Parkstone Yacht Club Youth Week Mid-way Report
by Chloe Walker 6 Aug 2009 11:37 BST
4 August 2009
While some children spend their summer holidays sitting at home playing
computer games others ( like youth members of Parkstone Yacht Club in
Poole) pull on wetsuits , buoyancy aids and spray tops and go and play
on the sea water in Poole Harbour.
Regardless of weather conditions we are all enjoying having lots of fun
during the annual Youth Week being held at Parkstone Yacht Club but open
to members of other sailing clubs.
Days begin with the welcoming smell of bacon butties and coffee. After
amusing but informative briefings it's time to tally, launch and get
out on the water, where we love to be. Races are carefully planned and
safely observed by a whole team of parents who help to make the week so
possible.
Fleets are divided into orange and pink courses (according to
sailing ability and type of boat) so races are set to challenge
everyone but so that all feel capable and confident to participate.
So far sun stroke has not been a major problem, it has been more a case
of avoiding hypothermia! The first two days the wind was relatively kind
but today Tuesday was a little more exciting. Safety boats and beach
were kept busy and lots of us capsized, turned turtle, nosedived and
basically got rather wet!
Others stayed upright and whizzed round the
courses super fast. It is not only a week of sailing though- it is a
whole package of fun. Sunday saw about 200 youth sailors filling bath
tubs with water, tug of war - in the water of course and other team work
activities.
The highlight of the event was not only getting wet but
participating in activites with people of different ages, fleets and
clubs. Old hands looked after little hands! With climbing walls, human
table football, bungee run, bouncy castle and BBQ there has never been a
quiet moment in the last few days.
Even the local crabs know it is youth
week as they joined in the fun of the annual crabbing contest where
teams compete for the largest and greatest number of crabs caught.
Despite the dull weather it has certainly not dulled the fun we are all
having!