Forthcoming sail in company to Piel Island is planned for 26th April, sailing out on the afternoon ebb, returning the following morning (weather permitting)
Interested? Please email the club, or phone John Gorse for more information.
All posts by Simon
Crane-In Wednesday 26th April 2017
Crane-In dates rely on the combination of spring tides and good weather.
The crane is planned for 26th April, so let’s hope for good weather and low winds. Crane-In must start 9.00am. Members involved need to be on site early!
The craning plan is on the Clubhouse notice board – if your details are incorrect or missing, please contact a Committee Member as soon as possible.
Spring is in the air and also the club AGM, March 2017
Spring is in the air. It’s Sunday 12th March 2017.
A leisurely club walk around produced some great images. The colour blue is creeping back into the sky. A whole new sailing season is now just ahead of us!
Members please note: the 2017 AGM will take place 26th March – 10:30am at Wyre Villa Football Club – Stalmine. Annual subscriptions are due 1st April. They can be paid at the AGM. Let’s all get together and talk about another great year to be had, sailing in and around Morecambe Bay.
Fishing Trip in a Westerly Chieftain, Nov 2016
At the very backend of October, members Malcolm, Tom and Simon from Wardleys Yacht Club braved the chilly airs and warnings of murky weather and set forth under full sail on a fishing trip. Apart from a few flatties that were too small to keep, business was slow. Nevertheless, oil lamps and a cosy cabin kept everyone feeling warm and comfortable. And in the time honoured tradition, there was some medicinal help in the form of a crate of beer and a bottle of scotch.
A Westerly Chieftain heading out in to Morecambe Bay
Grey was the colour of the sky. The sail over was quite uneventful. We kept our engine put-putting all the way. The sails were really just for effect and to cushion the incessant Morecambe Bay roll. The three of us stood at our respective helms under dripping hoods. For the whole day the rain pitter-pattered all around.
Under full sail mid Morecambe Bay
Tom and Malcolm with rods and bait.
On board we had fishing tackle boxes galore. They contained every conceivable device and trickery to get the fish to bite, and to haul them out into our awaiting frying pans! Alas, the lemon and garnish lay idle. We had not picked the right night. Or maybe the fish were onto our little caper?
A Canadian Canoe club arrived
We crossed paths with a Canadian canoe club. We expected them to have come from afar. But no, they had just paddled-out from nearby Roe Island. Still, no complaint, they filled the Ship Inn with good conversation and laughter. And as well, there was some thought provoking poetry recitals. The erudite looking canoeists lapped it up. The Wardley’s one member present, quietly watched on, much appreciating it all.
‘Luath’ at anchor.
Manta 19 ‘Luath’ came along in support. Whilst the men in serious wet-weather kit were fishing on the Chieftain, ‘Luath’s skipper took a moment to paddle around in the Avon dinghy and brush-off last month’s accumulated mud. On the island, see above, you can see the Ship Inn and neighbouring Customs cottages.
A slide show of photo taken that weekend
Three men in two boats. October 2016
The weather forecast looked favourable so an early October trip across Morecambe Bay was arranged. It was the first trip for Manta 19 ‘Luath’ — a boat that has spent twenty odd years sat on a mooring on Windermere / Ulswater and more recently in a farmer’s field.
Algae is a problem for boats sat idle for long periods out of the sun. However, and here’s a trick, if a boat has been waxed before hand, the green stuff comes off much easier. It took five or six buckets of sea water allied with some good honest elbow grease to get ‘Luath’ looking spic and span.
The three men and two boats arrived at Piel Island and spent the night rafted up side by side. A shore visit to the island’s one and only public house was made, and for the time of year there was an encouraging number of sailors at the bar making merry.
The Saturday’s out-bound passage was cloudy but generally fine and Sunday’s home-bound passage was fantastic — we had unadulterated sunshine all the way. The three men and two boats started early to make the most of the tides. As you can see there was a lovely sun rise over over the town of Morecambe. Behold!
Now take a look at the view of the Lake District fells above. This was taken whilst heading up the Barrow channel. We saw a hot air balloon traversing the hillside from the right towards the wind turbines. Rather them than me!
Earlier during the passage home there was no point in parting company, so we remained rafted-up. Thus lucky ‘Luath’ got a free ride home — cheers ‘Sika’!
Now see the fun for yourselves on YouTube: –