The combination of water, boats and sunshine usually brings out the best in people and Sunday’s maritime gala was no exception. The river Rother was home to a host of cruisers, yachts and motorboats with some very merry crew enjoying the chance to picnic on board.
The sound of popping corks mixed with the jangle of the rigging and the hundreds of people who attended all looked to be enjoying themselves. And why not – the feelgood factor was very much in evidence as people celebrated the last weekend of a summer that has had its up and downs.
Rather like flyboarding which was one of the highlights – and it was very high indeed – of the day. This French invention allows you to walk on water powered by a jetpack attached to a personal water craft. It looks a bit like walking on stilts while doing various acrobatics and can propel the user up to 15 metres in the air.
Another popular exhibit was the Tomar Owl Sanctuary named after Tom and Margaret Tyrell who run the sanctuary. Tom was helped by various family members on the day and had over a dozen owls on show.
There were a number of charity stalls offering prize draws, tombola and even a dog-naming competition. The refurbished “Red Linnet” was displayed on the water while the fund-raising “Sweet Charity” was in dry dock on its wooden stand on the shore.
The RNLI, Rother CFR (Community First Responders), the Rotary Club and the Lions all made their presence felt. There were also stands for the Jubilee Sailing Trust which offers sailing instruction for disabled and able-bodied crew, and the Demelza children’s hospice based in Keycol in Kent.
The beer tent did a roaring trade as did Rye Butchers whose burgers and hotdogs went down a treat. There were lots of other foods to enjoy including Tush and Pat’s fishermen’s rolls and Strangefruits’ delicious jams and chutneys.
The Rye Harbour Boat Owners Association should be very pleased with this year’s festival especially with one visitor who asked “why don’t they have it over a whole weekend?”
Photographs by KT Bruce and Tony McLaughlin