19 July 2010
Training Week
Our training week was held on the first week of the school holidays. We were faced with very challenging weather which registered winds in excess of 40 knots with horizontal rain on Wednesday and Thursday. Despite this we ran several RYA courses; 44 juniors and 10 adults participated. In some cases we were able to complete the courses and award certificates, in others large parts of the courses were covered with some work on the water required to finish. As usual we ended the week by sailing 24 dinghies across to Attadale beach for a picnic. No sooner had we arrived than a prolonged Northerly squall hit the beach with freezing rain!! Sandwiches were quckl;y consumed and a few quick "warm up" games were played before a mass evacuation was performed. Thanks are due to Nigel and Hilary MacLeod who came to the rescue with their motor cruiser "Idis". They transported nearly twenty chittering children back to the safety of the club whilst another ten sought refuge on "Mhojo". The more experienced sailors then sailed back to the club to find the wind dropping and the sun coming out for the end of week ceremonies! The club was pleased to have the help of Robin Paris, the Scottish National Topper Squad Coach. He passed on lots of useful racing tips to our more advanced juniors during the week, but we were disappointed that we were unable to take full advantage of his expertise as the weather prevented any effective coaching on the water during his stay.