Thursday 1600hrs 19th April to Monday 0900hrs 23rd April (four nights)

For some days leading up to the event, a close and watchful eye was kept on the weather forecasts, as they lurched from damp, to very wet and back again! However, we were not to be put off, and slowly, slowly, the forecasts improved enough for us to become a little less pessimistic.

I personally have been to 5 concerts over recent years, and never yet had a wet one! So with maybe unfounded optimism, and a bit of a prayer, we made ready to welcome our crew, Maureen and Diana BC and set sail for East Cowes, (via Gosport to collect Robert).

The weather remained fair as it turned out, there was no queue for the lock and the short passage on Friday from Chichester to Gosport was enjoyable, for once, with winds in the right direction to allow us to sail in a relaxed manner, rather than beat!

Friday night dinner was a traditional affair aboard Sea Dream with chicken soup, roast chick, garden veggies etc! This sailing club definitely sails on its stomach; always has, and I sincerely hope always will!

Robert arrived ahead of time on Saturday morning, hot foot from the railway via the greenie ferry! We made off for East Cowes and once again enjoyed a fair old sail, with definite hints of increasing periods of warm and sunny weather, and friendly winds.

Such good progress was made that we were able to drop the hook, and bob around in Osborne bay for an hour for a leisurely lunch on deck, in advance of the serious eating and drinking of bubbly to come later on.

Moored up in East Cowes Marina, we were joined by Nigel and Barbara for a welcome cup of tea prior to packing up at least half the contents of the food lockers and fridge, together with folding chairs, chilled bubbly, rugs, wetties etc, etc and pile all into our aged, but loyal wheelie shopping trolley… not so fashionable I grant you, but fit for purpose still after some 20 years of good use by Avi!

Steve, Louise, Anna and Yamma arrived in good time and soon we were all propelled, courtesy of the ever-efficient Jones’ Taxi service, to the grounds of Osborne house, arriving just as doors were opening, and laying claim to a prime pitch. The landlubbers:- Hilary and Nick, Victor, Gerry, Nigel and Barbara, and Steve and Val joined us as we set about laying out a veritable feast.

Much eating, drinking and amiable banter ensued, until some sort of hush fell as the concert began.

The Master Singers, William Tell and Star Wars, preceeded the Arrival of the Queen of Sheba, Danse Macabre, Strauss polkas (complete with some prancing and dancing from a few active members) giving rise to some very Close Encounters of several kinds!!!

The second half of the programme was the predictable, familiar with the “never can do without” works that feature annually at the last night of the proms in any location. Complete with the HSSC version of the sailor’s hornpipe performed with much vigour, endless flag flying and a definitely hearty round of Rule Britannia and Jerusalem, we ooohed and aaahed with the fireworks until the very last spark and ember had died away.
 

The informality of the evening, and the fairly close, friendly and intimate location shared by some many hundreds of like-minded folk gives this event its longevity and enjoyability and is why we shall return for many years we hope.

A tired but happy bunch returned to boats, guest houses, and hotels, and sleep came easy!

The following day dawned sunny and bright, and although Sea Dream encountered problems with her battery charger ably dealt with by Sea Start, otherwise known as AA for the Solent, we were all on our way home by 12.00 noon. A spritely downwind sail East in good time was only marred by the absence of free flow at the now infamous Chichester Lock. Because of the time of high water and due to the restrictions of the Neap tide, some 40 boats or more had arrived at the lock all at once and the resulting melee and scrummage persisted for more than an hour, standing ground, (or actually water!) all the time. Not fun, and definitely not what you want at the end of such a commodious weekend.

However, all was well in the end, with the stalwart Captain Avi saying calm and cool throughout. That doesn’t mean that the skippers mate, remained equally so, but that minor domestic is not subject for this report!

All had a fab time, and we are definitely planning to return next year, together with an even larger number of members and their boats, it is hoped.

Dates for next year’s concert will be available in due course from the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra web-site:- www.bsolive.com

Sandy Riegler
Sea Dream

for the Shannon River Cruise click here 

for the HSSC Club Family weekend click here

for the HSSC Rally and Dinner click here

Sea Dream, with Sandy, Avi, Barbara and Nigel aboard arrived first and as the skies cleared and the sun broke strongly through, Spirit of Fairfax, skippered by Adair with Janet, Steve and Val Bourne and Diana Bader-Clynes as crew glided into to their berth a few places from us.

