1st and 2nd September 2007
A dozen sailors enjoyed the coaching, were put through on water drills, learnt about race preparation and all in ideal sailing conditions. Thanks to Christine Headey for sharing her knowledge and for staying on into the evening too. Thanks to all those willing hands that really made the long day possible, the famished sailors relished the evening meal. Those staying over were awakened an hour before sun up by an unwelcome hoon, who promptly got stuck in the soft terra firma by the lake edge, we had other activities to deal with before towing them out several hours later. Us overnighters took part in a dawn ceremony held by the Ngati Apakura tribe to place a "Healing Stone" in the lake. In a hand woven flax basket the stone that must have weighted near 40 kgs was carried to the club patrol boat and after a prayer out on the water was lowered over the side to rest on the lakebed. The stone is said to assist with the health of the lake, where some of the tribe's forebears lie and the connection of the past with the future. Breakfast followed in the Clubrooms, but only after the presentation of a Kowhai tree to the Club and it's planting near by.
Sailing got underway in a 10-ish knot westerly breeze, that at times reached 15 plus knots. Great fun was had by Cam and Alex in their Paper Tigers and Gun and Christine aboard the Flying Dutchman. Others survived the ordeal to various degrees. The multiple short race format kicked off the spring equinoctial wind season with some excitement. What a great couple of days!