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Santa Irene Club de Vela Newsletter - 17thFebruary 2010
Global Warming ! Who remembers Mojacar in the mid. eighties. Horizon Midland, who were doing a good job for Mojacar; advertised in the Brochure, only 9 Days of rain each year and so it was more o less, with dry arid landscapes. Today it´s totally different, we loved it back in the Eighties, we still love it now. If you have any thoughts about it, I would be interested to hear them.
As sailors, we should always be watching the weather. Unfortunately, we havn´t had many good sailing days this year. Last Sunday Craig rigged his Catamaran, we started the engine on both boats : Pelwist and Dos Amigos but because there was very little wind we decided to have another coffee in in the Rufo´s Bar and tidy up our Dinghy Park, we have the Spring to look forward too.
The 7th edition of the Aguilas Carnaval Regatta started on 27th of January. Yachts from Garrucha were there but where was the wind. They waited more than two and a half hours on the start line, by then the Skippers decided to check out the Club Café Bar or were the Crews be coming mutinous!
And so the Race was a abandoned. The Race on the 2nd of February started with light winds and a good turnout with 40 Yachts on the start line, at the finish the wind had increased to 18 knots.
Miguel, our local chemist and good friend of Santa Irene finished 7th after a bad start. Frank and the Catamaran sailors in “Erisana”,enjoyed the first half of the race, then had Technical problems! and abandoned the Race.
The “America´s Cup” saga is all over, without very much interest in it, except for the two Billionaires “Ernisto Berarelli” and “Larry Eillison”. Perhaps, we can now get back to the normal system of the Race: several challengers competing in normal Sloops (monohull yachts).
I would reduce the size to 60 ft., for the right to challenge the Holder. The “America´s Cup” is now back with Golden Gate Yacht Club in the USA.
It seems so odd to me that two boats so different could compete against each other, one a Catamaran the other a Trimaran costing 200 million dollars each. If these millionaires are passionate about the Sport then perhaps a few million to the Grass Roots of Sailing would have been a better idea!!
Yes, I´m thinking of us too.... not to worry, we will press on and our little Club will grow.
If you are a friend of Ernisto or Larry perhaps you´ll pass on my message.
Looking forward to some good sailing weather, come and join us at Garrucha.
Take care, John
John Talliss
Tel : 950 475 157
Movil: 658 548 790
E-mail johntalliss@gmail.com
Sailing News Sol Times - 10th February 2010
I´m on a Mission: it´s “Tallships”. They are not sailing and racing in our end of the Mediterranean. If you are wondering how this came about, last week I was in Malaga to meet up with Houria off the Ferry from Melilla. Yes, I know there is a Ferry into Almería but that didn´t happen !! The good news : in the port was the “Tallship Astrid”, having a new mast fitted. Why not do this job back in Holland, her home base? I guess the possibility was, the decks would have been covered with snow! Also she is taking part in the “Gariboldi Race” from Genoa, Italy, down the Italian Coast to Trapani in Sicily. The start is on the 10th of April. They expect to finish on the 18th , after that the Fleet will sail to Volos in Greece, where they will start a race on the 10th of May wich will take them to Vana in Bulgaria via Istanbul. Back to Greece to finish approximately on the 5th of June.
During the Summer, they race in European waters but they could be here between October to March. How does this sound.. .A Tallship Regatta in Almería, then race across the Mediterranean to Melilla, the next Leg to Cartagena then up to the Baleares Islands and finish with a Regatta in Valencia.
Think what that would do for Nautical Tourism!! So,who we do talk to ?
Do we have a link with Tallships? Yes, my “Kittiwake” is a half size “Falmouth Quay Punt”a sail boat designed about 1900 to meet the large merchant sailing ships as they sailed towards Falmouth. Remember there were no Radios in those days. I hope you will soon see her on the water.
Very light winds the last couple of Sundays has kept most of us off the water, never the less it´s been good just messing about with Boats.
Hope to see you for coffee at the cafe bar Rufo´s, oposite the new Marina.
Take care,
John Talliss
Tel : 950 475 157
Movil: 658 548 790
E-mail johntalliss@gmail.com
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