Lastest News
Santa Irene Club de Vela Newsletter - 11th February 2009
The 1st day of February, heavy cloud the possibility of rain and force 4 winds, not one of our best days at Garrucha. Then there was the news, we would have to vacate our dinghy park near the slipway. Jim, who has just returned from the U.K, was keen to be on the water and recruited Phil and Joe as crew on his 6m sailing cruiser.while, the rest of us retired to our local Coffee Bar, to chat about our situation. I´m happy to say: after a meeting with the Port Authority on Monday morning, we have been allocated space on the opposite side of the road. It´s a safe and secure dinghy park, our sincere thanks to Don Alfonso. We will continue to use the slipway while it remains there.
Will there be a slipway in the new Marina? I can´t imagine a Marina with out a slipway or launching pontoon but who knows !!
The following week, we had a busy time re-locating our selves, Vic has some video footage. When Sunday the 8th arrived, all went according to plan, the dinghies on their launching trolleys were taken across the road to the slipway, a good day was had by one and all. There were dinghies on the water out of Garrucha and Hobie Catamarans off the Playa del Cantal, opposite Mr U.K Mojacar.
We should count our Blessings many U.K Frostbite Series have been cancelled. The O.K Dinghy Winter Championships at Rutland Sailing Club were called off, the first time in its 17 year History and rescheduled to the Mid Summer. However, my favourite little Optimists, all 168 of them from around the country arrived at Burghfield Sailing Club to race in their Open Meeting. In bitterly cold Easterly winds of 13 to 18 knots which shows dedication "above the call of duty" from the youngsters and their families. This comes from Able Seaman John. RN.
I hope we will get our Oppies back on the water at the Cuevas Canal after the meeting with the Management Company on Friday the 13th of February.
Now, from the little Oppies to the Vendee Globe and the Open 60´s Racing around the World. It was 2001 when young Ellen MacArthur´s name hit the head lines in the Popular Press, she was 2nd in the Vendee Globe Race. We could have another sailing Heroine when Samantha Davies crosses the finishing line, there will be a lot of Flowers if it´s St Valentine Day and she finishes in 3rd place.
Lets remind our selves this is: Single handed – None stop – around the world, as fast as a " sail boat" will take you for 90 days not 90 minutes as in a game of football !! say no more !!
The Volvo Ocean 70´s are now sailing Leg 5: Qingdao (China) to Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) 12.300 nautical miles. Green Dragon " the Irish /Chinese " Volvo 70 has two Home Ports, Qingdao and Galway (Ireland). They should be in Galway at the end of May. I´ll be checking Ryan Air for a cheap flight to Dublin.
Hope to see you in Garrucha, Sunday morning for a coffee and chat.
Take care
John Talliss
Tel : 950 475 157
Movil: 658 548 790
E-mail johntalliss@gmail.com
Sailing News Sol Times - 11th February 2009
That "Song title" I was thinking about had nothing to do with the Sun! It was in fact " a Foggy day in London town", Confused? So am I most of the time. Lets get back to sailing.
First I want to devote a few lines to those hardy youngsters back in the U.K. 168 Optimist sailors aged from 8 to 15 year old, competing in the Burghfield Sailing Club Open Meeting on the last day of January. It´s was one of those bitterly cold days with an Easterly Wind blowing between 13 to 18 knots. The Club is near Reading, they came from all parts of the U.K to compete in the Regatta
I am not going to mention Winners, they are all winners, that´s goes for the Parents too who look after them. They all the deserve a Medal, check out their Website, it´s a good one. If I have the opportunity, I will certainly visit them.
If we are lucky and get the use of the Cuevas Lake – built for the Mediterranean Games – I just hope they will be some youngsters, that will grab the opportunity being offered to them. We have a meeting with the Managing Agents on Friday the 13th !!
Now, what´s happening in Garrucha, we have had to re-locate our small dinghy park from the slipway to the opposite side of the road, our sincere thanks to the Port Authority for allocating some space to us, could it mean: we have been accepted!! Due to the expansion of the Marina, the present slipway will go at some time, we will continue to use it until that time. Our Hobie Catamarans do not have a problem and will sail from the Playa del Cantal opposite Mr U.K. Mojacar.
Our World Race- well it started from Alicante, the 5th leg of the Volvo,will leave Qingdao, China on February the 14th to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. 12.300 nm. Get your Atlas out again, it´s around Cape Horn.
Hope to see you near the slipway on Sunday at 11 am.
Take care
John Talliss
Tel : 950 475 157
Movil: 658 548 790
E-mail johntalliss@gmail.com
Archived Newsletters