Midsummer Cruise Trudi

Midsummer Cruise 20th June 2012 Trudi Hilton

The summer weather so far didn’t bode well for the midsummer cruise but it was the best of the rest on the day; the 6-10knt SE wind was perfect and it was even a couple of knots stronger for the return sail!

Despite the road traffic challenges in the Sunbury and Hampton area 4 boats were rigged and ready to go at 6.30pm and with a strong, blustery wind behind us Rodger, Rebecca, Julian and I were quickly on our way to the lock. Realising that we needed a patrol boat Roger headed back to the club house to check that the power boats were on their way.

However by the time we reached the lock we had caught up with rowing Graham and Eiko who had enjoyed a detour around the cut out of the main stream but there was no sign of the power boats. We were pleased to see Stuart catching up with us and Julian and I hooked on to his cruiser to be towed into the lock. Fortunately there were not too many other people around so our floating about didn’t get us into too much trouble. Brian and Keith made it as far as the lock but didn’t stop for dinner.

At the other side we moored up before the bridge, and waited for the other boats. Eventually Rebecca and Roger arrived in the lock with Richard in the patrol boat and the second cruiser, with David and Ben bringing up the rear. Mooring all the sailing boats together, my keys and padlock made their way to the bottom of the river and my arm was not long enough to rescue them. Cold, hungry and grumpy Rebecca and I gave up trying to find them and thanks to Stuart we borrowed a padlock and went for food at The Weir Hotel with 17 other members.

After a steak-and-Guinness pie dinner, I tried again with Stuart’s magnet-on-a-rope and managed to retrieve my keys and padlock before everyone else came back to the lock. RESULT! The wind conditions remained strong enabling Roger, Julian and I to make it back to the club house under sail from the far side of the lock, despite the fading light, and carefully chaperoned by the cruisers. By 10:30pm we were all back on the bank and packing up.

My particular thanks go to Stuart who must surely have been a boy scout as he seems to have all the gadgets one could possibly need for any untoward incident! The final word goes to Bryan who discovered I had left my keys in my locker door at the end of the night…… all polite suggestions for keeping my keys attached to me would be most welcomed!!

12 of the 18 members dining at the Weir Hotel

Ideal conditions for running to the lock

Pictures by Frank Rainsborough

12 of the 18 who had dinner at the Weir Hotel

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