OHOPE BEACH SAND SAILORS
-Saturday 12th August 2006
The guys at work did me a favour and let me have a seven hour pass from being On-Call. I went home at 9 am and put together my black Class 5 and threw it on the roof and hit the road for Ohope at 11 am.
The pager went off so I attended a defect call on the way through town. At 12.50 I rocked up to the camp expecting to be late for the 1 pm race start. Darren and Clem were rigging in the park. Greetings were exchanged before we all hit the beach.
It was a 10 knot westerly wind, with just enough north in it to allow us to sail down the spit on a broad reach and back up on one very tight slow tack. Not fast but enough to have a good session.
Darren had the upwind legs, followed by Clem then myself. Graham from Tauranga came down from the camp with his 5, shortly followed by Rodger with the maiden launch of his new class 5. The wind was softening and for another hour and a half we all sailed up and down from the spit to the camp before the wind faded out completely. Ron came down and watched, his yacht needs another wheel before he can hit the beach.
20 minutes later a new breeze arrived from the south west. (Down the beach and slightly offshore) We all jibed down to the spit twice as the beach began to shrink with the incoming tide. Graham packed up and Darren got a puncture to end his day. Clem, Rodger and myself headed up the beach to Maritotae Stream for the last blast of the day. I pulled out and headed back as the wind started to fade. Both Clem and Rodger made the stream before gibing back to the camp.
Back at the Camp, Clem provide some much need refreshment, thanks Clem. A half hour debrief on all things landyachting and is was off home. An hour and a half drive home in the dark and I was back in Tauranga.
An excellent day. Five Ott’s, with few other yachts that did not make it. The Ohope Fleet is back a full force. Don’t know when we will get out next, stay tuned.
All going well I will see you at Murimud, attempt two,
(Sept 9th Muriwai Enduro second attempt, Meeting at the Stream, 1pm Sharp, Phone 021378901, for further information).
