 Well, it did work - in buckets full. Boats started arriving at Wrabness from Friday lunch time onwards. By about 10:00pm that evening there were no free moorings and several boats were anchored in the shallows of Holbrook Bay. Next morning (Saturday) bang on schedule boats started to arrive in Holbrook Creek. Unfortunately retired Harbour Master; Peter Page, was not on hand to officiate this year. He was at home recovering from a nasty head cold, but youngest of the Holbrook Robertson clan; Clive, was able to deputise in Peter’s absence. The gathered multitude then made their sedate way up to the Royal Hospital School arriving outside the Dining Hall at about 11:26. At precisely 11:30 the doors swung open and we were all ushered in to partake of School Dinner, sitting among the students all of whom were only too happy to chat about school life at the R.H.S. For many, however, the high spot of our visit to the school was the Sparrow Hawk’s next high up in the school wall.  After lunch it was back to Holbrook Creek and prepare to return to Wrabness. An extra mini event had been dropped into the weekend programme in the form of a Smack’s Boat Race from Holbrook back to Wrabness. At the last moment Paul Masters (‘Clytie’) suggested handing the Smack’s Boats over to the younger participants who didn’t waste any time taking up the challenge.  The start line was very nearly perfect and all enjoyed a very swift race in what proved to be a delightfully fresh sea breeze.  The Mini Smack’s Boat Race was eventually won by the crew of ‘Papa Stour’. On the way back to Wrabness it was quite interesting to come across all four of the RHS Shrimpers rafted up to an anchored ‘Mother Ship’. Obviously someone had decided that they would be ‘on station’ in good time this year.  15:30 saw the start of the larger boats race out to ‘Pye End’ and back under clear blue skies and a fresh easterly sea breeze testing most competitors with a lively beat down the Stour. At least one boat found the pudding mixture just above Shotley, but they shall remain anonymous. ‘Reverie’ retired early in order that their crew would have time to get ashore at Wrabness and get the BBQ started in good time and ‘Lillibullero’ retired after the local crew member who was on the helm passed the wrong side of the ‘Ramsey’ buoy, even though it was he who had laid the course – so no excuses there. The sail back up river effectively turned into a laundry day with every stitch of canvas being hoisted. (Nice water sail ‘Transcur’). Eventual winners were ‘Victoria’ in the gaff class and ‘Elfreda’ in the Bermudan class. In the meantime the small boats race started at 16:00 consisting of a real eclectic mix of boats including the four RHS Shrimpers, two boats from Holbrook (a Cape Cutter and a Pandora) and numerous cobles etc. from Wrabness. In due course ‘Lettuce’ was 1st OGA boat home, with ‘Bluebelle’ 2nd. ‘Spindrift’ was 1st Holbrook boat home whilst ‘Samphire’ took 2nd prize. Two of the RHS Shrimpers were awarded 1st and 2nd prizes as were two of the five participants who took part in the Fishing Competition. Then it was time for the BBQ. One of the Holbrook participants; John Ambrose, volunteered to do all the cooking and proved to be a first rate chef. He might just have a job for life! All partook of beef burgers, lamb burgers and huge sausages in rolls that were well up to the task size wise.  By about 10:30 it was time for the Holbrook boats to begin their journey back to Holbrook Creek. And so ended a very delightful (and full) 6th annual Royal Hospital School Rally. As the Holbrook boats made their way back across the Stour it was interesting to look back and see at least a dozen, and more, anchor lights twinkling in the gloom. I wonder how many boats we could fit in to the Holbrook Bay anchorage. Special thanks must go to Andy Woollard (ICT Director at RHS) for organising lunch, Charles Boughton (Sailing Instructor) for his continued enthusiasm for this event and for ensuring the safe arrival of the RHS Shrimpers and Sarah (Head of 6th form) for looking after our every need during lunch. Michael Robertson |