Swallows & Amazons
This is the highlight of the cadet sailing calendar for both the children and the adults! Each year around the end of June beginning of July we head off to Roadford Reservoir near Launceston for a weekend of sailing and fun. We take across 3 Mirror dinghies as well as our own rescue boat ‘Jester’ to supervise the activities. We also usually hire out a Laser Stratos for the more confident Cadets to use and about half a dozen Picos for the younger Cadets. In the past some seniors have brought there own boats and used those.
The weekend starts off on Friday night with cadets and helpers arriving at camp and setting up their tents for the weekend. The campsite has full wash block facilities, with an annex that has a fridge and washing machine.
Saturday consists of free-sailing around the lake in the Laser Stratos and Pico’s, with the younger cadets having a bit of tuition in a sheltered area of the lake in the Mirrors. Here they can build up there confidence and have a go in the Picos on Sunday or go out with a senior cadet in the Stratos!
The evening activities consist of the now famous BBQ which is really not to be missed. Word has spread of its legendary status so much, that now parents come up for the evening too and join in the social side! After dinner, the junior cadets participate in the boat race, which involves small groups working together to build a model sail boat out of junk. They then get to race them from the pontoon.
Following this, the annual Swallows and Amazons football match commences, which sees the Cadets vs. Instructors/Helpers/Adults playing football. This is usually a hilarious match with the Cadets doing there utmost to get there own back on the oldies. The oldies are usually the ones seen most often cheating believe it or not!
On Sunday there is a race for anyone wishing to take part, followed by a race between the Instructors and the Senior Cadets to see if the instructors can put into practice what they preach – often with interesting results! For those not interested in racing they get the chance to go out in the Laser Stratos and get to have a go on the Trapeze wire, or play around in the Pico’s, playing pirates! Late afternoon everyone comes off the water to help pack up camp before heading home.
