Our wonderful volunteer team this morning was:
Sailing Coordinator: Eli
Pontoon Manager: David G
Support Boat Driver: Warwick
Observer: Mahleea.
Radio and Time-keeper: Lyn
Life-jackets: Wilma
Help on upper deck: Ken, Nick
Help on Pontoon, Mitchell, Tara,
Sailors: Ian, Jim, Ivan, Scott, David W, Denis, Michael.
We were met with the most beautiful rainbow I have ever seen, and an incredibly busy deck with volunteers from Manly Juniors, Manly Sailing personnel as well as Sailability all working hard to make each activity a successful one.
Slideshow of the rainbow that awaits us, Jim and Ben in Alex (green),
Mitchell and Scott in ING, David W and Ashley in Vin, Ollie in Eli D with Helene.
Our boats were efficiently rigged and placed around the pontoon, and suddenly we were surrounded by our eager sailors for this morning.
First of all, Rap’n’Rave with their 5 participants, and helper, Carl, were suddenly there. Adam, Ben, Chris, Dan and Roslyn were loaded into boats and taken for a sail across the rapidly rising swell to the western side, looking for calmer waters. Unfortunately, the swell rose, the wind and tide came up at the same time, and it was a matter of very fast thinking, and sailing in the most comfortable way possible. I don’t think anyone minded being wet, as the water was warm, but the strong swell had this group back on the pontoon in about 40 minutes.
Ollie, Ben, James, Anna, Ashley and Kerrie, with helpers Greg, Ted and Amin arrived and we replaced the participants, and asked that the sailing area be confined to the north Western area to try to avoid the swell.
It didn’t take too long before our team decided that conditions were becoming too uncomfortable for any but our most experienced sailors, so Judy and Ian, Mitchell and Scott, Tara and Jim, Nick and Denis stayed out there absolutely relishing the strong conditions.
A really exhilarating morning for a great group of people.
Eli.
