UPPER TAMAR LAKE SAILING CLUB

Christmas Dinner 2017

On Saturday 2 December some forty members of the Club assembled to celebrate another successful year, to present trophies to the many winners of the dinghy racing series, to eat a fine three course Christmas dinner and to shake a festive leg on the dance floor. The venue was The Weir, the stunning glass-walled restaurant (and wildlife centre) a little way up the river from Bude. The members were perhaps a little unused to seeing each other in heels, dresses, collars and ties rather than in wetsuits or drysuits and rubber boots. However they were soon raising a fine hubbub and attacking their dinners. The presentation of cups followed: Jane Anderson, whose name will be well known to readers of this website’s reports of the racing at Tamar, had another fine season, winning seven of the series. The Club has an admirable record for promoting and rewarding junior sailors and there was a big welcome for the winner of the Peter Pocock Cup, Marlo Graham. When the trophies were all presented the Club’s own in-house disc jockey, John Weller, started the dancing music; a rockabilly soundtrack that made clear that the sailing club has been thoroughly infiltrated by members of the Bude Jive Club! The Club’s gratitude was expressed to the out-going officials, Commodore Sue Murray for all her hard work and enthusiasm over the past two years and also to Rear Commodore Linda Spiller, for whom organising the highly enjoyable Christmas Dinner was the last of the varied programme of social events that she has brought to fruition. Thanks were also expressed to Mandy Pollard, the Club’s secretary and photographer extraordinaire, who does so much for the club behind the scenes.

Thanks to Mandy Pollard for the photos.

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The club en-masse, happily chatting at the start of the dinner	Sue Murray presenting Marlo Graham with the Peter Pocock Trophy	Nathan Pollard holding one of several trophies he was presented with on the night, with Rosy Hilton behind, ready with the next of his awards	Trophy winners posing for a group photo at the end of the presentations

Roadford Cruising Weekend: A Little Rain in the Wind......

This is becoming an annual event for our Club, taking place at Roadford Lake, with the emphasis on reinforcing friendships amongst our members in a non-competitive sailing/camping environment. The dates selected for this year were 28-30 July, and 15 members and 1 guest participated in one way or another: sailing, camping, eating, chatting. The general forecast offered a rather challenging combination of heavy rain and strong winds throughout the two days. However, we were relatively lucky with the timing of these weather events.

A dry Friday morning allowed tents to be pitched, masts to be raised on the Club’s Bosun and the Pollard’s Tasar, and both boats launched in a moderate SW breeze. Brian and Nathan set off with their Tasar, intent on demonstrating how their boat could perform, given sufficient wind and the greater space provided by the Roadford Lake. Roger, John & Sally soon followed in the Rob Easton Bosun, sporting small sails, so Roger could provide sailing/helming instruction to Sally. John provided the ballast.

Whilst we were enjoying a picnic lunch ashore, the wind strengthened considerably, so the afternoon sailing experience was somewhat boisterous, exhilarating, memorable and wet. Unfortunately, the increased wind also heralded the start of rain. The combination of the two elements didn’t take too much encouragement to abandon the planned barbeque for that evening and retire instead to Launceston for a traditional fish and chips supper.

Saturday morning dawned bright and sunny with a much-abated wind. Toby arrived, and his Lugger Tiz Viddy was rigged and launched. Roger took Sally out again in the Bosun for more sailing instruction; Brian and Cilla went out on the Tasar; and Toby, John and Mandy (yes – Mandy!) had a pleasant gentle sail across to the cafe where they joined the other sailors for a morning coffee before returning back to base. Bob had arrived now with his RS200, followed by Sue and Alison. After a communal picnic lunch, all boats were launched again. Rain threatened and eventually started, but failed to deflect the sailors from another enjoyable sail.

By late afternoon, the rain really set in and it was to continue for the rest of the night. Additional members joined us for a very welcome dinner at a local hostelry The Clovelly Inn. Luckily, the rain had stopped by the morning, allowing an orderly striking of tents and early departure.