Massive, mouth-watering buffet suppers were skilfully prepared in both galleys, and soon enough we were dragging our loaded trolleys, wheelie baskets etc, up the ramps and climbing aboard our taxis en-route to Osborne house.Taxi bookings required us to arrive very early indeed, but listen, hey… if you have got to queue, where better to do it, other than Harrods sale, and at least we had seats and refreshments on hand. We actually headed up the queue and thankfully were admitted half an hour early, making straight for the best pitch in the gardens, mid centre at the front of the audience! Within nano-seconds, we were set up, free bubbly procured, (courtesy of the management to each couple booking online!), and moreover sipped coolly, if not so slowly!

Our early arrival allowed us to have a very leisurely supper, with all the courses, and enough bubbly to render us well into the mellow and convivial mood required. The sun had shone throughout and the skies began to tinge with red as the concert began.

We were not disappointed!
The heady combination of wonderful old favourites with a generous helping of new material complimented the mellow mood perfectly, and then in the second half just the right amount of sing-along-a-proms and dancing and jumping around to Land of Hope and Glory! With flags a-waving and legs a-flying, the evening culminated with the most magnificent firework display I have ever seen at one of these concerts.

Sensational!

If you haven’t been, you must make it next year, and if you are an old timer, then lets all do it again! It’s a great combination of sailing, camaraderie, culture and fine food. Devine.

Date for the 2011 Osborne House concert is not yet confirmed but is likely to be the 23rd or 30th July so keep a look out on their web-site at http://www.bsolive.com/ 
Tip for skippers.. if you plan to join us next year, one the date is released book berths at East Cowes as early as possible as they fill up so very quickly and of course let us know you want to join the group.

To view all the photos from the Osborne House Concert click here

How did this all come about – so much good and nearly good fortune all in one sailing season ?

HSSC Midsummer Rally

Extraordinarily enough, when this year’s HSSC rally skippers, were advised that the course would be the same as last year’s, absolutely no complaints were received.  Is this because our lives are all too busy to find time to bang into our GPSs a new course, or has rally control finally worn us down or have we all realised that racing is really rather like a bridge hand – you never get exactly the same cards or conditions twice !

So, here we were, the first Saturday in July – a year has just flown by.  Nearly all participants were in the start area in such good time that a quick lunch at anchor in the sunshine could be enjoyed in Osborne Bay, during which, with a Whoosh Bryan Sheinman drove Wild Oyster thru the anchorage scooping up his young crew member (the Commodore’s son no less) from aboard Blue Lady – how’s that for delivery and service !

Across the start line at Daks with a light WSW, went Spirit of Fairfax (too early), Wild Oyster, Ulysses, Sea Dream of Hamble, visiting guest Casco, Ariam and Blue Lady (too late).  The first leg to North Ryde Middle saw much vying for position and by the time a tricky run to Browndown was completed Wild Oyster was already way ahead.  In the main pack were Casco, Ulysses, Spirit of Fairfax and Sea Dream followed by Ariam (aboard Ariam, Maureen’s head received the worst of the downwind gybing we were all performing), and lastly Blue Lady.  On the leg to Bob Kemp off Ryde pier, with the wind beginning to increase Blue Lady began making some gains on her deplorable downwind leg (her ridiculous hankie of a headsail is no genoa for sure).  From Bob Kemp the wind continued to mount giving a tight beat past Mackley Construction to North Ryde Middle during which Ariam sped along passing Sea Dream, Spirit of Fairfax, Ulysses and Casco.  With the wind now a good F5, a key component was where to put in the couple of tacks required to round North Ryde Middle and then again, how to lay the finish at Daks with the F5 rising F6, opposing the newly turned tide.  Blue Lady exchanged places with Spirit of Fairfax and Sea Dream on this last leg, although Sea Dream made a really good job at snapping at Blue Lady’s heels right up to the line. (Sandy had the dogs on board)

The fleet swiftly headed for Cowes Yacht Haven where antics galore had to be performed to squeeze ourselves into our allotted berths.  Next year rally control will have to bow to popular demand and relocate to a different marina.

On to the HSSC Regatta dinner, where Commodore Stanley Saffer welcomed us to the evening with a pre-dinner joke.  Later Rear Commodore Sandy described to us, her’s and Avi’s pleasure at the  completion and enjoyment of their first long cruise aboard Sea Dream over a 5-week period to the West Country.

