Reminiscing awhile

by R. Pearson

 

Roger Pearson has maintained a regular cruising habit with the Club for over forty years, combining his love of sailing on the Broads with his other passions; the Lake District , cricket and ale. Most recently, he has run the sometimes precarious finances of the Club with confidence and astuteness.

 

When I first arrived in 1958 one could, by choice, swim in most rivers and nearly all dykes; I did and look what it's done for me! Regrettably, one cannot even contemplate the river and diesel fumes of modern times . . . the last time I swam for pleasure (or any other reason for that matter) was at Geldeston, when the event of my diving in resembled the Parting of the Red Sea.
   

It makes me shudder to think that it is nearly a quarter of a century ago when I sailed on a Broads yacht for the first time; it was Golden Moon. Those were the days of Breydon Swing Bridge, the Lift Bridge in The Cut, the Cambridge at Beccles and Harry Young's 'ring the bull' game, and the real Stracey Arms, with American Alek and his mad cockerel. They were also the days of 'Prize Medal Ales'; rank bad beer brewed by Lacons, Bullards, Morgans and S & P, whose only claim to fame must have been the competition between each other as to whom could brew the worst beer. Though I am not quite as old as some Wyverns, I know the true significance of a pint of panacea  . . .'just what the doctor ordered'. If one could overcome the vagaries of all these aids to not sailing, one was truly fully fledged.
   

Mention was made of the days of twelve or so boats to a fleet; the whereabouts of some of the yachts is known, but what of the rest: Hornet and Hornet II, the Moons,: Golden, Harvest, Misty and Silver, and Amorita, Nyanza, Vanessa, Favourite and Helena. There was also the Hope which was more like a longboat and a sight for sore eyes tacking The Cut!
   

Several characters who were around at the time of my first sailing have passed on, but what of Jack Chaplin, Jack Plumb and Jack Page, not to mention 'Buster' Owen, Mike Lee, Dave Law and others too numerous to mention.
   

As I gradually progressed through the apprenticeship of sailing many of the aforementioned hazards, characters and boats have disappeared; some, like the flags at Loddon, with assistance from young Wyverns (DMS please note). The problem is that so called natural hazards (in golf parlance) have given way to motor cruisers galore, so brown trousers, bicycle clips and a strong voice are still essential.

RP, 1981

Even George would sometimes accept a tow. With Tony Headley (right) in the 50s.