Gentlemen in Nyon
Just 3 sailing today: Philip Jenkins, Dave Gwilliam and myself.
We started with an almost flat calm but then the wind got up to a very pleasant force 3. Unfortunately there was a lot of water in the bilges so I spent much of the time below deck mopping it out and leaving the other 2 to sail the boat. I believe the water tank must have ruptured – need to check it out later.
We all needed a beer at the end.
Photographer was so incompetent he could not find the button to make a selfie!!
Perfect weather for a lovely sail. Sunny with force 3 gusting 4. Crew this time was Dave G, Mervyn, myself plus Lynda (fellow boat owner and official photographer). Nothing dramatic, just across the lake a few times, but enough wind to decide on life jackets. Also discussed the man overboard procedure which we’ll practice in a subsequent outing.
Knot tests
And some essential rehydration (thanks to Mervyn for providing the beer)
No Peter T (feeble excuse about being stuck in England due to cancelled flight), so ably led by Steve with Mervyn following and Mark GW bringing up the rear.
Similar route to previous trip: to Genolier, but not by the Abbaye de Bonmont, then onto Coinsins for coffee, then Gilly and Tartegnin for lunch. Slightly more direct route back.
Somewhere around 50 kms, longer for Steve and Mervyn, and about 400 m climbing.
Good cycling despite the severe heat.
Morning sail this time. Just Dave G, Rudi, Mark GW plus our own photographer, Lynda.
Absolutely dead calm at first so we motored for a while and then a slight breeze picked up allowing a very gentle sail. First of the season, only put the sails on last week. Brand new motor behaved very nicely.
Necessary re hydration at end
An also for our photographer and honorary GIN member
Just 4 of us: Peter Taylor (leading), Mervyn Powell, Bill Westermeyer and Mark Watts (lagging behind).
To Vinzel via Abbeye de Bonmont, Peter’s 62nd time up this hill this year (but he’s not counting) and Mark’s 2nd (ever), and Genolier. Lunch at au Coeur de la Côte and back more directly. Perfect weather throughout. Only disappointment was the restaurant had run out of filets de perche.
Total trip just under 50 km with 400 m of climbing.
Fourteen of us on a little known walk from chateau Voltaire in the centre of Ferney to the airport perimeter fence and back by a different route. Ably guided by Richard Saynor with Mark Warren as sweeper. Most then had lunch at a nearby restaurant.
Great lunch at Vieux Bois in Divonne. Attended by 27 members. Is this a record? Organised by Mike Price. Total cost €17 including a tip!!
Just upgraded the web site to WordPress 5. This gives a more powerful editor and much easier to use, so they say!!
Thought I’d test it by inserting a blog from a hike we did 3 years ago. Thursday May 19, 2016. This was led by Jonathan Harle with Rob, Thatcher and Mark.
It was pouring with rain when we left the parking at Divonne and snowing heavily when we arrived at Col de la Faucille. Not the sort of weather we expected in May. Still a great hike, even if it was a bit short because the weather deteriorated so much that pretty soon we could not see the trail at all. All the trail markers were covered in snow or obscured by the mist. There are some steep drops we wanted to avoid so we headed due North until we crossed one of the ski lifts and got our bearings. Then we were able to plot a route back to the restaurant for a warming coffee.
A great day’s skiing in Megève, brilliantly led by Mervyn, in glorious sunshine and near perfect snow conditions. Also hardly anyone on the slopes.
Participants Mervyn, David, Mark plus honorary member Brian.
Sadly, Bryan Clark tripped on a tree stump during last week’s walk at Prangins and cracked 3 ribs. That makes walking our most dangerous activity – until someone falls off a chair at bridge!!