To this unusually decorous gathering (Bryan was not in pig joke mode), SC Gill announced  that, as in the BBC Sport’s Personality of the Year, there was a special award in the offing and that the recipient of such was thus, in the same way as on the BBC, unlikely to be in receipt of the much prized main award of the evening, the Heroes Chockys box.  Now here, there was a groan of despair from Dr Sheinman and a certain amount of comments from the assembled members and guests.

Gill, hoping she had alarmed Bryan enough, briefed the gathering on The Royal Escape Race at the end of May in which there were two HSSC entries, Michael Hatchwell’s immaculate HR42 Stina and Bryan Sheinman’s Wild Oyster.

Accompanied by much laughter from the gathering, Gill presented Bryan with a trophy (actually this was his unclaimed replica trophy for the HSSC Cruising Cup 2008) and read out the (fictitious) inscription on the trophy as ‘The Royal Escape Race 2010 – Wild Oyster – Nearly First !!!’.   For had Wild Oyster crossed the finish line when she first arrived 300 metres from it at 18.25, AND had the waning wind not chosen that precise moment to completely stall and the notoriously strong tide clip in Eastwards, she would have been FIRST!!!  Yes, Gill can vouch for this as she was there and at the end of a 67 mile gallop of a sail across the Channel, she participated in the initial very interesting language aboard Wild Oyster. Bryan fairly heaved with disbelief at being so near yet so far, and I ….. well, it had been a really great day's sail !
N.B   Poor Bryan, I wondered did he cry himself to sleep in his owner's aft cabin that night!  (I do like teasing Bryan!   At least at Stina and Wild Oyester’s night out in Fecamp the 7 chaps got their own back – they teased me to bits and I laughed so much I thought I might have a heart attack!)

Then the day’s Results

On handicap:
The Winner of the Cadbury Chocky’s Challenge was:

1st Wild Oyster     (Bryan Sheinman, Josh Saffer)

2nd Casco        (Rodney Camrass and Kirk Camrass)

3rd  Ariam        (Robert Falk, Phil Sugarman, Victor Newman, Maureen Gorb,
Karen  O’Brien)
Also Sailed:
Ulysses        (David Weisfeld, Nick and Carolina Weisfeld)
Blue Lady        (Gill and Robert Woodbridge, Stanley Saffer, Diana
Bader-Clynes)
Spirit of Fairfax    (Adair and Janet Butchins, Stephen and Val Bourne)
Sea Dream        (Sandy and Avi Riegler)

Gill Woodbridge
Sailing Captain

photos Robert Falk

Britain’s only Sailing Club of Jewish Affinity and Friendship cruised through its AGM and  20th Anniversary Laying Up Dinner  in great style last week with an attendance of 90 past and present members, including 3 of the original founders and a 4- week old baby! .

Coinciding with the end of her term as Commodore, Sandy Riegler was enraptured by the outstanding attendance and the array of club sailing memorabilia, which members had brought along.

Incoming Commodore, Stanley Saffer, made a fabulous entry to the dinner in full ocean-going wet suit and entertained the gathering with his slick, witty and most entertaining inaugural speech. He paid tribute to the outgoing Commodore and the worthy committee members who have served the club so well these past three years and, moreover, welcomed all of those loyal members back for a further term of office. Stanley presented Sandy with a beautiful miniature sextant and a bottle of excellent Whisky to ward of the cold of the winter seas! (Sure….she’s going sailing in mid-winter!!!! There’s the Chanukah sail isn’t there?)

A fabulous meal followed with the seafaring guests catching up with old friends and a happy and excited buzz of conversation and laughter filling the pleasant and beautifully laid out venue if the Apollonia Restaurant in Stanmore.

Dinner speakers included Dr Ron Shanson, and David Weisfeld, who along with Gill Woodbridge and Nigel Reese, were there from the off, when the late Michael Doctors hatched the plan way back in 1989. Nigel, who was otherwise detained at his brother’s pleasure,.. I mean wedding.. in Washington, USA, spoke to the gathering on the phone via the efficient PA system, sounding like he were only on the next door pontoon, not thousands of miles away!

Having partaken of a very tasty meal, all served piping hot and all tables at the same time by the ever-so-efficient and friendly staff, the assembly was treated to accounts of epic voyages to far off shores of the World, by Steve Moss, skipper of Yamma, and Frank Yantin of Shemesh, both of whom have been making passages of Odyssian proportions since 2004. 