Thanks to Mandy Pollard for the photos and John Dabbs for the text

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Sally Wills at the helm of the club Bosun, whilst Brian and Nathan get some speed up in the Tasar	And it clearly got pretty choppy at times - the Bosun three up (Roger, Sally and John D), under small sails and still creating a sizeable bow wave...	But it wasn't like that all the time: Toby and John D in calmer waters	Three of the Tamar boats disappearing into the far distance at Roadford: the Bosun, Tasar and Bob's RS200 heading off towards the mouth of Wortha Inlet (which is probably almost as big as the whole of Upper Tamar just on its own)

Coastal Rafting and Coasteering

There are some occasions when sailors are happy with no wind and calm water. Such a day was that chosen for our rafting expedition from Watermouth Cove, near Ilfracombe in early July, where we were delighted to find a gentle breeze and smooth sea awaiting us. We met up for a picnic lunch by the beach, enjoying the sun, before it was time to get kitted out in wetsuits and helmets. Then we were given a difficult choice - squashing 8 of us cosily onto one raft giving us maximum paddle power, or taking 2 rafts so we could be competitive? We chose two.

Paddling a raft without the help of a co-operative current turned out to take rather more effort than some of us had thought and it was much easier to spin in circles than progress in a straight course. However, a little practice made some improvement and we set off towards Coombe Martin...... as far as a spectacular beach a short distance away! There we had the chance to swim and start a camp fire Bear Grylls style (well done to Dave), ready to toast marshmallows.

More adept on the return trip, we successfully negotiated rocks and waves along this scenic stretch of coast. Attempts to ambush and splash the rival raft were somewhat laboured and both crews were soon tired out......

....But not too tired for a go at coasteering! Jumping from rocks into deep water proved great fun and we all emerged with a satisfying sense of achievement, not least from surviving a "dodge the jellyfish" swim to shore.

By this time we had all built up a healthy appetite. A fish supper at The Pelican in Bideford lived up to it's high recommendation - a great end to the day.

Thanks to Linda Spiller for report and photos


All at sea...? Far from it....	Dave and Annie lighting the fire: Ray Mears would be proud of them...	Bravery personified: looking but still going ahead and leaping	The usual suspects - ignoring the fact that there's light at the end of the tunnel

Midsummer Madness

' Midsummer Madness ': the clue is in the title, In a bid to add some fun events and extent the Wednesday evening sailing a midsummer madness evening was suggested. Nobody quite knew what this was going to entail until the evening, but once the inner child in everyone was released, everyone had fun on the water with balls, buckets of water, paddle boards and canoes. There was still a surprising amount of competition involved . The madness continued when the evening went from the perfect summer evening to fog rolling down the lake and John Buckett's Bass Boat looming out of the fog. The fog was just in time for the BBQ! Not to be put off by the weather Rachael's boys ended the evening in the spirit of the event with a water fight with Roger. This was our first BBQ of the year and enjoyed by all .

Thanks to Mandy Pollard for the photos and Sue Murray for the text

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A pre-Madness shakedown cruise in the Falmouth Bass Boat, to check that everything was working	The object was to get the most water back to shore in the bucket	The next race was to collect footballs cast overboard at random intervals from the Falmouth Bass Boat, which acted as mother ship	Different techniques, all lots of fun...

Canoes and paddle boards all taking part	Seeking for that competitive edge	And then the fog came down, with the Bass Boat looming out of the gloom like a ghost ship	But an excellent barbecue, courtesy of Bob and Roger, meant that the evening ended on a high note

Plymouth to Cotehele Tamar River Cruise

A large group of convivial Tamar club sailors gathered in the Boatshed cafe, overlooking the embarkation quay at Plymouth's Barbican, eager and ready for a river trip to explore the lower reaches of the same river whose headwaters feed the reservoir that they routinely sail on. Rear Commodore Linda Spiller had done her usual immaculate job of making sure that everybody got to the right place at the right time, a task made considerably harder by the fact that maintenance work on the Sutton Dock lock gates had barred access to two of the area's larger car parks. After boarding, most of the party found prime places in the open on the upper deck of the 'Plymouth Princess' and in a mixture of sunshine and scudding clouds, we we were soon off across the top of a slightly choppy Plymouth Sound, but once past Drake's Island and through the Narrows, the water calmed quickly and everybody could take in the buildings of the vast naval dockyard to the right and green acres of Mount Edgecumbe park on the Cornish bank.

Passing the former old Saltash ferry slip (where UTLSC members once regularly launched their boats on day sails, in a dim and distant past) and under the shadow of the twin Tamar bridges, the naval infrastructure was soon replaced by attractive rural countryside - as Roger Heasman remarked, equally beautiful as the much better-known River Dart. With help spotting egrets and herons from the eagle-eyed Dave and Cilla, there was lots to look at, but as we started the huge meander at Weir Quay, the skies darkened ominously and by the time we disembarked at Cotehele Quay, it was raining hard enough for most people to make a dash for the refuge and refreshments of the 'Mount Edgecumbe', just a few steps from the riverside.

