The sun shone all weekend but the wind stayed mostly away as the Supernovas (paired up with the Streakers) travelled first to Hunstanton for some proper sea sailing on the Saturday and then next day to Ouse Amateur Sailing Club's (OASC) alternate venue on the cut at Saddlebow.

Sunny Hunny it most certainly was as the fleet of 14 Supernovas launched into an already ebbing tide with a gentle breeze. However, by the time the boats reached the committee boat the wind hand gone and there then followed what always feels like ages bobbing around as the wind came and went. Eventually PRO Ian Holland felt the wind was stable enough to send the fleet on their way on a big triangle. Haversham Supernova newbie Ashley Farmer in his first outing on the sea led to the first mark holding off odds-on favourite Richard Pakes when a navigation error up the second beat saw Ash and Richard heading off to the wrong mark letting Jeff Tucker in with his smart new dual colour boat for his first open meeting race win. Ian Casewell who didn't miss a shift, got a well deserved second.

The second race saw a smaller course and the best wind of the day - some even found their toe straps! Richard spotted the windward mark OK this time with Barry Winter in close but receding contact holding off the chasing pack led by Ash and Lesley Jeanes.

By now water was at a premium and some people were on the beach - they think it's all over. But it wasn't yet. The PRO had other ideas and after some hasty re-launching by some the fleet set off in very little wind and water conditions rapidly approaching damp. Down the 1st "reach" the rescue crew stood up to their knees guiding the fleet away from the sandbanks! It was Richard, Ash and Barry that led the bunch as the wind eased even more. Jeff Tucker who had been halfway up the beach when the 5 min. gun sounded, went hard right at the gybe mark and zigged and zagged his way past the rest of the fleet trying to tough out the very broad reach, and into 2nd place. A Haversham 1,2 3 of Richard Pakes, Jeff Tucker and Ashley Farmer for the event.

Saturday night and with tents up at Saddlebow most of both fleets headed off in the laid on minibus for a night out at the historic OASC on the river Ouse in central Kings Lynn. The only CAMRA listed sailing club, cheap beer, great location and good company meant a cracking night out. The Streakers led the singing on the way back. The singing was marginally better than last year - but the bar was set incredibly low.

On Sunday, once again the sun shone, the weed glowed, the heads throbbed and the gentle breeze looked promising at the hugely hospitable OASC alternate venue of Saddlebow on the cut just south of Kings Lynn. 11 Supernovas again shared the restricted water with the Streakers. The early signs were for a Richard Pakes benefit until on the 2nd lap with a huge lead he lost his way in the plethora of marks (he wasn't the only one) and once again Jeff Tucker stepped into the void with local sailor Jason Sheldrick getting a well earned 3rd. After a pleasant lunch ashore the 2nd race got under way in decreasing and erratic wind. Given the very short distance to the 1st mark there was a huge amount of tacking going on and in a re-run of race 2 on Saturday it was Richard 1st and Barry 2nd. For the final race the wind looked precarious and sure enough heading away from the 1st mark it went completely to nothing. Zilch. Somehow Richard and Jeff - who seemed to have his own personal zephyr - got what felt like miles and miles way for a 1,2. Barry just managed to squeeze away from the "chasing" peloton for the race to have the same results as the meeting overall.

It had been a great weekend and the OASC prize giving did not disappoint. Generous sponsorship by Elgoods brewery of Wisbech meant that everyone went away with bag full of liquid goodies and a big smile on their face.

Hunstanton results   OASC results

Gallery of Pics courtesy of Penny Casewell here.