Followed by Fastnet Phil who gave a short update about his expereinces having successfully completed this years Rolex  Fastnet Race as skipper, and in an admirable time!

Gill Woodbridge, by way of a little entertainment, introduced several of her all-lady crew members to join in a song with accompanying actions, in celebration of the HSSC’s nine all-lady entries into the annual Round the Island Race and five entries into the RSYC Two-handed Round the Island Race.

Diana Bader-Clynes, Rita Baumal, Uta Gosling, Jo Kurt, Louise du Bosky and  Michelle Honey were all up for joining in the fun and the Audience heartily joined in the Chorus lines to the tune of ‘What do you do with a Drunken Sailor?’

We are the High Seas Racing Ladies
Off to the Start Line bright and early
Waiting for the Big Bang to send us awa-ay
Earl-AYE in the morning

Hell for leather on the homeward Strai-aight
Onward to the madness of the finishing bu-oys
EXHILARATING Feelings as we BLAST the Finish Line
Earl-AYE in the EVENING

The HSSC Racing Ladies then took great pleasure in presenting their Rear Commodore Sandy Reigler with a bouquet in thanks for the wonderful way she has presided over the Club during the past three years.
There’s definitely promise there! Eurovision next?
 

Finally the awards.. that annual deliberation that gives Commodore and Committee great challenges to select the right man, or woman for each award! Well, this time was no easier than any other, in fact, in one or two of the categories, including Cruising Cup, there was even a contest for the winner. However, the final results of the sea-faring jury are:-

Most Promising Newcomer:-   Uri Flowers 

Crewman Of The Year  Richard Sotnik

Crewwoman Of The Year Janet Butchins                     

Yachtsperson Of The Year Louise Du Bosky 

Round The Island Cup  Robert Falk, Victor  Newton, Avi Riegler

Skipper Of The Year Philip Sugarman

Cruising Cup Steve Moss

Commodore’s Trophy Laurence Factor

Special Award For Completing the Odyssey To Israel

Frank Yantin, Carole Sinclair       

Hearty congratulations to all

to view all the photos click here    

Saturday 4 July

Osborne Bay on a beautiful sunny day with a light SSW wind. The 2009 rally contenders were cruising the start line. Ariam, Blue Lady, Sea Dream of Hamble, Spirit of Fairfax and Wylde Oyster were all there. Celestra, Glissando and Ulysses we missed having you with us this year.

5 minutes to go, 2 minutes to go. A blast of the start horn from FastnetPhil aboard Blue Lady. Sea Dream of Hamble and Wylde Oyster timed their start to perfection, Ariam and Spirit of Fairfax’s watches were obviously incorrect and were far enough over the line to deserve a ‘penalty 360 degree turn’!

Sailing Captain Gill, along with FastnetPhil, aboard the deliberately over-rated and aptly named Blue Lady, were not surprisingly lagging behind – SC Gill was to be seen heading away from the line during the crucial pre-start 2 minutes, pour encourager les autres of course!

FastnetPhil is definitely in RORC races/Fastnet mode. For a start all that fastnet gear adorning Phil looks just great, the hat, the knuckle duster gloves – in particular Gill is madly envious of his chic black racing knee pads! Then out comes the handheld GPS with the extra large digital read-out facia. Target, to catch the fleet by the first mark. Strategy – ah ha! Trust me, says FastnetPhil.This is music to SC Gill’s ears. VMG is the word.

The diminutive hssc fleet closes up together at the first mark (at this year’s Round the Island Race the wind shut down at Bembridge with an overwhelming concertina effect on the 1700 yacht fleet). Spirit of Fairax has a problem – her preventer is preventing her progressing through to the next leg. Wylde Oyster employs a more starboard route, whilst Blue Lady leads Ariam and Sea Dream towards the second mark. Fun and games whilst all participants negotiate a path through two dinghy races to round the mark. Dr. Bryan Sheinman is ahead, off and away around the mark as befits Wylde Oyster’s superior size and water length, creaming it along. No need this year for BSh to round the buoy, sails flapping wildly, whilst pinching Blue Lady’s water on the inside of the tack.Also definitely no need for him to be heard crying Winch, Winch to his crewman, as this year he has been blessed (thru intro of SC) with the superlatively calm skills of Tank Commander Gilad Shub as chief and only crewman.

