REAR COMMODORES
CRUISING REPORT
FORMING MANY STRONG BONDS AND FRIENDSHIPS
The season opened with a stunning day and has continued throughout with excellent attendances at our Estuary and Offshore Cruises as well as First Friday dinners . We sailed more than 550 days on our Coastal and Estuary Cruises and fed almost a thousand people at our First Friday Dinners over the year and , as a result , formed many strong bonds and friendships . Volunteering , to help run events , has significantly increased and we are grateful for the professionalism shown in presentations as well as the organising of on water and other social events .
FIRST FRIDAYS
The First Friday social dinners have proved to be increasingly popular as more Club Members recognise the great value that Steve Proctor and his team of chefs , capably supported by Mandy Hansen and her staff , provide for this regular get together . Fascinating presentations by both home grown cruisers and racers as well as from interstate and international visitors , Parkinson style interviews with club icons and a range of social nights from dinner dances to hosting the Bavaria owners and a special smile for World Smile Day were amongst the themes for the events . The ongoing work of your Cruise Committee to bring topics of interest for attendees as well as organising menus , table layout and seating plans and keeping your name tags up to date is much appreciated . If you are interested in assisting then please volunteer and we will do our best to find you a job .
OFFSHORE CRUISES
This season was essentially a lay year as no major offshore cruises were planned . However , we did manage to get out of the heads on four separate occasions and chalked up over 300 days at offshore cruise destinations . By far the biggest was the Christmas Cruise to Newcastle and Lake Macquarie attended by 41 boats over the two separate destinations . We were blessed with good weather which set the mood for the highly creative cook off organised by Leon and Nirvana Wilson . Many Happy Hours and general camaraderie make our Christmas Cruises the most popular of the offshore cruising events on the cruise calendar . Other cruises were to Bantry Bay and to Blackwattle Bay in Sydney Harbour for the October and Australia Day long weekends and to Port Hacking for an extended cruise covering the Easter weekend . The June Queen ’ s Birthday long weekend will see a group head to the harbour to visit the Vivid Festival of Lights and planning is well under way for an extended cruise to the Clarence River for the Grafton Jacaranda Festival .
ESTUARY CRUISES
So far this season we have had over 120 boats participating in cruises extending more than 250 cruising boat-days to many destinations within Pittwater , Cowan Creek and Kur-ring-gai Chase National Park . The bushlands surrounding the anchorages with the National Park offer superb vistas and protection from the elements while we enjoy great company and friendships at happy hours , pot luck dinners , pod feast and progressive dinners as well as many coffees and chats in the relaxed cruising atmosphere . Estuary cruises are a great way to get to know your fellow cruisers and many strong friendships are made during our times away on the water .
LOOKING FORWARD
The plans for the 2016 – 2017 season are now available with the dates for major cruises to The Clarence River and the Coral Coast already set . Seminars on maintenance and seamanship , including recaps on navigation are now being locked into the calendar , subjects for First Friday dinners being finalised and interest being canvassed for the possibility of a further international cruise . Your committee works hard to develop a programme of events that will cater for the interests of those who see cruising as an opportunity for them to get involved in the enjoyable and less competitive aspects of our great sailing club .
This year will see a changing of the guard and personally I would like to thank my committee and all those who have made my last four years as Rear Commodore so rewarding . I believe that we have done our best to carry on the great work done by past Rear Commodores and I thank them for the legacy they left me . I also thank all the volunteers who have supported cruising in the many ways they have and all those who have participated in our events . Without the support of the Board , Management , Staff and my fellow Rear Commodores my job would be a far greater challenge so I thank them for the faith and encouragement they have shown . Finally , I wish my replacement a wonderful and rewarding term in the office .
JIM CORMACK
14 YACHTSMAN