SESCA's 2024 Season Preview
by Mike Steele 20 Mar 13:53 GMT
Dinghy sailing at SESCA © Mike Steele
The St Edmundsbury Sailing & Canoeing Association's 2024 season starts on Good Friday, 29 March at Lackford Lake, 5 miles NW of Bury St Edmunds.
A comprehensive programme of dinghy sailing and paddling is scheduled, with on the water activities running through to November. Dinghy racing is organised on Sundays with social sailing, kayaking and paddleboarding taking place at any time, so long as two adult members are on site.
The club runs RYA adult and junior dinghy sailing courses and paddle sports training sessions for members throughout the season. The club owns a large fleet of training dinghies (eg Wanderers; Gull; Lasers/ILCAs; Picos; Toppers and Optimists), kayaks and paddleboards (SUPs), which are also available for hire. It is a great feature of the club that you do not need your own equipment to be able to sail or paddle.
SESCA hosts a number of group members including the Bury St Edmunds Sea Cadets; Newmarket and Mildenhall Sea Cadets; Young People Afloat (a sailing youth club); Suffolk Scouts; Priory School and WASH Sailability. The latter group caters for individuals with a variety of special needs, as well as people with a wide range of physical disabilities.
The highlight of the season's programme is the club's '11th Antigua Sailing Day Regatta', which will be held on Sunday, 16 June. This is a fun event, which celebrates 'Antigua Sailing Week' in the Caribbean. The Regatta is again being generously supported by the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority.
The club prides itself on its low membership fees and being affordable to all (cadet £25 pa; adult £62 pa and family £90 pa).
Anyone interested in joining the club is invited to look at the club's website www.westsuffolksailing.org.uk or contact the club secretary at for further information.