Marina: Sovereign Harbour
Saturday 26th of September 2009 saw members of Sovereign Harbour Berth-holders Association all spruced up and heading for their celebratory 10th Anniversary Dinner.
Champagne, courtesy of Premier Marinas, was offered on arrival to get the party started and in due course everyone was seated and ready to enjoy the meal of their choice at the well decorated tables. Wine was available to enhance taste buds and the chatter of the season's travels (or not depending on when berth-holders had booked their break!) filled the air as everyone got to know those around them.
Well waited on and quite replete the berth-holders were then entertained by Sam Llewellyn, author and writer, who regaled the company with his tales of basic boating and the incredible fun he had in Summer boiling a kettle up a creek (almost without the paddle!) followed by simple shrimping. He compared this to the winter amusement of patching, digging holes and varnishing.
Realising that minimum boating can be too minimum, Sam has progressed to the luxury of a Cornish Shrimper but still thinks the absolute must have bit of kit is not the all singing and dancing new electronic wizards but a galvanised bucket which he puts to good use in a multitude of ways (some combinations best not to think about!)
Starting with his character building childhood days in the Scilly Isles, he talked through a ballet of boating activities and experiences as well as recounting tales of some of the sometimes shady folks he had met (all in the line of research for his books you understand!).
On his luxury 'matchbox' (his words) his sailing gave him much happiness and he convinced one and all that even with the current contentions in boating, whether we head off to picnic, race, circumnavigate or potter, there is nothing better than messing about in boats.
After more convivial chatter the enjoyable evening came to an end and members wended their way back to their boats. There was something incongruous about the skippers and their crews clattering (as quietly as they could!) along the pontoon in high heels and DJ's before retiring for the night!
If you would like more information about the Sovereign Harbour Berth Holders' Association, please visit: http://www.shbha.co.uk/new%20site/