Afterwards, people examined the exhibits in the Discovery Centre and outside, looked at the sailing barge 'Shamrock' in the dry patches, before forming an orderly queue for the ferry returning back from Calstock. This time most people opted to go under cover on the lower deck, though a couple of foolhardy club members were determined to show that sailors are tougher than ordinary mortals and sat in wet-weather gear on the top deck rather longer than it was sensible to do so... As the boat returned to Plymouth, however, the skies cleared again and it was a cheerful group that once more disembarked at the Barbican, ending a thoroughly enjoyable day. As more than one person commented, without the impetus of club-organised trips such as these, many of us would probably never get round to going on a lot of the South-West's attractions that the UTLSC social programme takes us to; many thanks once again to Linda for making it possible.

Thanks to Linda Spiller and Nicky Buckett for the photos

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On the upper deck of the 'Plymouth Princess', with familiar faces dotted amongst the throng	In one of the dry patches at Cotehele Quay	As always, club members looking at any boats on display	Cilla and Dave, photographed whilst their attention was distracted elsewhere...

'Push The Boat Out' and Tamar Open Day Photos

Saturday 13th May 2017 saw Upper Tamar Lakes Sailing club hold another very successful RYA Push the Boat out Day. 'Push the Boat Out day ' is all about getting people out on the water locally and giving them the chance to find out just how easy it is to get involved. The sailing club adopted a pirate theme for its popular rides in its 'pirate boats'. It was a real family day out and it is always popular with families with young children. All the sailing trips were fully booked with 98 people signing to go on the water . The weather stayed fair, although the wind was a bit tricky at times and one pirate boat lost its rudder , which added to the excitement..The success of the event is all due to the commitment of club members who volunteer on the day to make it a success doing various jobs from helming the boats to keeping everyone fed and watered. Over 25 club members volunteered on the day this represented approximately two thirds of the members. I'm sure you can see from the photographs that every one had a great time. It is a date that is now firmly fixed in the clubs calendar.

Thanks to Sue Murray, Commodore, for the report and to Mandy Pollard, Secretary for the excellent photos, including some close-up on-the-water shots.

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A round-up of the usual suspects... a group shot of the club volunteers at the start of the day, fresh and raring to go	Toby Tobias and John Dabbs taking the Trust's Drascombe 'Butlin Blue' out for a test trip before the customers arrived	Bob Sampson and Linda Spiller out in club Bosun 'Mike Ford', together with Cilla and two of her grandchildren	John and Brian in the Falmouth Bass boat; at the start of the morning, many of the children enjoyed a try at helming (as here), before the increasingly gusty winds made this impractical later in the day

Ship-to-ship transfer of pirate 'treasure'...	More fun when there are other boats out with you: Bob, Linda and Cilla in the foreground, with Elliott in the other club Bosun alongside	Coming back ashore at the end of the trip: Toby and John judging the approach	Looks as if pirate captain Toby is about to intercept the rival pirate ship sailing on his waters....

Cycle Ride from Bodmin to Wenford Bridge

Great start - perfect weather for our first outdoor social of the year, a cycle ride along the more peaceful upper stretch of the beautiful Camel Trail, from Dunmere to Wenford Bridge. Accompanied by the sound of birds and rushing water, it was a steady but not hard pedal along the wooded valley, past primroses, some pretty cottages, a rather nice silver fish sculpture and finally the impressive ruined clay dries at Wenford. The Snail's Pace Cafe provided an excellent, relaxed lunch before an easy pedal back, when some of us took the chance to explore the ancient Hellandbridge and the gardens at Paul Jackson's pottery studio - well worth the look.


In the sunshine at the Snail's Pace cafe at the end of the Wenford Bridge arm of the Camel Trail - an excellent location for reviving the weariest of cyclists, especially in the Spring sunshine	In the garden at Paul Jackson's pottery studio	Oh to be in England.... and etc

