That time of the year again! and desperate attempts are made by Tim and I to sort out dates for the Gentlemen’s Cruise’ It’s not always that easy for us to both get time off from work at the same time – one good reason to share a cruiser though!

(caption: What it’s all about!- Tim at the helm on the Ant)

The Planning

The dates are set, and it looks, due to duty cover problems, like just the two days this year (10th and 11th October), but at the last moment Tim manages to get two colleagues to cover half a shift each resulting in Tim getting Friday 9th off. Flushed with success of getting the time off work Tim suggests we can stretch to include the Thursday evening.

Good idea, but I’m working a late shift on the Thursday and there is no way I can get out of that!

The forecast is looking great for the cruise and our anticipation rises, the planning starts as to the route for this year, Paul and Jane Stevens (Amaryllis) who indicated an interest earlier in the year are invited, but Paul is working am Friday so we agree for them to join us. Other friends Paul and Carol Graves, who had also previously indicated their interest to join the cruise are regrettably in Cornwall.

EACC Cruiser open weekend was carried out under light wind conditions on the Saturday race? Sundays Race briefing for the Crystal Ball Trophy commenced at Upton Staithe at 09:30 with a good turn out and the first pursuit race starting at 10:30 at the entrance to Upton Dyke.

What a great weekend, with well over half the cruiser fleet present representing EACC. A big thank you must go out to the Norfolk Punt Club and The Barton Broad Open Regatta Committees for all their hard work, well done you even managed to produce some excellent sailing wind to go with the fine weather.

Great Weekend for EACC at South Walsham

The passage race, for the Jubilee Trophy, started from the Club Moorings at 2pm on Saturday and finished in Fleet Dyke. Informal racing took place on the broad on Sunday morning, with an afternoon passage race back to Thurne for the Joe Delph Trophy.

This year the Trophy was sailed for in Bittern dinghies at Hickling Broad Sailing Club.

On Saturday, 6th September 14 member Clubs of the Norfolk & Suffolk Boating Association had entered and Ernest and Chris Webster sailed for the EACC. Both regularly sail the family's two Bittern dinghies - "Lady Mathew" (B12) and "Dodo" (B39).