From (definitely) the back of the N12 fleet!
(Or “The week we went to Norfolk but didn’t stop long!)
The results are at:
http://www.norfolkweek.co.uk/National%2012%202010%20files/Sailwave%20results%20for%20NORTH%20WEST%20NORFOLK%20WEEK%202010%20-%20National%2012.mht
but I’ve not seen any full “blow by blow” reports anywhere?
The pre-NWNW warm-up didn’t go well last year, or this year. Lack of
practice for me after a shoulder operation last October, following an
accident at Welland SC (plus nearly chopping the top off my thumb, hence
no sailing April to June) and the imminent knee operation (again sailing
related) meant that we hatched a cunning plan – to avoid appearing to be
competitive! The plan was partly scuppered by not being able to have
Shotgun N2359 ready in time, so Perfect Kiss N3157 was pressed into
service (but still likely to be the oldest boat there).
Friday: Christine Marshall (CM) and I collected Tricia
Wood (TW) from a bus stop at Clifton; we were flagged down by a very
hale and hearty Tim Wood, whose 80th birthday TW would be missing
tomorrow. Clear run to Norfolk, where the clouds disappeared when we got
to the coast – bright sunshine and not a cloud in the sky! Dave Peacock
(DP) arrived at our usual Team Trent Valley HQ (TTVHQ) at Burnham
Mark-up in time for supper. Our invitation to join the Up River Yotters
at the Jolly Sailor in Brancaster sent at 20:45 didn’t get to us until
well after 22:00 – perhaps the electro-magnetic interweb waves move
slower (like everything else) in Norfolk?
Saturday: Hunstanton – Major panic back home where Annie, my Great Dane,
had ruptured a previous leg injury and was being rushed to the vet; the
OD (Old Dragon) dealt with the emergency in her usual cool style, and
all was well. Sunny blue skies, fluffy clouds... and very little wind
was the order of the day!
Arriving at Sunny Hunny we all noticed how much of the sand had been
eroded away at the top of the beach, leaving lots of large stones to
cross to launch later. We only had two watches in the car – and forgot
both, so we made a rubbish start in the light wind which kept dying
away. And to our amazement, we were 6th around the windward, and
then leeward marks – but normal service was resumed in what DP described
as a “snakes and ladders” race and came in way behind most of the fleet!
Many had waited around at the committee boat in the vain hope of more
wind, but we turned straight round and paddled for the beach – followed
by everyone else!
The day was rounded off by a big gathering of N12s at the Jolly Sailor;
lots of food, booze and good company!
North West Norfolk Week 2010: Hunstanton – dawned grey and mizzle – and
Liz (in all her super cycling gear) came to collect DP for a biking tour
of Norfolk. At least that’s how far they went judging by athe state that
DP came back in – not a bead of perspiration on the brow of Liz! We, of
the less sporty faction, spent the morning chilling and planning the
TVSC 125th anniversary mega N12 event for next year, which will coincide
with the N12 75th.
The yotting turned out to far better than the forecast with some decent
planing (a few fell in!) but one’s humour was not improved in the first
race as we were set upon by a great white whale for over an entire lap
(or was it a Wayfarer?) DP lost his rudder, which was rescued by a very
nice man in a very slow Enterbox. We had AGAIN forgotten both watches so
a very kind Penny Yarwood in the good ship Igor counted down for us –
and we got a decent start even calling starboard on a DCB or two! This
was not in the cunning plan! We decided to sportingly let the young lads
overtake us – to encourage the youth of the class, you understand – the
truth is that Master Copsey just blasted past us to windward and
finished miles ahead!
A fab days sailing (but we had a few tricky moments when the knee
wouldn’t work and I preformed a rather good backwards flip into the
water as we landed as my leg caught under the thwart, much to the
amusement of the beach party and spectators). I was a bit bothered the
knee wouldn’t last the week – but I needn’t have worried......
Monday: Brancaster – what joy to be back at Brancaster
and what a fab sail we had early morning! For once we were not the
oldest N12 there as Vince and Fiona Phillips put in guest appearance in
their vintage Whisper. Unfortunately one reaching leg of the course went
over a very shallow sand bank which DP connected with at high speed. We
thought that they had capsized but then saw his rudder floating away
(again) and the two of them standing less than waist deep in the water.
And Vince sportingly let us beat him!
Tomorrow would be Wells early morning, with the Jenny Lee in the
evening, and so CM and I left DP & TW at TTVHQ and headed to Wells to
bag an early place in the dinghy park. Two years ago I had stepped
backwards off the road outside the clubhouse landing flat out on the
concrete ramp below, badly bruising my hand and displacing few bones.
After all my other sailing related injuries, CM was under strict
instructions from the Old Dragon to make certain that I didn’t injure
myself again. As we pulled up outside the club I spotted the dangerous
bit of road and we pulled up some yards short; I joked with CM that I
didn’t want to fall off there again. CM jumped out of the car and I
pulled forward to unhitch the boat outside the dinghy park, but CM had
disappeared. Looking over the edge I saw her sitting on the concrete –
for a moment I thought that she was taking the mick out of me but
clearly things were not well judging by the strange angle of her left
wrist. She had fallen down the steps next to the same wall, landing
within feet of my plunge, but had come off far worse; she was in serious
pain. (Note from CM – I cannot remember how I got from standing at the
top admiring the view to sitting at the bottom looking at an unnaturally
bent wrist thinking “that’s messed up my holiday!” End of sailing week,
and next stop Kings Lynn A&E.
Tuesday – waiting and then collect CM from KL hospital
– it might be days before they could insert a plate in her wrist.
Wednesday – Deliver CM to QMC Fracture Clinic, Nottingham for 10:30
appointment – Sod’s Law, the only time the swing bridge at Sutton was
closed for a ship was today! Thursday – 07:30 CM operation to plate the
wrist, and then months of recovery.
AND FINALLY – many thanks to those special people at
Wells SC for rushing to CM’s aid, to Sean the Paramedic (with his “gas
and air”) and to Tim & Chris, the two Professors of Orthopaedic surgery
(and support crew) at the QMC Nottingham for getting CM sorted so
quickly and efficiently.
Paul Turner (crewed by Christine Marshall) Trent Valley, 31.08.10
PS - Both of us now out of action until October earliest. Hopefully we
will fit for the Burton and NWNW 2011! Recovery note from CM – I’ll be
fit for then; may even make Ripon in October if my helm is ready!