Sailing Course - 'Starting Sailing Without That Sinking Feeling' - June 2017

Tuesday 6^th June (5-8pm), Thursday 8^th (5-8pm) & Saturday 10^th June (10am-5pm)

v Gentle introduction using stable daysailers and dinghies, on a safe inland water environment

v Venue - Upper Tamar Lake (between Bude and Holsworthy)

v Tuesday 6^th June (5-8pm), Thursday 8^th (5-8pm) & Saturday 10^th June (10am-5pm)

v Cost – £60 per person; £45 for accompanied junior

v Joint project Upper Tamar Lake Sailing Club and South West Lakes Trust

v Contact John Buckett UTLSC 01837 880142 or e-mail: j.buckett@exeter.ac.uk

Course Details

This course is designed to provide a gentle introduction to sailing on a safe inland water environment. The course will include both hands-on sailing (both helming and crewing), as well as short theory sessions ashore.Initially, on the water sessions will be based in Falmouth Bass Boats (pictured above left) and Drascombe Luggers, which are stable, reassuring boats, excellent for those taking their first steps in sailing – and which won’t tip you in the water. For those who would optionally like to try out faster, more exhilarating boats, there will also be opportunities to sail in dinghies such as the Bosun (pictured above centre) and Wayfarer, whilst some may like to try out the smaller Laser Pico (pictured above right) or Topper dinghies – but everybody will be able to progress at their own pace without pressure.

There will also be short theory sessions based indoors or on land, covering topics such as how boats sail, rigging boats, practical sessions to show how to manoeuvre a boat (tacking and gybing), looking at the various types of dinghy and day boat suitable for different purposes and rights-of-way on the water etc. At the end of the course, advice will be available on different ways to take an interest in sailing further. On the Saturday there will be a hour’s break for lunch, so please bring your own packed lunch (or go to the Froghopper Café, which is on-site). On all days coffee and cake will be provided at a suitable break in the session.

The course will be based at Upper Tamar Lake, a reservoir on the headwaters of the River Tamar, in the triangle of land between Bude, Holsworthy and Bideford. The course is a joint venture between the Upper Tamar Lake Sailing Club.and the South West Lakes Trust. It will be led by tutors who are RYA accredited (Royal Yachting Association) Dinghy Instructors or Senior Instructors, with help from other club volunteers. The Upper Tamar Lake Sailing Club is a small, friendly club, based on the reservoir. The South West Lakes Trust is the region’s largest combined environmental and recreational charity, covering 50 inland water sites in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset.

Download course booking form here

Ceilidh at Launcells Parish Hall

A ceilidh was a great chance to shake off any winter blues and get together before the start of our sailing season and Launcells Parish Hall was transformed by fairy lights and bunting, so the stage was well set. With fabulous playing by fiddlers Nick Wyke & Becki Driscoll, together with talented young accordion player Jack, the floor was full for every dance. Varied moves kept us on our toes, but Nick's calling was so clear, there were few instances of dancers skipping off in the wrong direction. A break for supper enabled us all to get our breath back, before we were off again. Even a few reticent "wall flowers" were tempted to give it a go by the end of the evening.

Many thanks to Mandy Pollard for the pictures.

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All eyes (and ears) on Nick as he explains the moves	And they're off...	Impressive decoration of the hall, courtesy of Linda and Robin	And everyone in motion, with no sihn of collisions....

Christmas Dinner 2016 at 'The Weir'

Thanks to Vice-Commodore for the following report, written primarily for the Bude and Stratton Post (hence the reference to 'regular readers' etc)

In 2016 those enthusiasts at the Upper Tamar Lake Sailing Club promoted almost a hundred races in a dozen series as well as staging another dozen or so ‘social’ events that were often as strenuous as their sailing. On Saturday 4 December some fifty members of the Club assembled to celebrate a successful year, to present trophies to the many winners of these contests, to eat a fine three course Christmas dinner and to shake a festive leg on the dance floor. The venue was The Weir, the stunning glass-walled restaurant (and wildlife centre) a little way up the river from Bude. The members were perhaps a little unused to seeing each other in heels, dresses, collars and ties rather than in waterproof, breathable coveralls and rubber boots, Sue Murray, Commodore of the Club, looking particularly fine in a puce lace dress. They were soon raising a fine hubbub and attacking their dinners. The presentation of cups followed. Regular readers of the year’s race reports will not be surprised to learn that many awards were made to Jane Anderson, sadly not present this year, nor that the Pollard family – young James and Nathan together with, this year, their father Brian, were also major recipients. The Club has an admirable record for promoting and rewarding junior sailors and there was a big welcome for the winners of the Peter Pocock Cup, joint winners this year: Raily Graham and Arne Hamer. When the trophies were all presented the Club’s tame disc jockey, John Weller, started the dancing music; a rockabilly soundtrack that made clear that the sailing club has been thoroughly infiltrated by members of the Bude Jive Club! The Club’s gratitude to Linda Spiller, Rear Commodore, for organizing this event and all the other social occasions, was expressed as well as thanks to Mandy Pollard, the Club’s secretary and photographer extraordinaire!

