Kingsbridge Estuary Boat Club

I am pleased to be able to report that the first KEBC meeting since Covid changed our lives was a success in spite of torrential rain and flooding in Kingsbridge.  Thirtytwo of us enjoyed the presentation from Dave Halsall, with a drink and nibbles from the club.  All those present were happy to endorse the use of the Regal Club for future events.
 
The proposed increase in mooring charges for berths on the Kingsbridge pontoons was discussed briefly.  The subject will be examined at the next committee meeting on November 8th and members with comments to make are requested to email them to committee@kebc.co.uk  It is important to remember that the Kingbridge charges are being brought into line with those for the pontoons in Batson Creek and at Victoria Quay.  None of these pontoons has water or power laid on, the Kingsbridge pontoon mooring arrangements are superior to those in Salcombe and while Kingsbridge berths are available for 12 months each year, the Salcombe berths are seasonal.Your events organiser, Linda Lee, has confirmed the club activities for November and her report follows:-
 
CLUB MEETING WEDNESDAY 17th NOVEMBER 2021
 
The Regal Club, Kingsbridge at 7.00 for 7.30pm
 
Illustrated talk by Rupert Kirkwood ‘The Lone Kayaker’
 
‘ALL AT SEA ……. WATCHING WILDLIFE FROM A KAYAK’ 
 
His talk is about the amazing marine creatures that he has observed whilst clocking up over 27,000 miles of paddling around the S W England.
 
He has always had a fascination for natural history, complemented by his profession as a farm veterinary surgeon in Holsworthy, West Devon.
 
Following injury to his knees Rupert took early retirement and took to the water!
 
Showing photographs and videos of Seals, Sharks, Sunfish, Dolphins, Whales. Porpoises, Peregrines and Puffins as well as the best coastal scenery of Devon and Cornwall. 

If you are planning to attend what should be a fascinating evening, please email Linda Lee  events@kebc.co.uk just to give us a guide as to how many members to expect on the night.
 
KEBC  CHRISTMAS  DINNER  2021
Our Christmas Dinner is at The Cottage Hotel on Wednesday 15 December at 7.00 for 7.30/7.45pm (sitting down). If you wish to make up a party with other members it would be helpful if you would use  ONE  booking form with your meal choices and send in your monies together. (12 maximum)

A table plan will be available on arrival.
 
The Menu is for Three Courses and includes Coffee/Tea and Mint at a cost of £29 including a Tip
 
Wine can be ordered on the night.                    House Red, White, Rose      £21.00 per bottle.

KEBC CHRISTMAS 3 COURSE DINNER 2021 STARTERS
A.  Home-Made Soup of the Day
 Crusty Bread
B. King Prawn and Clam Risotto
C. Guinea Fowl Terrine
 Spiced Apple Chutney and Sourdough Toast
D. Fricassee of Red Lentils, Butternut Squash (vg)
 Winter Vegetables and Gorgonzola
E. Poached Pear in Red Wine (vg)
Pickled Physalis, Toasted Walnuts

MAIN COURSES

1. Oven Roasted Turkey Breast, Sliced Ham
    Stuffing, Bread Sauce and Gravy
2. Roast Leg of Lamb
    Crushed Peas, Chantenay Carrots, Red Wine Jus
3. Pan-Fried Chicken Supreme
   Dry Pancetta, Wild Mushroom Tarragon Cream
4. Seabass Fillet with Tiger Prawn
   Chilli and Orange Broth
5. Vegetable and Chestnut Stew (vg)
   Sage and Crispy Kale
6. Vegetable Pulao (vg)
   Goan Spiced Rice with lightly Curried Vegetables
   Served with a Selection of Seasonal Vegetables and Potatoes
   
   DESSERTS
   A Trio of Home-Made Sweets

Coffee/Tea and Mint
 
It is planned to lay on a Coach from the Quay leaving at 6.45pm at a cost of £10.00 per person return.
The Cottage Hotel have offered Bed & Breakfast Accommodation at £40.00 per person (Sea View)
Book DIRECT with the Hotel.

