Tag: The Rotary Club

One Final Charter

Gravesend Chart

Gravesend Chart; Picture by Matt Care

Cambria is now getting readied for her final charter (as far as we know at present) of 2012. These last three are the Young Carer ones sponsored by The Rotary Club, the first two (now completed) were skippered by Ian Ruffles, the final one this weekend will have our Master Shipwright, Tim Goldsack in charge. After the weekend sail they will finish up in Faversham where the barge will be prepared for winter and any maintenance she requires. In all three charters the Crew has been our old friends Denis Johnson and Shipwright Ryan Dale both of whom are, by all accounts, thoroughly enjoying the experience and getting used to the role and very good at it. It’s no easy thing sailing a barge anyway and to mentor the sail trainees and keep them safe and well at the same time while ensuring they enjoy the break is an achievement worth ticking off on your CV. Well done to all four of you guys. You are part of the Trust’s pride in our old girl and the good works she is currently involved in.

 

Once she’s in Faversham, of course, the usual opportunities will start up to try a bit of volunteering yourselves. We use volunteers for all kinds of tasks from tidying and cleaning to painting and to showing members of the public around the barge, selling merchandise to polishing the brasses, helping with lowering the ‘gear’ and messing with rigging. It can be hard work (if you want it to be) or it can be simply “messing about in boats”. If you are interested in getting involved, contact either Secretary Dave Brooks, or Company Secretary Basil Brambleby, both on CambriaTrustSecretary@live.co.uk . Give it a go!

All of the people, some of the time

There’s an old adage that you can please all of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time, but never all off the people all of the time. Our charters for the young carers sponsored by The Rotary Club are a case in point as we found to our amusement when looking at the “Rotary Log” on board. The youngsters are encouraged to write their thoughts and impressions in here, comments on the days, what they have learned and so on. Given that these are carers who are on respite breaks for a brief time away from their often daunting responsibilities these are, for about 99% of the time hugely positive. They thank the Skipper and Crew and the ‘bosuns’ (The Rotary staff who accompany the youngsters on board) for the fantastic time they have had and talk excitedly of being ‘allowed to steer’ or wind winches and haul sails. The sing the praises of the excitement despite rain and bad weather. It is a pleasure to read these comments and we get quite chuffed with ourselves that we, the Cambria Trust, are providing such a well-appreciated service.

 

Never sailing again.

Never sailing again. Amusing comment by a young carer on a Rotary Charter; pic by Matt Care

You have to smile, though, every now and then at a comment from one poor soul for whom the sailing thing just hasn’t worked. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, I guess. In one the lad was obviously being properly polite as his Mother would expect; he thanks the crew and notes all their hard work to keep him entertained but finishes with an apologetic, downbeat “I won’t be going sailing in the future. I apologise for my verdict but it’s just my opinion. Thank you for having me.” Fair play to him. As I said, not everyone’s cup of grog. We were laughing (in an ‘Ah Bless!’ way) too at another unimpressed ‘customer’ who makes just 2 entries in the log, one that she “Hates walnuts in brownies!” and the second is the one pictured, “I am never coming back again! I hate boats!” No names no pack drill, but we did wonder what we’d done to upset the lady. Maybe Denis and Ryan had her living on ship’s biscuits and polishing the binacle in a Force 8? We hope she’s over it now and back in the warm on solid dry land and now, reflecting back on it, still thanks the Rotary Club for their try.

 

September Charters

Today’s picture of Cambria battling through mountainous seas and lashed by a Force 8 comes from the lens of Phillip Barnes-Warden. Thank you for that, Phillip. The Barnes Warden family have made a very generous bequest to the Cambria Trust in the name of a recently departed, barge-related family member. I have added their name to the list of Sponsors under the ‘Funding’ tab. If you are aware of any other sponsors or donors who are not currently showing on this list please advise us.

 

Becalmed

Cambria becalmed during the Thames Match 2012: photo by Phillip Barnes Warden

With her racing season over, Cambria is now moored against the inside of Gravesend Pontoon being serviced and readied for her next job(s). It is the inside of the pontoon because the pontoon is shortly to be used as a dock for the Gravesend ferry and also the Waverley may be calling by. We are involved now in 4 short charters sponsored by the Rotary Club in the “Respite for Young Carers” programme. This is where youngsters who are tied up most of their lives caring for, for example, a blind or disabled family member, get a break sailing while the Rotary Club pays for a substitute carer to look after the family member. On these trips, Skipper will be Ian Ruffles, with Denis Johnson and Shipwright Ryan Dale as crew.

 

This brings us through to 23rd Sept when Cambria will move to the ‘wall’ at St Andrew’s Wharf in Gravesend for a week or so of mooring and being open to the public to look round. I’ll actually be there myself, living on board and meeting the public, so please come up an introduce yourself and be as rude as you like about this blog!

© 2024

Theme by Anders NorenUp ↑