Many thanks to Mandy Pollard for the pictures.

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The Weir once again proved to be an excellent venue for the club's Christmas Dinner	James and Nathan Pollard were once again the recipients of several awards: congratulations to both	The (almost) full line-up of award winners this year	The future of the club.....

Archery and Climbing at Skern Lodge

A visit to Appledore for an afternoon of archery and climbing was planned for August, postponed to a date in September .......and then finally to 1 October. We were keen, but as each date approached the weather forecast gave us a wild, wet day among bright, calm spells. Third time lucky? No ........but it was then or never, so we donned waterproofs and braved the elements.

Over a rather good lunch at the Seagate Hotel we were teased by a view of sunshine outside, but the Met Office was not to be proved wrong. Happily we were greeted by sympathetic instructors at Skern Lodge and could listen to our safety brief from the shelter of tents. Luckily the strong wind blew in the direction of our arrows, helping them to respectable scores once we'd got the hang of hitting the targets.

For some archery was the main draw and there was a chance to continue practise, but for most it was on to the climbing wall. This looked straight forward enough from the ground, but from half way up secure hand and foot holds felt fewer and further between, so we were all very proud of our achievement. It certainly seemed much higher from the top!


Club members stay dry as the instructor braves the rain to demonstrate how it's done	Sweet success! Well done, Roger....	Roll call for the climbing wall...

Starting off....	And made it to the top.....

August Roadford Cruising Weekend

Following on from last year’s success, 13 of us attended this weekend’s visit to Roadford Lake. A few camped, all sailed, all enjoyed it. John D was the first to arrive on the Thursday afternoon to set up camp. Roger followed some hours later, having overcome the trials of a punctured trailer wheel whilst transporting his RS200 to Roadford Lake. John and Roger then spent an interesting hour erecting a canvas lean-to attached to Roger’s campervan. Bob arrived as dusk fell, with his RS200 in tow. Friday morning dawned bright, with early arrivals beginning to sort out boats before the campers had finished breakfast. Geoff arrived, towing his Solo. John D’s and Toby’s Luggers, were launched, together with one of the RS200s, Geoff’s Solo and John B’s Falmouth Bass. A simple sail followed across the lake to the Lakeside café for elevenses then free sailing before returning to the launch ramp for a picnic lunch. After lunch, the wind was just right for a gentle exploration of the various lake inlets, whilst Bob and Roger experimented with their gennaker.

The Sailing Centre’s barbeque was coaxed into life for a jolly evening meal, washed down with whatever was to hand, with the campers settling down for another night under canvas, now joined by Geoff. Saturday morning dawned rather dull, but all boats were launched for a return morning visit across the lake to the café. By now, the overcast skies had produced a pronounced drizzle. Undaunted, and suitably attired, refreshments were taken outside, much to the amusement of other café users. The weather cleared, the wind rose a trifle and a pleasant day ensued. Jane C and Nathan were now sailing Roger’s RS200. With plenty of wind available, Roger and Bob succeeded in capsizing the other RS200 as a direct result of some mix-up with gennaker halyards.

Having recovered the boats up the launch ramp, 9 of us changed into our shore-going attire and moved on to the Clovelly Arms for a welcome and beautifully cooked evening meal. For the four of us that were camping over the Saturday night, the Sunday morning dawned foggy and still, clearing gently and dramatically as we had breakfast and broke camp. Same again next year? Let’s hope so!

Many thanks to John Dabbs and Sheba Tobias for the photos

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John Dabbs helming Lisca, with Robin Spiller and Kathy Wyke enjoying the brisk reach (probably the Drascombe's best point of sail)	Sheba Tobias keeping a firm hand on the camera whilst Toby and Linda concentrate on the boat	A duo of Drascombe's: Tiz-Viddy leads Lisca on the beat back towards the dam	If the BBC decide to follow MasterChef with Master BBQer, then the club is clearly in with a shout; Robin, Roger and Toby demonstrate their culinary skills...

