Scotland Branch
2009 event reports
Holy Loch Rendezvous | Buffet & Ceilidh, RNCYC | Ailsa Craig | Portavadie Barbecue
Previous year's reports
Portavadie barbecue 08 | Greenock Coastguard 07
2009 event reports
Portavadie Barbecue, July 2009
As widely anticipated, the MOA Scotland summer barbecue was the highlight of the 2009 season.
Well attended with 43 members and guests in 12 boats, (exactly the same as last year) we were again well looked after at Portavadie. We were delighted to welcome several new members, and a good time was had by all.
As an added bonus, the 40th birthday party in the next door marquee ran on into the evening and many members were able to enjoy their disco.
Colin Bruce kindly shot some video of this event, and I will put it up when I get the chance to edit(!) it.
We were able to meet our newest members
-
Alan and Evie Hamilton, Sun Shadow
-
Dominic McKay, Crusader
-
Bill Rowell, Siubhlache
-
Chez Randall, Sea Holly
Ailsa Craig and Troon, May 2009
There was a sunny and lively sail to Lamlash on Friday for the four boats making it, once moored up refreshments were served on Brise. The next morning found us all bobbing about as a front came through earlier than expected, it was like 10 green bottles: 1 went off to Troon, 1 back to Largs (That was FUN in a moderate to rough sea I can tell you!! A), another to Ardrossan with the last one staying put.
We’re a hardy lot and ten members reconvened for a Chinese that evening in Troon. A particular welcome to Nick & Liz Hartley who made it from Yorkshire via Isle of Whithorn. We missed the guillemots but Ailsa Craig will be there for another trip.
John and Julia Southcott, Brise
Top
Buffet & Ceilidh, RNCYC, May 2009
A great night at an historic and beautiful YC
Despite continuous rain, six boats met up at Rhu Marina, and a total of 45
for the evening event, dinner and ceilidh at historic Royal Northern, Rhu.
Eventually the rain moved off allowing people to arrive at the RNCYC in the dry. A situation remedied by the the warm welcome by the bar staff at the Royal Northern, all helping to cheer the participants.
General comments about the setting, the excellent buffet, and the one-man-band should see this becoming a fixture in the Moody programme. Good to see so many making the effort to come some distance, and rewarding to know that it was worth it. Our thanks to all who came, brought guests, and generally made the event a huge success.
We were able to meet our newest members
-
Margaret and Carson Somers (Ancarra)
-
Jim Rogers and his daughter Kirsty (Fairwind of Rhu)
David and Margaret Whitham, Schiehallion
Top
Holy Loch Rendezvous, April 2009
Excellent weather for the start of the season
A beautiful and crisp start to the year, with sightings of Clyde porpoise close enough to see more than just fins. Seven boats turned out, and while there wasn't an awful lot of wind we got a chance to top our tans up on a bright, cool weekend.
After a relaxing trip up to the Marina, sixteen folks pootled on down to Holy Loch inn for a pub dinner. We were especaily pleased to note that we had seven new members join us.
It's that combination of Damart and Dubarry that wows the girls
Oh dear. Some members took rather too much advantage of sun to reveal bodyparts long lost to the sun.
If you have a few more pics as gorgeous as the ones on the left, we'd love to hear. (Perhaps I'll complete the calendar if we get enough funnies. A) The owner of these boots has pinned his entry up on the kitchen wall, although when last seen we though he was looking for mermaids.
We were able to meet our newest members
-
Derek Armstrong (Cilaos)
-
Davey and Mary McMillan (Kate)
-
Stan and Viv Petrie (Dayspring)
Alex Rhind, Scotland Webmaster (when she gets round to it)
Top
Previous year’s reports
Portavadie Barbecue, June 2008
We had 40 folks and a dozen boats turn out for the barbecue in what proved to be the season's typical on-the-nose, uphill F5/6 blast.
At 1500 Nokomis gave up sailing, largely because the skipper noted '...we have the booze onboard', but we think it was because certain members of the crew couldn't be bothered to tack yet again. Seems we weren't alone: several others beat us to it.
'That's the biggest barbie I've ever seen'
Karen, appropriately an Aussie, rolled out the 'Portavadie Marina Monster Barbie', the biggest barbecue ever and a selection of carnivorous delicacies was duly cremated. Portavadie looks to be a fab location when it's finished. (Note the digger in the background!)
