Happy birthday to me.

[Alcyone]

I am one year old today.

I joined this forum exactly a year ago. A couple of weeks later, Graham took me sailing down to Penarth. We first saw 'Ishtar', then Peptimus about the same time:

We bought her a month later, and Graham snapped a few shots of her being launched at CBYC before we brought her to CYC, in the last days of May.

We did just under 200 miles last year, mainly in the bay, with a trip to Watchet late in the year, again with Graham on Banjo.

We've so far done 550 miles this year and visited Watchet, Portishead and Ilfracombe, with a few nights at anchor.

Just a short post to thank all here for the advice and encouragement and to say to anyone else thinking of taking up sailing......

Just do it.

 

[Sailing_Matt]

Congratulations.

Hope you have good 2009 now you know the boat and local waters.

Regards

Matt

 

[Alcyone]

Cheers, Matt.

I've been diving West Wales, and Ramsey Sound for 20 years this year, and I still don't 'know' the waters.......

I'm hoping that by the end of this year, I may know 'a bit' about the Bristol channel, but we'll see.

Anyway, it's about time you started coming with us.

Cheers!

 

[Sailing_Matt]

Hoping for my first ever sail in my boat tomorrow. Weather is supposed to be great but not much wind. Great conditions for a beginner like me.

Just gaining some confidence out there and I will be on your tail soon...

Hope you have a good weekend.

 

[graham]

Looks like it went well Matt /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif. I took these stood outside CBYC.

 

[chrishelen]

Hi Matt, how did it go?you looked like you were having fun, it was quite gusty in the bay,so well done.

 

[Sailing_Matt]

Thanks for taking those pics Graham, nice to see the boat sailing finally. I've noticed Banjo on the moorings at CBYC, she looks a great boat. I had followed your adventures on your previous on your blog hoping I would one day buy a boat and get out there! I've met lots of forumites over the last year.

Had a great day out, spent most of the day out there. Fantastic weather with the sun out and nice bit of wind. Ellen and kids enjoyed themselves. I didn't even adjust the topping lift on the mainsail so not to scare the kids on their first sail with the nasty boom thingy zooming across so kept it raised. My youngest loved it on the tiller and my eldest was more for letting fly the jib.

Going out again tomorrow afternoon, thanks for the encouragement.

Hey Chris, I haven't seen you at the quiz nights, couldn't take the defeat of last year? Only joking, hows things?

 

[graham]

No matter times you tell the kids to keep their heads down you still have to watch them.The boom on Banjo is quite low which adds to the fun /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[chrishelen]

Hi Matt, we will be at the next quiz, there is no way we can lose as we have a new member who" knows stuff",seen you out on sat, sunbeams looking good, it is good to see her being used after spending so long laid upsee you soon,
Chris.

 

[Alcyone]

Brilliant stuff. Matt. Really great to see you out. And yes, it would be good to see you away with us one weekend, though Louise and I will be down West diving more from next weekend. Chris, too.

Chris, I think the quizzes are over now, but we will still try and go down on Wednesdays. James used to organise stuff last summer, so may do again - he helped Louise and I a ot when we first started.