This page is for reports on LBOA special events
Autumn Trip to Roscoff - 16th/18th October 2009
FRIDAY 16th OCTOBER 2009
- Rendezvous Plymouth Ferry Port 10.30 am
- Weather bright and still
The Peat family (Dave Vicky Tom & Laura) were first to arrive, closely followed by Penny and Richard (Walters) with newcomers Roy and Trish (Hendy).
Tom watching out of the window spotted the arrival of Graham and Kath (Mason) with Laurie and Ann (Watson) and commented on the unusual choice of leaving the wives to unload the luggage while the men folk went to sort out the parking meter.
When the party arrived in the departure lounge we learned that Laurie had paid via card £75.00 for parking…..which covered him until 31/10/09 !!
Mr “click happy” Watson had pressed the button 15 times when 3 would have sufficed!! Calls to banks and parking companies continued in the background.
Meanwhile Richard was left worrying if he had paid enough !!
With the group now assembled Penny introduced Roy and Trish to us all, including Malcolm…. (aka Graham).
Eventually Kath leads us off to check in, discussion surrounds the new E111 card now called EHIC but it seems both Penny and Richard’s card are in his name. This week end is going to be one long laugh.
We boarded the Pont Aven and settled ourselves in to a comfortable corner of one of the bars and went exploring as the cruiser left Plymouth. A lovely crossing the boat was not very busy, the food was good and the kids went for a swim.
At Roscoff and no incidents through customs Laurie route marched us off to the hotel where we quickly settled in and arranged to meet for dinner. We found a bar / restaurant on the sea front where Trish our newly appointed linguist requested a table for twelve. A pleasant evening.. good food and great company.On the way back to the hotel Trish booked a table at Soucouf for the following evening.
SATURDAY 17th OCTOBER 2009
- rendezvous breakfast room 9 am
- weather sunny intervals dry and warm
After a continental breakfast we gathered together and walked into town.
The tide was low so the coastline was littered with rocks and islands and the impressive pier out from Roscoff towards the Isle Le Batz (pronounced Baa).
First stop was the tourist information office, where we gathered information.
Trish and Roy had departed on their own agenda, the Peats went walking and the others made their way to the ferry for the island.
The Island trip saw the group ordering coffee at a quayside café… Graham found it rather strong so ordered a second, a grande , only to find it was the same again … but bigger.
The Peat party stomped around Roscoff exploring both coasts, a good 10k march with a wonderful tour guide.
We all lunched in Roscoff albeit separately and returned to the hotel for a siesta.
Half the party met in the foyer at 7pm and set off for the restaurant assuming Penny Richard Roy and Trish were already on their way…Tom returned to the hotel to “rescue” them.
A wonderful evening and great food, Trish and Roy devoured a huge platter of “fruits de mer” and were supplied with bibs, a messy job. We wobbled back to the hotel, another successful evening.
SUNDAY 18th OCTOBER 2009
- rendezvous breakfast room 9 am
- weather sunny dry and warm
After relaxed leisurely breakfast we deposited cases in reception and set off again to experience the charm of Roscoff.
Roy and Trish bravely managed to cross the estuary on foot … sinking in soggy sand up to their knees (almost).
The weather was beautiful, hot and sunny, a lovely day to mooch around the harbour the sea front and shops. All too soon it was time to make our way to the ferry port and depart for Cornwall.
The crossing was calm the ferry was very quiet, the party looking a little more dishevelled !! than the outward journey.
I spy, was the most taxing part. We all napped. It was dark in the channel and there seemed to be lots of commercial vessels crossing our path.
The lights of Plymouth appeared on the horizon, it was time to make a move, some of the party made it all the way down to the car decks…. And back up again…
We disembarked and made our weary way to the cars….happily leaving the Watson party to confront the car park attendant.
A successful inaugural foreign visit by the LBOA .
The worlds our lobster.. who knows where we will venture next time.
Make sure you don’t miss out.
Vicky Peat
President's Fishing Trophy - 13th September 2009
The inaugural President's Fishing Trophy event took place on Sunday 13th September 2009, a day blessed with wall to wall sunshine. It was one of very few days this season when all boats could venture out.
I set out on Enchantress with John and Joan Eckersall as fellow fisherfolk.
As competitors gathered in the bay round the Peat's new boat, Lady J, seen for the first time by members, the sea was flat calm and the day promised much.
Yours Truly and Joan both dangled lines before the "off" and immediately landed several mackerel for bait (conger was the intended winning haul). If all else failed a boat full of mackerel could win the day!
At 11:30am Dave Peat sounded the hooter for the off, and boats headed away in all directions anticipating good catches.
Enchantress, with John and Joan eagerly tackling up, headed towards Talland Bay. John knew exactly where the conger waited for us.
By 12:45 we accepted that the conger were not interested in our competition. The wind had risen and waves started to rock the boat somewhat so Plan B was implemented.
We knew that a host of pollock were close in to the west of the island. That was the place to be.
We hadn't sighted any of the other boats, so they were obviously all in the wrong area.
I very soon had a pollock on board. John, however, being Chairman, had to play by the rules and announced that the fish was under legal size so back it went. Mmmmm.
It turned out to be the only fish for several miles around (being juvenile it had clearly got lost from its
bigger mates).
Plan C. Round to the east of the island. We had heard radio broadcasts of good catches, particularly from Graham Mason who had half a dozen good pollock (d***).
Another half hour and panic set in. This was clear from the hysterical laughter from our boat.
The only thing left was a bag full of mackerel from the bay off Millendreath. Unfortunately, unkown to us, mackerel had been banned from that very spot for the duration.
By 1:30 pm the boat was moving like a roller coaster. Graham and Kath were hanging on in Shiraz, which we now had in sight (when it topped a wave that is).
By 2:00pm I didn't care that we had no fish, it's the taking part that counts isn't it!!
We circled Lady J to report our failure and learned that Graham had somewhat exaggerated his bag but had at least caught decent sized mackerel and pollock (one of each!).
With competition boats headed for the calm of the harbour, Peter King and Marilyn were roaring inward on Black Dwarf from the Rannies. We would learn later how they had faired.
After tying up, boat crews gathered at the Millpool slipway for a well earned BBQ social.
The Peats had to return Lady J to Sutton Harbour and joined the party later so that Dave could present the handsome trophy (donated by him) to the winner of the day - Peter King.
Peter was a deserving winner as he had decided to forego the mackerel (wherever they where) and concentrated on bass fishing off the Rannies. His reward, a handsome 3 and a half pound bass to be the first ever winner of this now to be annual event.
Although fish were rare on this occasion all who took part agreed that it had been a great day and although Peter was a worthy winner, I for one, and I suspect many others, will be keen and eager to wrest the trophy from him next year.
Well done to all who took part.
David Jones - Webmaster