Booking form follows below, we look forward to seeing you all soon.
 

Kingsbridge Estuary Boat Club

Even on the water it is hot.  The sea breeze just about works in the Bag; it brings little relief but enjoy the summer while it lasts. 

Your committee met last week, again using the Zoom platform which I hope we can abandon soon.

Our events organiser, Linda Lee, in conjunction with the South Pool Boat Club, has introduced 122 primary school children to boating so far this year.  Singing Paddles provides the canoes, KEBC conrtibutes £600 to costs, S.Pool provides the balance and Linda does the organising.  This scheme has been running for some years and is something we can be very proud of.  Congratulations once again to Linda. 

Boatwatch has been running well with no serious incidents being reported on  the WhatsApp group.  Richard Benton established an efficient scheme which needs little or no adjustment by whoever volunteers to take over his job as Boatwatch coordinator.  Please consider putting your name forward for this role.  You don’t need to become a committee member, although it would help if you do.  Boatwatch is the core reason for the Club’s existence and is respected by the Harbour Authority and the Police.  In the meantime a big thank you to Peter Rendell for temporarily taking Richard’s place and to the members carrying out patrols.

Much discussion took place about publicity and the autumn programme with constant awareness that Covid hasn’t gone away.  Eventually we decided to put the social programme together, publicise it and cancel if necessary.  Similarly training couses, particularly VHF courses which Andy Thomson expects to be running this autumn, will be organised.  Members wishing to participate in any courses should contact Andy direct via www.devnav.co.uk  At present the Seven Stars meeting room is undergoing a refit and we will know whether it will be useable in September. 

The Members Adverts pages  on our web site are full of useful items.  Look there first if you need any kit or have stuff you want to get rid of. 

On a completely different note, we understand that Kingsbridge in Bloom is in need of waterers.  If you can help please contact Piers ( treasurer@kebc.co.uk )

I am off to water the garden and actually looking forward to a wet weekend!

Tony Watson

Asia (Joanna) Pajkowska, an old friend of mine, completed a solo, non stop, circumnavigation under sail between September 2018 and April 2019 and will be giving an illustrated talk on her experiences at 1930 on April 14th.  This will be on Zoom and invitations will be sent to all members nearer the date.  She worked in Salcombe for many years but will be talking from her home in Poland and will be well worth listening to. Go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joanna_Pajkowska or https://www.thefirstnews.com/article/sea-you-later-60-year-old-sailor-becomes-first-polish-woman-to-sail-around-the-globe-three-times-5743 for more details of this amazing sailor.

As we move into May and June we expect Covid restrictions to be further reduced so that we will be able to hold social gatherings out of doors.  As we can’t, at this stage, be really certain about this I can’t predict which events will take place, but mark May 19th and June 25th in your calendars. 

Boatwatch patrols have started and there will shortly be updated guidance notes and a calendar on the web site.  I did the first one on my bike yesterday lunchtime, nothing much going on – it was cold but youngsters were swimming at Bowcombe!!

Talking of the website, we have done some housework and tidied up some loose ends.  Members Advertisements are much easier to find: there are some bargains there – do please have a look.

The following is an invitation to members to enter the Eddystone Charity Sailing Pursuit, Sail for St Luke’s event, which will be held on Saturday 24^th July 2021. This is an incredibly prestigious event with prizes for local charities totalling £30,000 plus any sponsorship donations organised by the entrants. Registration is now open and continues to 19^th July. Full details can be found on: https://www.eddystonepursuit.com/ and https://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/sail-for-st-lukes/   

Salcombe Harbour Authority continues to keep its website updated with Covid restrictions as they apply to Harbour users.  Please check on current conditions, using the link on the KEBC website before going afloat.  Unfortunately this virus hasn’t completely gone away yet, hopefully some sort of normality will return before the autumn, allowing us to meet in person again.