Ariam appears to be making excellent work shadowing Blue Lady’s every move and using to advantage Phil, Gill and Neil TN’s constant VMG (Velocity Made Good) trimming. Past Bob Kemp buoy off Ryde pier and on to a long westerly leg in fluky winds which sees the demise of Blue Lady as Ariam, skippered by Robert Falk, overtakes (Suzie Gorney is luxuriating in Ariam’s cockpit corner as they pass – see you’re working hard Suzie, calls FastnetPhil!). And then coming from behind, Commodore Sandy and Avi’s Sea Dream see their sea dream come true as they stomp past both Blue Lady and Ariam. Way ahead Bryan Sheinman gets the shock of his life when he turns to see Sea Dream piling down upon him.

On to the homeward straight and at last the Doctor can claim those line honours he has always craved – his beautiful Wylde Oyster has at last completed a course without her skipper having to claim misinformation by those in charge. Sea Dream crosses the line to potential handicap glory followed by Ariam, Blue Lady and Spirit of Fairfax.

Next on the agenda are drinks at Cowes Yacht Haven in Sea Dream’s capacious cockpit, followed by a quick dash to the Royal London Yacht Club for more drinks and an excellent dinner. Entertainment is well provided for by Commodore Sandy’s welcome, Dr. Bryan Sheinman’s Irish (great accent, Bryan) first joke of the evening, SC Gill’s narration of Steve and Louise’s recent epic two and a half days alone aboard Yamma, in a 65 knot storm off the Florida and South Carolina coasts, FastnetPhil’s briefing on his forthcoming Fastnet skipper role, a toast to the four Commodores present, Richard Sotnick’s toast to the SC’s organisation with kind promotion of her daughter’s operatic excellence followed by his denouncement of the SC’s start tactics two years ago, and then yet another Pig joke from Bryan Sheinman. Victor is sure BSh told this joke last year. Anniversary good wishes are given to our new members Mike and Nicole Potter with special congratulations to Nicole for agreeing to spend their 25th anniversary afloat.

And then THE RESULTS.

On Handicap:

lst The winner of the Cadbury HEROES chockys Challenge is:

Sea Dream of Hamble (Sandy and Avi Riegler, Val and Steve Bourne)

2nd and Line Honours:

Wylde Oyster (Brian Sheinman is awarded a l50 sprays Candy Spray pen named MEGA MOUTH, Gilad Shub a chocolate pirate pig lollipop)

Also sailed:

Ariam receives Starbursts (Robert Falk, Victor Newton, Suzie Gorney, Mike and Nicole Potter)

Blue Lady receives Fruit and Nut choc (Gill Woodbridge, Phil Sugarman, Neil Turner Nash)

Spirit of Fairfax receives StarMix (Adair and Janet Butchins, Diana Abramova, Richard Sotnick)

Sunday 5 July

18-22 knots of wind. Smashing sail had by all.

SC’s Verdict

Please, just leave me here. Out.

Gill Woodbridge, Sailing Captain, (SC)

The day of the first Michael Doctors lecture was drawing close and the participation numbers were looking really good.

It was clear that the renowned mariner Cunliffe was proving exactly the exciting attraction that the club had hoped for. Current and past members alike together with friends and family of the late Michael Doctors were due to meet for this auspicious occasion… and then…down came the SNOW********. Tons and tons of the white fluffy stuff! Very pretty; but then the reality began to slowly dawn upon me. “This is not good; this definitely doesn’t bode well for keeping up attendances”, and sure enough a few worrying calls and e-mails began to arrive.

However, all was not lost. Being good mariners, we sought solace from the weather reports. We checked them all, hour by hour and found a definite uniformity amongst the forecasts for the following day, that of the lecture. It looked as if the snow would stop, the temperature would rise a little and remain so for at least 24 hours providing just enough of a window to allow Transport for London to sort their act out, and for the main roads to be cleared. Our famous speaker concurred having made his own investigations that there would indeed be a weather window, and was very much still of a mind to go ahead. With renewed vigour we tried to reassure as many people as possible that it would really be all right on the night, and then we just prayed.

In due course the hour of judgement arrived and I had asked myself the same question over and over again. “Would anyone really come?” The answer was soon apparent “Yes”! Many, many people made it and the hall began to fill. Soon a hubbub of animated chatter started to rise and fall and still more of our expected attendees arrived. Guests tucked into the bagels and sandwiches, reinforcing our belief that we sail on our stomachs whilst Mr Tom Cunliffe was safely installed before a stubborn laptop and projector, which soon became the biggest concern. Then, magically, a new projector arrived and we were off.

