Newsletter

OYT South bulletin 29th July 2006

In this bulletin

• Voyage News  - John Laing arrives Cadiz and wins a Tall Ships prize !
• Voyage Opportunities - Last Minute Offers 9-20 August.
• Southampton Boat Show - OYT South announce exciting plans.
• Support Group News - West Sussex Support Group raise £5750
• OYT South People - Gizzmo returns to John Laing

Voyage News
John Laing is now in Cadiz, Spain tied up amongst the Tall Ships fleet.  The week started in Lisbon with a crew joining who included students from St Gabriels, Newbury, as well as international representatives from France, Portugal and Canada.

First port of call was Cascais, an attractive town with a marina, just down the coast from Lisbon.  The sail south from here was once of the best so far in the tall ships series.  John Laing zoomed southwards at 10 knots, under brilliant blue skies, basked in sunshine.  Tuesday morning saw John Laing anchored in Lagos Bay at 07.00hrs for some rest and sleep.

Another great passage and John Laing arrive in Cadiz on Wednesday morning. This is a really pretty old town, where the welcome and facilities are being rated by some as the best ever seen in a Tall Ships Port.

The crew have been busy entering the Tall Ships sports including swimming, football and the 5000m race. (though not all finished the race having had wise second thoughts about the heat !)   

John Laing crew also entered the Tug of War competition and won an enormous silver cup for coming third !  Congratulations to everyone !

To judge by the comments in the crew visitors book everyone has ended this week very happy.  Becks wrote that she will remember the “dolphins in phospherence“, Lizzy said “Thanks for helping me get my residential Duke of Edinburgh“. Bron wrote “So many memories…Hopefully I will be back for Tall Ships 2007“ and Dizzy concluded “This was the most excellent adventure“

Voyage Opportunities – Last Minute Offers 9-20 August.
If you would like a “most excellent adventure“ why not book on one of the remaining berths for this season:-

9-20 Aug       La Coruna to Antwerp            £700    4 spaces
Contact the office on 0870 241 2252  for last minute offers on this voyage.

4-8 Sept           Southampton                            £275   3 spaces
9-15 Sept         Southampton                            £390    10 spaces
16-22 Sept       Southampton                            £415    12 Spaces (full boat)
9-13 Oct          Southampton                            £250    12 spaces (full boat)
14-20 Oct        Southampton                            £340    12 spaces (full boat)
30 Oct-3 Nov  Southampton                            £200    12 spaces (full boat)

Southampton Boat Show
This year’s Southampton Boat Show will include many exhibits of interest to sailors.  As well as boats, both afloat and ashore, there will be stands from all manner of suppliers of equipment, clothing, and publications.  Lots of other organisations who are concerned with the sea e.g. Sailing Schools and the Coastguard will also be present.  

One of the most unusual vessels moored and open to the public at the show will be “Song of the Whale“ a purpose built state of the art whale research vessel.  

Tickets cost £14, but if you volunteer to help staff the OYT South stand you will be issued with a free staff entrance permit for the day,  and you will be able to look round the show in your breaks.

David Salmon OYT General Manager told the Bulletin “Our challenge is that OYT South tends to be the best kept secret on the South Coast.  This is our opportunity to fly the flag in the yachting community, and remind everyone that after 47 years we are still providing the opportunity for young people to experience adventure under sail“
This should be an exciting year for OYT South at the Southampton Boat Show.  We will be in a new location and will have an attractive new stand.  I have seen the plans and designs and they look just great !   We are hugely grateful to one of our sea staff David Heffer, who has volunteered his professional services to design the new stand layout and provide all the necessary equipment.  

Now we need volunteers to staff the stand and help the visiting public understand what we do.   If you can find a day between Friday 15th September and Sunday 24th September (inclusive)  please phone David Salmon on 0870 241 2252 or mobile 07850 723646 to secure your choice of dates.

Support Group News
West Sussex Support Group have been very busy over the last few months with fundraising.  The group have been able to secure donations from local contacts and companies including £1,000 for bursaries for deserving young people in the Portsmouth area to sail on John Laing, £3,250 for a new dinghy,  £1,000 and a further £500, for general OYT South funds.

Congratulations to our volunteers in the West Sussex Support Group who have helped in raising this money !!

We also have support groups based in Southampton and Isle of Wight who do great things raising money and finding crew, so hopefully I can bring you some news of their activities in future editions.

Diary Dates
Tuesday 29 Aug: maintenance day, Southampton (call Wolf 07771 771864). 
Friday 15 September: OYT South Annual Dinner (To reserve tickets email jorule@btinternet.com ) To pay for your tickets by credit card please call David Salmon on 0870 241 2252
Southampton International Boat Show  Friday 15 September to Sunday 24 September 2006.
Please call David Salmon NOW on 0870 241 2252 or mobile 07850 723646 to secure your choice of dates to help man the stand.
Sunday 1 October: maintenance day, Southampton (call Wolf 07771 771864).

OYT South People
Thanks to the Sea Staff who have sailed this voyage from Lisbon to Cadiz.
Skipper Mark Todd (Wolf) 1st Mate Caroline White, 2nd Mates John Snowden,
and Andy Royse,  3rd Mate Becca Causer.  

Last season’s regular relief bosun Gizmo returned to the boat this week. Gizmo has been taking part in the new Sail Training Skippership scheme.  Although she occupied the bosun’s berth she was able to put her new skills to good use in a variety of watchkeeping and other roles.

The readings onboard this week were from “Little Wolf – Terror of the Shivery Sea“ by Ian Whybrow. Those who know about these things say it is probably the best yet from the Little Wolf series.  Amazon advise that it costs £4.99 and is the “sixth Little Wolf novel featuring this number one cub and pack of friends as they have the pirate adventure of a lifetime! “

You can buy all the Little Wolf Series, more books and lots and lots of other things from Amazon.co.uk.  Click on the Amazon logo at the bottom of the OYT South home page http://www.oytsouth.org/  and a proportion of any money you spend will be donated to us - at no extra cost to you!