I look forward to seeing you next Wednesday.

Tony Watson
 

A brief report on the Zoom AGM meeting on Feb 10th.  Full details to follow later with the minutes.

28 members attended the 2021 AGM, only a couple more than the numbers required to form a quorum. Well done and thank you all very much for keeping our decisions legal.  We only made a few, the first to confirm that I will remain your chair, Nigel Green Vice Chair and liaison with Salcombe Harbour Authority, John Elliott Secretary and that Piers Rogers has become Treasurer.  The Committee now comprises those officers plus Richard Benton Coastwatch coordinator, Linda Lee events and charities, Norman Hore events, Peter Rendell members adverts on the web site, Penny Masters membership secretary and one new member, Rosemary Speed, who will be our liaison with the Estuary Conservation Forum.  Give me a couple of days to get the web site updated. 

There were no questions on the Treasurers report.  As a result of increasing overheads, mostly insurance, we discussed increasing the annual subscription.  Members present pointed out that the sub hasn’t been changed for 13years and was now lagging behind the costs.  It was also mentioned that the shops and services that offer members discounts allowed all of us to reclaim our membership fees very easily.  It was unanimously agreed to increase the annual sub to £15 pa from January 1st. 2002. 

The AGM closed after about 20 minutes and a short discussion on Boatwatch followed. Encouragingly, we have ten or a dozen new Boatwatch volunteers signed up for the coming season starting in April. So we will be able to replace those who have retired having done their share over past years and maintain our watch on the Estuary in support of the Harbour Office and the Police

Next Assistant Harbour Master, Phil Goodhead gave us a run down on how the Authority has dealt with Covid, kept its winter mooring maintenance programme on course and planned the dredging of approach channels in March.  He took questions on many aspects of the Harbour’s work.  He was thanked sincerely for his attention to members’ concerns and in the user friendly way the harbour is now being run. 

The meeting closed with a short discussion of future events.  The next Zoom event will be on March 24th. when Roger Barrett from Salcombe Maritime Museum will give an illustrated talk about the American Navy in the harbour during WW2.  This is a one week change of date due to other commitments.

I hope all members woke up to large and ornate Valentines Day cards this morning along with the compulsory chocolates and flowers.

Hope to see lots of you on March 24th.  It promises to be very interesting.

Tony Watson. 

It has taken me a week to overcome the euphoria felt after the hugely succesful wine tasting evening last Wednesday.  Admittedly attendance was  not high but, for a Zoom meeting, the enthusiastic crowd were easy to manage, discipline was good and we all learnt a lot.  A repeat, by popular demand, will take place in the New Year.

Next on the agenda is a quiz, compiled and compered by Norman Hore on  Wednesday January 20th on Zoom at 1930.  Details from Norman as follows:-

In January there will be a non-technical, nautical quiz to help to bring our brains back to matters maritime. No special knowledge of the mechanics of boating is required, just a knowledge of geography, history, nature and a few other diverse subjects. The quiz will be held on Zoom and we will be happy to organise a training session in advance for anybody who would like to do the quiz but is not yet confident with Zoom on the computer. It is likely that conference calls will, increasingly, become a fixture in the future, so if you have not yet had the opportunity to become familiar with the technology, this will be a good opportunity to do so.

I will open the doors at 1900 to give you time to settle down, I will close the doors when I think the room is full so be early.  The Zoom invitation will follow closer to the date.  Jan. 20th also happens to be my birthday, I would have bought you all a drink in the 7 Stars, unhappily this won’t be possible this year.

An up to date calendar of events for 2021, as far as we are able to predict at the moment, will be displayed on the Club web site.  Have a Merry Christmas, while sticking to the rules, so that the New Year will be Happy with falling numbers of Covid  infections.

All the best,

Tony Watson