The Serpent Yacht Club

Ormidale BBQ 

Martin Yuill reports

This was the first Official Serpent BBQ at Ormidale and although the weather could have been kinder it did not dampen the spirits of all who took part. In the end 9 SYC boats were represented and we were joined by prospective new members, Mairi and Douglas Brown on Mariella, a Nicholson 32.

Commodore Stewart and wife Catherine, had loaned Out of the Blue to their sons. A request was received from them for a berth on Pondskater for the Friday and Saturday.

“Certainly” we said  without realising that he would be arriving after son Douglas, his wife Leo, other son David and a friend  had been ferried on board in the dead of night at 11.00 after travelling from London that afternoon. The SAS should recruit Stewart who is now well practiced in ferrying people around an isolated anchorage at midnight.

Saturday saw Pondskater, now flying the Commodore’s burgee, at Rothesay for the passage in company. With no takers we had a stop in Port Bannatyne  for papers which turned into a lunch break.

Back at the mooring people who had moorings at Ormidale started to arrive and in the end no one had to anchor with Graham and Don on Silverjack rafting up to Black Pepper, Mariella on Stewart’s mooring and Tigerfire also on a spare mooring. Ian and Anne were on Sulaire and Robert on Kelpie-D. Seamus, recovering from the flu, and Marie arrived by car and stayed the night on Emma Louise at Portavadie .

Those afloat set off to the shore at 5.30 in a damp Scottish mist which was more like rain at times. It did though clear up to give us a dry evening ashore mostly clear of midges.

Somebody stole my burger! I wonder who? Can you spot the culprit?

Everyone brought their disposable BBQs except Don and Graham  who were more traditional and created theirs on the beach in a stones circle  (they did succumb to the use of the blow torch to get it going).

There was so much sharing of facilities that it eventual became a large community self help BBQ with food and cooking resources being shared.

We started to pack up at 8.30 before it got dark with everyone having had their fill . A ‘taxi’ service, for those who needed it, towed them back to their boats.

A big clear up followed with numerous rubbish bags ending up in the back of Stewart & Catherine’s pickup.

 By the time Pondskater stirred on Sunday it was a nice dry and calm day.

 Could  it not have been like that on Saturday!!

Martin.

Midges? What midges!