As 2020 draws to a close, I suspect that it might be more appropriate to wish you all a “healthy and prosperous new year,” rather than the more normal “happy” new year.
I firmly believe it is important to look forward and plan ahead for the coming sailing season. As I write, the days are short, the weather is cold, we are living under ever stricter regulations, and it would be easy to put off planning for another, hopefully sunnier, day!
But there are so many opportunities to be had. And there are many, many aspects of our sport which fit well with any guidelines to which we seek to adhere:
- We need not travel abroad to enjoy our sailing
- We can be as isolated as we choose to be on the water, and in a “holiday home” which is well known to us.
- We can sail either short handed or in our own “bubbles.”
- We can choose to go either to busy marinas (if they want our business) and comply with their carefully controlled procedures, or
- We can go to isolated anchorages, away from any centre of population.
- We can socialise entirely in the open air, as indeed we have learnt to do over the course of the last 9 months.
- And best of all, I have yet to hear of a single argument as to how Brexit can dampen our seafaring wanderlust!
To go from all of the above to adding in a little gentle competition is not such a big step.
I feel therefore that we should press on with planning our event for the week of 31st July to 6th August 2021, in compliance with whatever guidelines are in place at the time. We must build flexibility into our format, and I would be delighted to hear from YOU, the competitors, as to what ideas you may have. (my contact details are at the foot of the page). I believe that we can make it an excellent week, regardless of whether we have strict regulation and guidelines, or whether we are a little more free to choose our own destiny.
And that is what I intend to ask my committee to help me do. So PLEASE, have a very good New Year, stay healthy, (get your vaccination!) and lets look forward to a great West Highland Yachting Week 2021.
Gavin Marshall,
Chairman.
Email: gavin@baddinsgill.com
Mob. 07967 342022