Splash June 2026
Published 05:26 on 3 Jun 2026
HBSC Splash June 2026
Summer is arriving, more boats are going out and the club is now very much in full swing.
Over the last few weeks we have seen excellent turnouts both on and off the water, with Open Sailing, Improvers, Racing, and maintenance crews all keeping the clubhouse busy.
Sailing Summary
Saturday Open Sailing/Improvers has proved fun again with random conditions. One week ultra light winds allowed paddleboards and kayaks to come out to the dinghies to watch the antics, with a tense battle to see who would make it to the slipway first. The next week it was wind and waves towards the top end for novices. Still, you can't complain about the variety of learning opportunities !
Sunday racing continues to attract excellent turnouts, with recent race days regularly seeing a dozen or more boats on the water.
The Bank Holiday weekend saw some great racing, with 15 boats afloat on Sunday. Over 30 members and guests stayed on later to enjoy the bar, the Sun and the evening.
A further 10 boats took to the water on Monday for the Long Distance Race to Long Rock.
Thanks also to Linda, our resident Galley Queen, who continues to keep sailors fed and watered before and after sailing.
Lester's Log
Lester continues his single-handed voyage around the UK aboard Helena.
Recent highlights have included a pod of dolphins escorting Helena between Hull and Bridlington, overnight anchorages, sheltering behind Holy Island, crossing the Firth of Forth, and gradually working north towards the Caledonian Canal.
His reports continue to alternate between stunning scenery and wildlife encounters, and updates that begin with phrases like "it seemed like a good idea at the time."
One update seemed to involve leaving harbour at 3am and heading straight into large seas and deciding that turning round was probably a worse option than carrying on...
Breaking news in from Helena...
Lester just made the 60nm hop from Lunan Bay to Peterhead, including crossing Aberdeen harbour approaches in thick fog with large cargo ships appearing out of the gloom. Sensibly, he decided to sit out the fog the following day.
However, the most significant update:
"Clean sheets tonight... whoop whoop."
Peter's Welsh Adventure
It's not just Lester exploring further afield this season.
Peter recently joined one leg of the John Lewis Partnership Sailing Club's Round Britain voyage, organised as part of the club's 75th anniversary celebrations.
Joining the yacht at Swansea, Peter's leg would take the crew through Milford Haven, Fishguard, Aberystwyth and eventually on to Pwllheli.
The first passage from Swansea to Milford Haven proved a lively introduction in a Force 6-7, with around half the crew (including the skipper) suffering from sea sickness on this leg.
Things became rather more relaxed after that, with a lovely anchorage at Fishguard, sightings of puffins and dolphins, and a carefully timed arrival into Aberystwyth where access to the marina dries at low water.
After enjoying a day ashore exploring the town, the crew continued on to Pwllheli. More dolphins made an appearance, along with a very happy seal.
Although his official leg finished at Pwllheli, the adventure was rounded off the following day with a sail to Abersoch, lunch at anchor and a swim.
Peter summed it up simply: "Glorious trip."
What's coming up...
June is looking busy both on and off the water.
Open Sailing and Improvers continues every Saturday, with racing on Sundays and Cadet sessions throughout the month.
Saturday 6th June is shaping up to be a busy day at the club, with Open Sailing and Improvers in the morning followed by the first Cadet sea session of the season in the afternoon.
To round the day off, Linda is planning a welcome-back Cadets sausage sizzle after sailing. Cadets, parents, volunteers and families are all welcome to stay around afterwards for some food and a chance to catch up.
Friday evenings are becoming a regular fixture at the club, with the bar open and a series of informal "fireside chats" planned to help us all improve our sailing and share some of the huge amount of experience that exists within HBSC.
On Friday 19th June, Laurie will be helping members navigate the Racing Rules. If you've ever wondered why people start shouting at you around marks, or just want to understand the rules a little better, come along, grab a drink and join the discussion.
On Friday 26th June, Brian will be running an informal session on sail trim and boat setup. Perfect for anyone who spends too much time staring at the back of Brian's 2000 as it sails away into the distance, or simply wants an excuse to talk boats over a pint.
There is a huge amount of sailing knowledge within the club and these evenings are a great opportunity to learn from each other, so if there are other sailing topics members would like to hear about, or perhaps even share themselves, we'd love to hear your ideas.
Looking at other June dates, the Wacher Cup Pursuit Race takes place on Sunday 21st June, and the Midweek Series gets underway on Wednesday 24th June.
For the full calendar and details see: https://members.hernebaysailingclub.co.uk/
Thank you to everybody who gives up their time to make these things happen.
Volunteering is the beating heart of our club - Many hands make great sailing!
See you on the wet bit (or in the bar?)
Ian & Adrian
Last updated 05:26 on 3 June 2026