We were particularly taken by the monster Bratwürsts that the German—Ardrossan team brought on Meltemi. They were huge. Later Colin (left) modelled some of his artwork 'The dark heart of Scotland's Midnight sun' which looked suspiciously like a nitelite and squashed Tennent's can. We suggested Colin contact Charles Saatchi quick.
The Midge lands!
Sunset, no wind, Scotland: you just know you're about to be eaten by a 0.3mm insect with a dozen needle-like 1m fangs. 2230 the first midge invasion landed. At this point a number of burqa like garments were whipped out to roars of laughter.
It seems that it's possible to consume a glass or two through the burqua net and post a few peanuts. Surely this is haram, Tom and Moira?
It's (nearly) the land of the midnight sun
At 56ºN, 5ºW it doesn't get really dark until midnight in Argyll. We lit the brazier, and with certain folks falling asleep half-full glass in hand (no, he didn't spill it, even after an hour's kip), and we think the last person left at about 0200.
So it must have been a half-decent night.
Top
Visit to Greenock Coastguard
27 October 2007
Seventeen of us turned out on a the final day of what has laughably been called ‘British Summer Time’ to visit the Greenock Coastguard.
Rosie Bowes showed us into the Emergency Room. The Ocean Light, a grain carrier had beached opposite Dumbarton on the previous afternoon, and had resisted attempts to try and float her off on the next high tide: details of the incident were recorded on a white board (left). Had the incident been more serious, many of the seats in the room would have been occupied, from fire and rescue to the port authority (Clydeport), environmental agencies and the ‘SoS Rep’ – the Secretary of State’s representative who has overriding authority. The room is used at exercises, and thankfully has not yet been wholly operational for real.
Then on to the Ops Room (right), which is where the day-to-day work of the coastguard takes place. Most of the coastguard are ex-merchant or Royal Navy: Rosie is the only yachtie. This afternoon Tariq Hassim was heading up the watch team. One person monitors Ch16 on a two-hour rota and on this watch the other three team members pick up calls on VHF, DSC and 999. MF is also listened to on an open speaker, which is used mostly by rigs and working vessels.
The west coast of Scotland is covered by Clyde and Stornoway, with Belfast and Malin to the south. Rosie tells us it’s by far the largest coastline in the UK, complicated by VHF blackspots, large tracts of inland waterway and fast-changing sea and weather conditions. Plus an ever-increasing number of indivuduals going to sea without any training or knowledge! The working area extends to 20°W: half of the Atlantic. Get to Rockall and you’re not even halfway! Most of the work is inshore, and the biggest issue is learning local names, both in English and Gaelic, as well as knowing the capabilities of the rescue and communications facilities at any one place.
The whole network of VHF, DSC, SAR and operations is managed by a touchscreen system of extraordinary complexity (left). The system itself is logical and well-organised: it’s the level of data and myriad of screens that each person has to assimilate that astounds. Rosie tells us it takes about a year and we’re not surprised. Each aerial is represented, as is each SAR station, be it helicopter or lifeboat. Working aerials and stations are green, yellow, red, and unavailable are black. The system operates a number of dedicated BT phone/data lines which connect to fire, police and ambulance, as well as the local hospital which provides direct medical assistance via a 'ship to shore line'. Calls are logged as they come in, and a decision to call out the lifeboat is taken by the watch manger.
We were reminded that DSC (digital selective calling) has a stronger signal and therefore longer range that Ch16 on VHF: around 50nm maximum. Further out and you need MF, HF DSC or sat phones.
Rosie cited the case of a yacht being lost in the North East Atlantic area some 20°W. The craft had lost all radio and sat comms, and had set off its EPIRB in a final shout for help. A ship ‘local’ to the stricken yacht made its way to the EPIRB’s location, but it must have been a lonely, silent 36 hours after setting off the EPIRB for both the yacht and the coastguard/ship. The crew all survived, but Rosie admitted shouts quite often took the watch team to the edge.
CG66 is also maintained by the coastguard, and we were reminded that the database is not national! (You need to re-register if you have moved from one CG area to another, have acquired or changed kit or contact details. Details are updated every 2 years.) The Coastguard use CG66 to track down vessels, liferafts and EPIRBS and look up your kit level if you answer a distress call.
Everyone agreed it was a most interesting visit, finishing about 1630. (The tea and chocolate biscuits were also worth turning out for.) Seven of us then went into Glasgow to Mother India's Cellar for the usual excellent curry.
Top