Geoff Floyd's Solo revelling in the wide open space of Roadford Lake	Jane Chadney and Nathan Pollard out in the RS200 on the Sunday	A very happy smile from the Rear-Commodore - just about sums up the weekend	Roger Heasman and Bob Sampson really motoring in the RS200 as the wind gained in strength on the Sunday

Meeth to East Yarde Cycle Ride

On the first Saturday of the school summer holidays, a select group of us found the perfect antidote to the seasonal mayhem developing on our roads. Meeting up at Meeth, we mounted bikes to tackle the six mile journey along the peaceful stretch of the Tarka Trail from here to East Yarde. Firstly meandering through woodland wildlife trust land, we straightened up along an old railway route, bordering forest and open views across farmland, the only disturbance to total peace being birdsong, occasional fellow cyclists, our chat (and the writer's creaking handlebars!).

Gaining 50m in elevation along the last couple of miles called for lower gears and less chat, but we were very well rewarded at the brightly welcoming Yarde Orchard cafe, with generous lunch portions, cake and ice cream. Here we were met by Dawn, James and Nicky, who joined us for the lunch and a chat. The return trip was rather more fun, freewheeling for long downhill stretches through dappled sunshine. There was a brief battle with a wayward chain but we found ourselves back at the car park all too soon.

Many thanks to Linda for the photos.

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A welcome pause on the way out to Yarde Orchard cafe	Joe Floyd at great speed....	... and John B at almost no speed at all....	Nearing journey's end: the winding track back through the wooded Meeth Quarry Nature Reserve

Lundy Trip

Our trip to Lundy Island on the MS Oldenburg was timed for 25 June, to catch a Saturday sailing from Bideford. We were lucky to have a NW wind and swell, reducing the rock and roll of the ship, so we arrived feeling well enough to start our visit with lunch at the tavern. Then there were puffins to spot (some distance below, but visible through a telescope specially mounted for us on the clifftop), as well as deer, impressive cattle, plentiful birdlife, sheep, goats and ponies. Some of us managed a complete island tour, although a good stretch of the not-so-easy coastal path, watching the large number of very fat, contented seals, turned out to be challenging enough for others. The main star though was the spectacular bright emerald and green scenery, in wonderful sunshine.

Many thanks to Linda, Cilla and Dawn for the photos

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The view back down the path coming up from the ferry landing	Down at the ferry landing	Hmmm.... I think you're friendly

On the cliff path	Taking a well-earned refreshment break

Club Summer Party

The Tamar Lakeside, on a wonderfully calm, sunny evening was a stunning setting for our summer party on 11 June. The barbecue was busy and there was a wide selection of shared salads and desserts to complete our feast. Acoustic duo, "Idle Hands" travelled from Plymouth to provide us with some great music and their second set prompted us up to dance on an increasingly crowded floor. The evening passed too quickly for the 30-odd people there, but just as hoped, the rain waited until the final partygoers were leaving.

Many thanks to Mandy Pollard and Sue Murray for the photos.

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One of the outside tables, slipping into the shade as the evening sun dips beneath the trees	The Idle Hands duo, who played some great music, taken from across the decades	Bob and Ruth, with some very impressive jive moves	And the food was pretty impressive, too....

Report on 'Push The Boat Out' Day

Once again, the club worked with the Lakes Trust to produce a joint event, which combined the Trust's Open Day with the RYA-backed 'Push The Boat Out' promotion. We were so lucky with the weather this time, as in previous years it has been either too windy or so calm that at times the pirate boats could hardly drift off the pontoon. Four boats took part - our two club Bosuns and two Bass Boats - and altogether we took 119 people out onto the water, which was a great achievement. In addition, as a result of the day we gained two new club members and also enrolled two people on the sailing course taking place in June.

Heartfelt thanks to all the 32 volunteers who took part (especially those individuals who were either working inside or else on the shore, and who didn’t get out on the water all day); the group photo below shows just some of those who gave up their spare time – and it is a real credit to a smallish sailing club such as ourselves that we can manage to turn out such a substantial proportion of our membership for an event such as this. Thanks also to John Buckett and Roger Heasman, who allowed us to use their Bass Boats and turn them into pirate ships for the day.

Many thanks to Mandy Pollard for the photos.

