Gullswater part 2

The strangeness of strangers. What is wrong with some people! Last night I thought I'd sold a boat to a man who answered an ad I'd placed on the web. No, not the Gull, don't worry, I have others and I need to get rid of one or two. Anyway, this gentleman........this man says he will take my boat so I offered to let him sail it in my club's open meeting today. He turned up sailed the boat in 3 races and, as I was coming ashore from doing my rescue boat duties, said "I've decided the boat is not for me". As you might imagine, I was a bit taken aback. I'd let him sail my boat in 3 races on the understanding that he had bought it. What makes me really angry is finding a chunk missing from the gelcoat on the transom, damage to the rudder and, he couldn't even be bothered to put the cover on properly. What a *^@!!! Yeah, you know who you are!

Breathe Chris......count to five....1...2...3...4...5..and relax. Ok...Good. Anyway, don't worry folks. Gull sailors don't behave in that way. Our week at Ullswater was the complete opposite to the day I describe above. Once again we met old freinds and made new ones in the pursuit of Gull sailing Nirvana. Tuesday's sail on Ullswater was a fantastic one. Jo (lovely lady and as of Monday, fiancee of Chris Abela) and I were joined by Chris Yardley (very nice guy) and Bill Myles (very nice guy) for a truely awesome sail from Watermillock to Sandwick in a perfect and steady f5 wind from the South. I hope the pictures above can convey in some way how great a sail we had and what great company! The sail back was lovely, Jo and I sailed very close to the rocky outcrop in the "bend" of the Lake near Howtown. Looking up at the trees whilst gliding along at sea level is one of the great sailing memories I will have with me forever. As is the moment from the day before when I got down on one shaking knee and nervously proposed to the woman I've already been living with for the past 14 years! Well, you never know, she may well have been sick of me by now!
The sail was followed by a great evening meal at the Pooley Bridge Inn where we were joind by Chris Y (great guy), Pat Lovel (smashing bloke), Bill (really nice man) and his wife Christine (lovely lady) and my future outlaws, or inlaws.....yes, inlaws, that's it (no, they are great too!).

Part 3 to follow.

Pictures from top: Bill sails towards us in his Gull Spirit, who has right of way?, We enjoyed watching Chris Yardley cleaning the flora and forna from his foredeck whilst lunching at Sandwick, Bill Myles sailing quickly, Me feeling smug - a great day's sailing and she said yes!, Drifting downwind whilst admiring the rock formations, The rock that Jo collected!