East Coast Branch

2010 Events Programme - something for everyone

Please have a look at our events programme for next year, and note those events that you would be interested in attending. Chris Hennah would much welcome any comments and suggestions for additional events.

Visit to Harwich Harbour Authority (HHA) VTS Centre

Our visit to the HHA VTS centre followed hard on the heels of our AGM, and despite snow and ice all ten of us (plus 1!) managed to turn up at Navigation house on time. To avoid disrupting HHA VTS operations we were asked to restrict our numbers to ten. John Adams of HHA met us and escorted us to their incident room on the top floor. This is immediately behind the VTS operators room and provides a panoramic view over Orwell and Stour and out sea.

John gave a fascinating talk on HHA’s role, responsibilities and modus operandi, liberally spiced with anecdotes of amusing and not so amusing incidents! He primarily focused on pilotage, access and berthing issues, but it was pleasing to hear that incidents concerning yachts were few and far between despite the thousands transiting the harbour each year. One very powerfully made point concerned large ships and the difficulties they faced with restricted visibility and manoeuvrability in the harbour approaches. This fully emphasised the need for us to keep well clear and signal our intentions in good time.

As we were oversubscribed for this first visit a follow up visit has been arranged on 25th March. At the time of writing a few places are still available.

Chris

Lion Inn - talk - lunch and AGM

Around 38 members and guests crowded into the Lion Inn, to hear an excellent talk by James Littlewood about his Baltic trips on Paddington Bear (photo right). James was rewarded with second presentation of the Clark and Carter plate, this time complete with engraving.

This was followed by a great lunch, from an excellent menu (photo on left), many chose the traditional roast Sunday dinner; which was very good indeed, and ensured that your webmaster
did not need to eat again that day !

A brief AGM followed the lunch and passed off peacefully --- actually we were not sure quite how many were asleep by the end! The existing Committee had all declared that they were willing to stand again, and were duly re-elected. It was agreed that we use e-mail bulletins as far as possible, via the new East Coast e-mail list service, and encourage more use of the East Coast Discussion Forum for events management.

Colin

Don't forget the East Coast Photo Competition continues ....

Very young competitors will get bonus marks, to level the playing field. You can find full details on the Gallery page.

Please keep us up to date with any e-mail address changes

We occasionally send e-mails to the East Coast membership and quite a few fail to be delivered because we have out of date e-mail address information. PLEASE make sure that has an up to date address for the membership database.

Please e-mail the East Coast webmaster with ideas and content for these branch pages.