg & Bacon Roll, Coffee: R25-00
Full English Breakfast and Coffee: R40-00
ABYC Week Regatta Sailing

Lunch Packs Available: R30-00
Two rolls with various fillings, Fruit, Chocolate and Liquifruit

19h00 onwards: Music - Errol Cuddembey Trio
Food - Chicken Curry, Salad & Rolls

Friday 1st May
07h30 to 09h30: Breakfasts
Lunch Packs
ABYC Week Regatta Sailing

19h00 onwards: Music - Baakens Valley Bog Trotters Band
Food - Sausage & Mash, Salad & Rolls

Saturday 2nd May
07h30 to 09h30: Breakfasts
Lunch Packs
ABYC Week Regatta Sailing

19h00 onwards: Music - Lindie
Food - Braai, Salad & Rolls

Sunday 3rd May
07h30 to 09h30: Breakfasts
Lunch Packs
ABYC Week Regatta Sailing

PRIZEGIVING

Those that heeded the call of the sea for last night's social sail were well rewarded with a gentle north west that created balmy conditions for a sundowner sail.

The full moon in the East and orange red flecked sunset awoke the romantic in the couples on packed Margie.

I did warn Rob, though, that if he allows me to sail with him he would be overrun with transitory beings wanting to experience sailing.

What a joy it was to reminisce with Roy, a Lipton Cup 30 Square Metre sailor from the early 60's. Remember those years? Ships were wooden, men were men and down in New Zealand sheep were still scared!

Darryl has done a sterling job of looking after the Wednesday Evening Social Sail.

As normal, the sail was too short, the Fanta Browns cold and the meal in the Chartroom filling and pleasant. Aaah normality and familiarity how I have missed thee.

This is a novel approach to a sailing event, and fairly simple in its concept, obviously a plan hatched by a laid back cruiser. On a given Saturday once a month a turning mark is identified and off you go.

The start: well, that's up to you as you can start anytime between 11:30 and 14:00, you can even start between 11:30 and 14:00 the next day (Sunday) and off you sail to the turning mark
The Start line: the normal Wednesday start line between the end of the ore berth and the end of the fresh produce quay
The finish: is a transit line between the End of the breakwater and the Port Control Tower 200meters to seaward.
The Object: You take your own elapsed time and then try to improve on it the next time you race the course. No winner, no losers
After the TT: braai fires would be lit bring your own meat.

Well on Saturday 14th March was the inaugural Ngqura TT, with 8 boats on the start line, Struan feinted to starboard and started on Port. Here's the rub although not officially a race, when two boats are in close proximity, one always wants to go faster than the other and voila! a race.

As we watched the fleet behind, the speculation started, Mystic lady has her reacher up and so does "Valiant" (not really) we had mistaken Sky bird's new reacher for Valiant's Orange and red spinnaker.

"Do you think we can carry the bag?"
"Looks a bit tight"
"Well let's stick it up and see?" "If it doesn't work we can always drop it again"
So lines are run and up go the old Red White and Blue, she's holding!! Yippee

A careful watch is kept on the log, as glances are cast astern "I think they are catching us?" Next on the list to find the designated fairway buoy for the new port of Ngqura. Not any one but the starboard closest to the Harbour of PE. No cannot see it but as we get closer so the little pimples are seen floating off the harbour, now which one of those pimple is the right one, "It can't be that one?" "if it is then the kite has to come down". Sadly we douse the kite and start fetching for the mark, the radio crackles into life its Mystic Lady asking us where we are, we informed them that they were eating our rudder dust, then let them know when we rounded the mark that they could not miss it as it is big with red and white stripes (Sorry Phil just could not resist it).

After rounding it was a one tack "fetch" all the way to the finish line. True to form back on the land with a cold beer in hand (one of many) with steak chops an boerewors sizzling on the braai the banter continued and great fun was had by all.

See you at the next Nqgura TT

Derek Bouwer