This years Clarks Beach Overnighter was once again a great finish to the LTS program. Numbers were low this time around but the skill level of the sailors was right up there so that boosted the enthusiasm and meant everyone was well up for it.
The weather for the start was perfect for filling a fish bin, not a breath of wind until close to midday when a breeze from the NNW slowly began to fill in. By the time we hit Glenbrook for our well-earned sandwiches the breezes was an ideal 10 knots and progress was easy.
Arrival at Clarks Beach was mostly smooth but for the club secretary somehow capsizing his Zephyr on landing, this feat was perhaps topped by one of our LTS sailors proving Geoff’s theory wrong that it’s impossible to hit the rocks because the swift tide will save you.
The afternoon and evening were followed by the standard entertainment of touch rugby, cricket, tall stories, Sea Biscuit, BBQ, more tall stories, spotlight, and so forth. The addition of a throw net and buckets of sprats was a popular drawcard, more popular than the sprat fillets fried up for breakfast.
After a slick morning cleanup and preparation, we were on the water in good time to catch the tide. The breeze was up and from the South which made for a lot of tacking practice to stay in the channel to make use of the current. Wind verse tide also made for plenty of water over the gunnels particularly in the exposed spots off the Steel Mill and into the Sandspit basin. Everyone arrived safely with a minimal amount of towing completely another quality year of Learn to Sail.
Many thanks to the sailors, the parents and supporters, and most importantly to the coaches who give their time to make it happen.
To the LTS graduates, well done for completely the LTS program, we’d really like you all to keep on sailing at the club so keep an eye on the program and get back down to Sandspit whenever you can.