West Cork is fully afloat this week with junior sailors from all over Ireland including some from Wales writes Claire Bateman.
With the schools on mid term break it was once again time for the annual trek west for the sailors and their families. We watched the trail of vehicles heading westward, as usual packed to the roof, some trailing boats and some with them on roofs. The vehicles always seem to be packed with numerous excited children accompanying their parents not to mention the wide variety of breeds and numbers of mutts accompanying their families.
In Schull, some thirty Lasers were attending a training session, with thirteen 420s and seventeen Toppers all adding up to make a colourful scene.
In nearby Baltimore, some one hundred and forty Optimists including the Senior, Junior and Regatta fleets from nineteen clubs all over Ireland and some from Wales, were being processed and given their various coloured ribbons to indicate their fleets and Coaches before splitting into briefing groups . The more experienced were putting to sea following their briefing. Meanwhile, the Regatta Fleet were being entertained ashore and finally the more energetic parents were taking the aforementioned mutts for brisk walks to the famous Beacon with the more exhausted parents seeking some comforting food in the well renowned local hostelry.
Surely Spring is now well sprung and we can hopefully look forward to a good Junior season for 2016.
