Newsletter

The Commodore

Happy New Year and welcome to 2012, as this is the first Newsletter of the year let me remind you about your Sailing Club, WE ARE OPEN, and yes you can sail, so let me see you using the water on a Saturday. Some hardy types have been sailing and a few have got wet as well, nothing changes, so let's have a few more boats on the pond.

Talking of boats, this last few weeks have seen some very strong winds which has resulted in a few boats being moved, we have retied them down, but please remember it is YOUR responsibility to make sure your boat is secure. Any damage caused by your boat falling over is your problem, so I would advise all members to come down and check - as your insurance company might not cover you. It could be a very costly mistake and will only take a few minutes of your time.

This time of year with no racing on Sundays, means you are free, so from now on SUNDAYS are Club work days, we have a list of jobs to do, starting with the Garage which will be turned into the Safety Boat Store (might be almost finished by the time you read this), followed by the long island which needs its annual clean up, the list just goes on and on and on and on. So my fellow members the sooner we all start the sooner we all finish.

I know the "W" grew last year and is growing now, but we have a cunning plan which hopefully will control it for the foreseeable future (fingers, toes and legs crossed). We will need help controlling the growth during the year so I know that we will all do our share as you always do whenever Wanlip calls for help.

So now people, how about getting Wanlip up and sailing again, the water might be cold, but we do have heaters and a cup of coffee or chocolate to warm you up, so what are you waiting for!

See you very soon?

Bill Trewick

Social Scene

Well, Christmas events have been and gone... in a flash it seems! The pie and punch went down well, as did the cake and mulled wine with the carols. Thanks to all who contributed and supported.

I am hoping for more support this year at our wonderful social events... The more the merrier!

The next event may be a skittles evening in February; and of course the Commodores evening which will be on the 10^th of March in the Clubhouse at 19:30.

If anyone has any ideas or themes for an event, then please let me know.

Elaine Trewick

Bob's Bird Bit

It's been a strange winter so far.   Hardly a night of frost to date, and hardly a sign of usual winter visitors, like fieldfares and redwings.  I left a lot of windfall apples on my lawn for the birds - usually they'd attract large numbers of blackbirds, thrushes, fieldfares and redwings, but this year they've only been tentatively nibbled at by a few starlings.

    At Wanlip it's been the same pattern - a few species of winter visitors, notably wigeon, but I've not seen any fieldfares or redwings at all.  The cormorants have been very noticeable, - they seem to like sitting in the trees at the far end, hanging out their wings to dry, which makes them seem even bigger than they are.  We've had a good number of tufted ducks on the water too, - they're smallish, rather round ducks, the drakes very noticeable with just black and white plumage (the females are the same shape, but just a dark brown), and they dive for their food, rather than up-ending as mallards and wigeon do.

    Many birds don't match their names at this time of year.  We have a few great crested grebes on the water, but in winter they've no crest, and are just a drab grey/brown colour.  And the black-headed gulls, of course, have white heads.  It gets all very confusing for anyone just starting to take an interest in birds!!

    But one visitor that did match its name was a female shoveller which visited us a week or so ago.  This is a duck, superficially similar to a mallard, but with a bill about twice the size.  It's an adaptation to help it feed off the surface of the water, rather than upending or diving. 

  Keep looking for those fieldfares - they're bound to put in an appearance sometime!

Bob Hopkins

New Years Eve

Just over 12 months ago, the traditional WSC New Year's Eve Celebration Dinner venue had to be changed at very short notice owing to the Clubhouse being totally frozen up.  With the amazing help of Jeff Hardy and his family, plus a busy team of usual volunteers, the event was held at the very comfortable Rothley Church Rooms.

When it came to considering the 2011 NYE event, Rothley was the favoured choice of venue.  Not that there is anything wrong with the Clubhouse, but it was so warm and comfortable in the Church Rooms the previous year.

Then came the organising and Jeff, Angie and family took the helm again.  The "Bit of a Do" was run as a shared event at which 53 folks from both Wanlip Sailing Club and Rothley Church.

With the help of a well organised and able team of volunteers a great time was had by all.  The three course meal was excellent, the company was very amiable and the entertainment very enjoyable.  After rounding the evening off at midnight with us all parading out into Church Street to sing Auld Lang Syne with the Church bells ringing in the New Year as background, it was all voted a huge success.

Well done to Jeff and all involved!

David & Betty Hulme

Wanlip Club History

                The Wanlip Sailing Club History was printed for everyone last year and issued with the newsletter.  Since then it has been noted by a few members that there might be some inaccuracies and missing bits from the story.

                To help us come to a more accurate version of this please contact Pat Haswell with your amendments and additions.  If you no longer have your copy you can also speak to Pat or to Luke Hardy to have another one emailed or passed on to you.

"Hope 2012 brings everyone many happy hours of Sailing."

Ed.