It has been a hard winter for all sports but, with the government announcements regarding Covid-19 allowing for sailing to recommence as a sport, the diehards of the Rye Harbour Sailing Club looked to go out for a practice sail (the first since November) on April 8.
Sadly, appalling weather was the order of the day. Members had turned up already dressed in their wetsuits (as recommended so as not to have to use the changing room due to Covid-19 restrictions) but it was very cold and very windy with the odd flurry of horizontal rain to contend with.
After brief moments of ‘shall we, shan’t we’; it was reluctantly decided to give it a miss. Not least because it was realized that going out in extreme conditions after a layoff of five months is not necessarily the safest option; and if nothing else Rye Harbour Sailing Club considers itself a safe organization to sail with.
April 18 saw the first race of the delayed Summer Series 1 races and this was also the delayed Easter Egg race. Conditions were perfect for the first run out of dinghy sailors: fairly light winds and a flattish sea with a light swell allowed sailors to shake out their boats and put right those little niggles that occur after a long layoff. The race was won by club commodore Eric Zon with Steve Eccles coming second and Mark Whiteman third. The shops had run out of Easter eggs by now so first prize was a box of chocolates!
The second race of the series was held on May 1: John and Claire Powell came first, Martin Newman and Jonathan Dewar second, and Andrew and Mary Hewitt third. The conditions on the day meant that the race was able to take place in Rye Bay again – hopefully, this theme will continue for most of the series.
The next race is on May 16, but not before club members are assisting members of Hastings Canoe Club on May 15 with a clean-up of rubbish that has accumulated on the banks of the river Rother.
The club now has a new website where details of future activity and results are available to see: rhsc.org.uk.
Image Credits: Jeremy Short .