Part B (part deux) Training
Gosport - 29/03 to 05/04 2009
In place of a training account for this week (as it was my second lot of Part B Training in the hope of having some wind second time around) I have an offering of a different nature. This week we had such a great mix of characters and such a lot of fun (while still learning - of course) that I felt compelled to write something fun to reflect it. Many of the references below will mean nothing to those that weren't there but I'm hoping overall it will give a flavour of some of the events of the week and convey the fantastic team spirit that filled every minute of every day. So here is my homage to my Skipper, First mate and fellow Crew members of my Part B (part deux) training!
Ode to Part B (part deux) Training Week
Clarence Dock Marina is the setting for this tale Of highs, of lows, of joys and woes An adventure to regale A training team of new recruits All decked out in gloves and boots And a Skipper we should all salute Who'll try and teach us how to sail!
Oli was our Skipper's name – and he barely looked of age He's calm and “cool” and so laid back You'd never see him in a rage His task – to teach to sail the seas His commands to crew were clear “indeed” When we got it right he called it “Sweet” And declared them “Happy Days”
His right-hand man was Eero and a great first-mate was he He shared his sailing knowledge While he sipped his Red Bush tea He's tactical and so precise And sailed around the world - now twice! And he made sure that we did it right So an 'Eero's Hero' we could be
Chris, a fellow girlie and a sailor of some note She understands the lingo too And has her own sail boat Patiently she'd tell me how To call the sail-trim from the bow She's firm but fair and never loud You'd vote to have her on your boat!
Now onto Gentle John and our only Scot was he We saw no signs of Scottish traits He was generous with the tea! He helmed us to a winning race And helped us keep our sail flakes straight At everything was really great And he did it all with glee.
A Sailing 'Vet' called Detlef is our next 'Germanic' friend And although he was quite bossy He never really did offend The other boats he helped us beat By shouting “Vait with the staysail sheet!” And his Easter Egg he shared (how Sweet) And we loved him in the end.
Henman, Giles Henman they call him, - he's our own James Bond in training Tall and dark, the action man But never when it's raining! He climbed the pole and spiked the sheet Conquered the mast – over eighty feet! He sounds quite tough but looks quite sweet He's our fair-weather 'Double O sailing'!
Felicity, a doctor, had been a dinghy sailing child But when mooring up on Tuesday She got a bow-line in the eye! Her spinny-trim was still text-book And she took the helm like Captain Cook (With an eye-patch she'd have been more Hook) A fierce competitor she was, Aye, aye!
Terribly well-spoken Wade – a businessman that was clear He kept The City functioning Through the Blackberry on his ear He took the helm with grinning glee Except at four – when he stopped for tea And how he 'lost a day!' - he just couldn't see How we laughed 'til we cried with tears!
Sea-dog Rob (he knew his stuff) turned out to be our minder He encouraged those that didn't know You couldn't meet a man who's kinder When witnessing a huge “to-do” Rob stepped in (the air turned blue!) But he kept the peace with his fab beef stew And was a demon on the grinder!
Crew-mate Steve, an all-round guy (a watch-leader without fail) Although, when he ran the Spinnaker drill He forgot to attach the sail! He tested my Colregs and made me think And led us into mad high-jinx But always helped out at the Galley sink And amused with impressions and tales!
So, Part B part deux, we came to sail and the wind we came to seek We gybed the Spinny pole so much We could do it in our sleep Skipper and Mate taught their tricks In the races we became quite slick We laughed all week (thought my sides would split) A truly awesome week!