The Royal Yacht Squadron visits Aldeburgh Yacht Club
by David Keates 29 Jun 2016 18:29 BST
20 June 2016
Sunset at Aldeburgh Yacht Club © Sebastian Mawson
Aldeburgh Yacht Club was determined to put on a good show for the special visit by the Royal Yacht Squadron on Monday 20 June.
Torrential and continuous rain threatened to dampen the day and AYC secretary David Keates was worried – but the River Alde always has a trick up its sleeve. The dinner at the AYC was the culmination of a cruise which officially started on Sunday 12th June at North Fambridge but had been preceded by many of the group joining another RYS event held at Greenwich on Friday 10th. By the time the RYS contingent arrived, they had visited the Rivers Crouch, Colne, Blackwater, Walton Backwaters, Stour, Orwell and Deben. A full hand of East Coast Rivers! Oilies had been tested to the full, (not all had passed), but everyone was reporting they had had a great week.
Henry Gordon Jones had volunteered to represent the club and Pilot the flotilla into the river; one RIB ride later everyone was successfully in to the Alde but Henry was soaked! Bryan Upson found moorings for the seven visitors and ~AYC ferries were kept busy. During the afternoon Aldeburgh started producing its best private weather and prospects improved markedly for pre dinner drinks on the terrace.
The Dinner to celebrate the end of the cruise, saw the AYC caterers working with their 'pro chef' to produce a highly acclaimed dinner for 60 people, including 15 AYC members. AYC Commodore Tikkii Mawson welcomed the Squadron and did very well swapping a club burgee for a bicentennial RYS china bowl, which will be displayed at the club. The RYS Commodore, The Hon Christopher Sharples of the motorboat 'Intuition' thanked Clive Forestier Walker, who had organised the cruise,saying he had raised the bar during his stint in charge of the cruising section and is standing down shortly. He recalled how a recent cruise up the Seine had been stopped by the authorities and been asked why 12 Royal Navy vessels were heading for Paris!
After such a very wet start it was fantastic that the clubroom windows had to be opened in the late evening warmth and a special 5 Star AYC sunset caused the dinner to be stopped for photos. Ferrying back to boats took place later than planned, but it was a still night and boats appeared to be operating in twilight rather than pitch dark at close to midnight, which was just as well. AYC was delighted to host such a visit and its hospitality was clearly appreciated.