From RPAYC Rear Commodore Cruising, Greg Dunstan.
This coming Friday is the March First Friday.
The Guest speakers – Dave and Ali Hobbs
I will be interviewing Dave and his wife Ali about their 2024 Sydney to Hobart Experience on their boat Quantock (berthed on F Arm). See photo below. Dave and Ali will share with you their experiences including
- Preparation and qualification to enter the race
- Feeding the crew of 10
- The Exhilaration of the start and their pre-race drama
- Handling the wash of the spectator fleet
- Safety measure in a 40 knot NE and 4 metre swells
- Some breakages and mishaps and collisions with sea life
- Trying to slow the boat down!
- Hitting southerly squall entering Bass Strait.
- Strategic decisions
- Ali helming their own personal match race up the Derwent,
and much more.
To me as a cruiser, sailing to Hobart in such an open boat seems nothing short of heroic.
The Menu
The club has indicated to me that on Friday evenings, the dining options for First Friday attendees will be the Alfred’s Restaurant a la carte menu, complemented by two or three favourites from the Halyards Bistro menu. This will ensure a selection of delicious choices at a range of prices.
The First Friday Cruise
This will be an estuary cruise. It will depend on the weather and will be advised to you no later than Wednesday Evening. Maybe to Iron Ladder for the day and a swim if fresh blue ocean water then off to a selected mooring for the night. Maybe also lunch at the Box Ettalong for those who feel up to a short tender along the channel to the beach next to the Box.
Easter Cruise/Anzac Long weekend Cruise
This will be to Lake Macquarie. There is a permanent dredge operating under contract, which many of you would have seen in the 2023 Christmas cruise to the Lake. On Friday 18th April the high tide is about 11.30 am and the slack tide 2-3 hours later. This means we will aim to go up the channel at slack tide at about 2 pm. The benefit of a 10 day window is that it will provide flexibility in terms of the weather and sea states going and returning. More information will be provided in relation to the cruise over the coming weeks.
See you at the club for March First Friday! Book your tickets HERE