There is also a video of PTBO (many thanks to John Dabbs for this) which is available on YouTube: Link to YouTube video - https://youtu.be/-19c4BxfbS0

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As it was nearly all day, busy on the pontoon and crowds of prospective customers on the shore	An early morning outing for one of the pirate boats	As fierce a trio of pirates that you'd ever see this side of the Spanish Main....	Toby (out of shot) and Penny with a group of passengers clearly having a good time

Jane and Ken in the 'Rob Eason', which was also attracted many takers	Nicky keeping a careful eye out as she returns to the pontoon.	Not a staged shot - it really was this busy for practically the whole day: Nathan in the Pico, with both Bass Boats and Bosuns in the background behind	Just some of the club volunteers that helped to make the day such as success

Dart Canoeing Trip

"On 7 May eleven of us met bright and early on the quay at Stoke Gabriel. Most of us so bright and early in fact (having over estimated travel time), that the cafe (and more importantly the loos) were sadly not yet open! Fortunately we'd noticed an inviting sign as we'd descended through this pretty village and retracing our way back to the local hall, we found it packed with community spirit, offering not only a very reasonable "cuppa", but luxury biscuits too. The cake sale was too tempting for one of us, while another came away with a rhubarb plant.

Back on the quay we found Andy from Backwater Adventures, our leader for the day. Kitted out and briefed, we set off down river in two person open canoes, just as the skies started to brighten. Helped by the ebbing tide, we made good progress with minimal paddling, so were able to appreciate the tranquil scenery passing by. First stop was a stony "beach" where we were soon happily foraging mussels, winkles, cockles and oysters for lunch. A little further down river, we stopped again for a well earned drink at The Ferry Boat in Dittisham, trying not to take too much Dart mud in to the bar with us!

Then, at low tide, on another shingle beach, we responded enthusiastically when asked to gather dry wood and were treated to a master class in campfire construction. As we ate our way through sausages, salad, rolls, our foraged shellfish and toasted marshmallows, the tide crept steadily towards us and it was time to return. The sun shone, the breeze was gentle, the river stunning, the company good........ especially the curious seal who accompanied our canoes all the way back to Stoke Gabriel with the tide."

Many thanks to Linda Spiller and Dawn Veal for the photos

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Ready for the off at Stoke Gabriel	Off into the blue yonder	Threading their way through the moored boats	Dawn gathering wood for the camp fire

How to build a driftwood campfire	Rob on his seaweed encrusted rock	Life's a beach....	Ready for the paddle back...

Push The Boat Out Event and Open Day - Saturday 14th May

Saturday 14th May, from 10am to 4pm. Open to all - come and have a go at:

pirate sailing trips, kayaking, surfing and much more.....

click on the image below, which will link to a PDF version of this flyer, which can be printed if required.

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Peter Pocock Memorial Trophy - FREE Race Series for Novice Juniors

Starting on Sunday 12th June and running for 7 Sundays, this lunchtime race series is open to all novice junior sailors and is completely free of charge; Pico dinghies are kindly being made available for the series by South West Lakes Trust. The series is open to both members and non-members of the sailing club - all are welcome.

For further details, together with an entry form, please click on the image below; this will then display a PDF version of the image, which can be printed:

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Starting Sailing Without That Sinking Feeling Course

Places still available on this joint UTLSC/SWLT course:

v Gentle introduction using stable daysailers and dinghies, on a safe inland water environment

v Venue - Upper Tamar Lake (between Bude and Holsworthy)

v Saturday 4th^th June (10am-5pm), Tuesday 7^th June (5-8pm) & Thursday 9^th June (5-8pm)

v Cost – £60 per person; £45 for accompanied junior

v Joint project Upper Tamar Lake Sailing Club and South West Lakes Trust

Contact John Buckett UTLSC 01837 880142 or e-mail: j.buckett@exeter.ac.uk

Segways at Siblyback

Siblyback Reservoir greeted our slightly apprehensive band of Segway adventurers with a rather demoralising snow flurry, but fortunately the skies soon brightened, along with spirits. Our first group were kitted out with helmets, before gathering for an introduction to this strange machine. The rest of us were there to encourage, laugh and take photos, before cheering them off on their circuit of the lake.

Along the way there was a gradual increase in level of difficulty, from a gentle obstacle course practice area, off track into woodland and finally a down hill slalom. We were well supervised, but Segway and rider occasionally parted company, happily with no ill effects apart from a liberal distribution of mud. Despite further bursts of biting sleet, interrupting the bright sunshine, there were wide grins all round. Our second group proved even more adept, surprised at quite how much fun it turned out to be.

Cycling or walking the 3.5 miles around the scenic lakeside completed our options for the day, before the weather kindly allowed us to enjoy a picnic lunch on the shore.

Thanks to Mandy Pollard, John Dabbs and Linda Spiller for the photos

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Some of the usual suspects lined up before the off	Kitted out and ready to start	Under starter's orders....	Trying some off-roading....

