Easter Mayland...sea, snow,wind and freezing

High winds, snow and freezing conditions cracked the Maylandsea Bay Easter Regatta.
Sea spray lobbed high in the air from the sea wall, travelled across the commodores lawn at 40 knots both on Friday and Saturday and as the wind died down on Sunday a goodly layer of snow and a wind chill factor ended another days sailing.
However Monday’s winds were fair and the skies had brightened. The club elders gathered and the smells of bacon and coffee wafted out from the clubhouse.

What was left of the dinghy fleet with a stout sense of ‘lets go sailing’ rigged the boats as Geoffrey, Mike and Richard heated up the race box and manned the support boat. The wind now 16 knots N.E. and gusting 20 knots and as cold and dense as it had been all winter, put a brilliant end to what was now one race for the Easter Cup.
The winner of this event was with no doubt Ann Dyson sailing a Laser Radial closely followed by Richard and Mike in the Support boat. Ann showing great courage before the start, plaining up and down the start line looking as she was going to give Jacko and Lorna in the Merlin an Easter egg poaching. Jacko and Lorna won the start and were not to be seen again, but over all they put up a very lack lustre performance (all very boring). On the other hand Ann, loosing the start by being slightly too far down the line at the flag, dropped, tucked in and settled down to the tacks hanging in to see if Monsieur Jacko would go farming in the saltings or possibly sail a new and more challenging course. For Ann the race turned into the most impressive performance the club as seen this year. The course had every point of sailing with the windward legs against the tide and a punishing long tight fetch back to the club line. As a large black cloud passed to the west the wind rose and held steady up in the 20 knots plus for some time, distressingly just a bit more than Ann could keep hold of. But in a truly outstanding sail proving that you don’t have to be 80 kilos and 2 meters high. And as she flashed across the finish line some 97 minutes after the start a well respectable round of applause and worthy cheer rattled out from the club veranda.
Ann will in due course be awarded (to keep) the splat the duck trophy and the Easter Cup for an outstanding result in the only race not to be blown off or snowed in.

Thank to Peter Freshwater and Richard Lytheer for sending in the photos