With a spirited start, Tom provided us with 90 minutes of entertainment, witty repartee, anecdotes and real mariner’s experiences as he explained how we used to find our way at sea, how he has done it and how satellites and electronics have influenced how we do it now. The audience was completely absorbed in his stories of navigational nightmares of the Atlantic kind, when, in the 1960s, having lost chronometer, and with no more than a chart and sextant he managed to navigate from Brazil to Barbados, and made it by hitting the required latitude and turning left! Well, he made it sound just that simple.

With precisely the right blend of humour, information and technical whatsnames, and an informality rarely experienced with such a star speaker, the evening finished on a real high.

Annie Doctors gave a short but moving tribute to Michael and a perfect vote of thanks to Tom. With ample time for coffee, cakes and a good chinwag with our mates, the HSSC year kicked off to a brilliant start despite the best intentions of the elements.  Now where have I heard that one before!

I offer my thanks to all those who made such an effort to be there and make the event such a success with a particular mention for Arnold Bennett who suggested Tom Cunliffe as our speaker.

Any ideas and suggestions for future key speakers will be most welcome.

Sandy Riegler
Commodore

During the AGM that always precedes the Laying Up diner, tribute was paid to Michael Doctors, founder member and former commodore who passed away at the beginning of the year.

The meeting was an orderly affair, with time for discussion, largely focussed on dedicating 2009 to a new members drive, with a programme that would attract the younger element. It was satisfying and pleasing that a real dialogue developed, and almost everyone present at the meeting had a constructive suggestion, all of which were noted. Moreover, in the days following the “do”, many more ideas flowed through the inter-ether as e-mails. It was very heartening to feel the membership taking onboard a much larger degree of ownership for the club and I thank you all for that.

After the formalities had been concluded, the masses adjourned to the bars, whilst one or two of us plutzed over the high tech issues that would allow the lap-tops to “talk” to the LCD flat screen that was available. I’m not at all sure if it was divine intervention that galvanised it all into action, the Audio-visual guy from the hotel, or, (and this is really most likely) Nigel’s lucky cable.

In any event, well at least this one, all was resolved just as our guest speaker, 21-year-old, GB Laser Radial sailor, Rosie Chapman arrived spot on time. Rosie has been a member for the past two years since she first addressed us at the Little Ship Club. Now a young women, and a most successful racer, Rosie charmed us all during dinner, and looked absolutely the part in her GB Olympic Development Squad shirt and logos.

The evening continued with a short Commodore’s welcome, followed by dinner, and much laughter, and general repartee around the tables, no doubt helped along the way by a liberal amount of wine.

Our guest speaker, young Rosie was an unmitigated success. Vivacious, and confidant, she kept us entertained and captivated for more than 30 minutes presenting a wonderful account of how sailing has become her passion; her struggle and battle to overcome illness and injury, and how she finally turned these difficulties into a positive energy that has driven her from success to success, from sea to sea and from country to country.

I am certain we shall see much, much more of Rosie as we approach 2012, and I for one, can’t wait to see her racing in Weymouth. I feel equally certain that the club will join me in supporting her, and on behalf of all present I offer my thanks to Rosie for fitting us into her very demanding schedule.

The evening continued in a light-hearted vein with humorous yet challenging quiz questions from borne-to-be quizmaster Nigel! I think a touch of help was achieved from the odd Blackberry that flashed under tablecloths, but a certain intellectual quality was certainly added to the event!! Nigel continued to take the helm managing a wonderful auction of Nautical charts, books and other gear, kindly donated by Annie Doctors, and raising money for the Sue Mack fund, and RYA Sailability. Thank you Nigel! You were great.

Finally the Annual awards were announced, surprising and delighting the unsuspecting recipients. Its lovely to watch the faces of the winners as light begins to dawn that actually I was talking about THEM! (See below for list of winners)

For my part, I thoroughly enjoyed the evening, notwithstanding the extreme attack of nerves that befell me in the run up to the weekend. I must also thank Stanley Saffer, Vice Commodore for MC-ing the evening, and for his constant and most welcome support, and to Phil Sugarman, Rear Commodore, for technical back-up. Needless to say, the committee all played their part magnificently and my endless thanks to them.

For more pictures please do access the club web-site www.hssc.org.uk