Annie unfazed as usual	Jennie Dabbs in the woods (note the staff member who's doing it all with no hands)	Across the dam	Telephoto shot as the Tamar team head along the far side of the reservoir (the wires in the foreground are part of the Siblyback wakeboarding set-up)

Quiz Night at Kilkhampton

That perennial UTLSC favourite, the club quiz, returned for another appearance at the Grenville Rooms at Kilkhampton. This year, Linda Spiller had put together a really enjoyable (albeit quite taxing) range of challenges, puzzles and conundrums. There were a huge variety of mental challenges, ranging across a wide spectrum from identifying pictures of mountains to untangling anagrams. Those of a practical bent were catered for as well, with the challenge of building the tallest structure to hold five table-tennis balls off the ground (using only a handful of pipe-cleaners), leading to a wide selection of approaches - most of which reached impressive heights - though few achieved any degree of ruggedness; in many cases, the less able of us were fully occupied retrieving errant Ping-Pong balls as wobbly towers repeatedly toppled to the desk.

Midway through the evening, Linda took the opportunity to present Roger Heasman with a framed picture, showing a collage of photos of sailing at the lake (taken by Mandy Pollard), as a token of the club's appreciation of Roger's hard work during his three years as Commodore. After totalling up the scores at the end, the eventual winners of the quiz were Jane and Paul Anderson and John and Vicki; congratulations on a fine victory. Many thanks to Linda and Rob for putting what most have been huge amounts of work into a very full evening that generated lots of laughter, as well as the usual furrowed brows - great fun all round.


An (almost) full house at the Grenville Rooms, as all the teams concentrate on the next task	Roger Heasman with the framed picture presented to him during the evening, as a token of his achievements during his three years as Commodore	The winning team (Vicki, John, Jane and Paul), with their awards (created and fired by Linda)	Many thanks to Linda for an evening of fun and frantic thought

Bowling at Harlequinns

Rear Commodore Linda Spiller comments that: "After a few months of abstinence, members' competitive thirst was quenched with an evening of bowling on a Feb evening. Always fun, it was great to meet up and for once the highest score award did not go to a man!"

Thanks to Dave Gilbert for the photos


Some of the usual suspects (this photo enlarges if you click on it)	Some practical advice from Roger	The tyranny of choice.....	Pick a ball, any ball....

Jive with the Bude Jive Club

Our first social event of 2016 was something to help us hit one of those perennial New Year resolution targets, keeping fit! With the valued help of Bude Jive Club, a large group of members were able to have a fun taster session to start us on the way to at least beginning to learn to jive.

The warm up involved remembering some line dance style moves, easy enough to lull us into a degree of confidence, although there were moments when several of us faced in the wrong direction! Then came our introduction to jive and we were broken in fairly gently with a simple 3 step sequence which had us performing our first turns.

After a break to boost energy levels, the pace seemed to "step" up a bit and there were a few more perplexed faces around the room. Still, it was great fun and we now have enough moves to practice at home - Bude Jive Club may have gained a few more members!

Many thanks to Annie Quartermain for helping with the organisaton and to Chris Marshall for the photos.

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Clearly all going well....	Moving so fast that everyone's a blur....

Skating at Eden

We were a small, but determined group of festive skaters who met up at Eden on an unseasonably warm December Saturday. First stop was the restaurant for a hearty lunch, while we compared lengths of time since we had ventured on ice - 10 to 40 years, or in one case, never!! There was then time for a wander and to listen to the renditions of a visiting choir in the Mediterranean biome or to trek to the roof of the Tropical dome, before we met up again nervously at the rink side.

As our turn came to make our first glide, our best skater immediately performed an impressive slip, flick, flip and flop manoeuvre, landing on her front. Fortunately, no harm done, but a sober reminder of what we were up against! Any thoughts of a sedate progress around the perimeter, clutching the rail, were prevented by the number of folk standing immobile, clutching the rail so, one by one we braved the interior! Thereafter we all made steady (if wobbly at times) progress, thankfully and surprisingly with no further falls. The protective bubble wrap stuffed down one pair of trousers proved unnecessary after all!

Many thanks to Dawn Veal and Linda Spiller for the photos


Eden at Christmas	Everybody clearly having a great time	Sue leaning into a turn	Linda looking confident

Taking a rest	James moving at speed	Not just plants at Eden	And a suitable nautical shot to end on....