Drascamp 2018 – Drascombes, Devon’s, Deben’s…and kayaks

After months of planning Drascamp 2018 kicked off at Cleavel Point, on the south side of Poole Harbour on Monday 13^th August.

Throughout the day a procession of cars and motorhomes arrived and a growing collection tents and other structures began to appear as well as a large number of boats which were soon rigging on the grass next to the launch area.

Monday night saw a cheese and wine gathering where old friends gathered and new friends were found.

As was the pattern for the rest of the week Tuesday saw a 09.00 am briefing that was a little early for some…and it was noticeable that the numbers declined as the week progressed ……

The plan for the day was to start the Harbour familiarisation quiz put together by Bob. This would take people to a variety of different areas of the harbour,  unfamiliar even to those who had sailed there before.

And thus the pattern for the week was set – briefing followed by a day’s activity, be it a sail in the harbour, or indeed outside in Studland Bay, a walk, sight seeing or swimming, there was something for everyone.

The barbecues were lit at 17.00 to allow younger ones to be fed in good time, and as the darkness gathered there was a mass adjournment to the large tepee, which once your eyes got used to the smoke from the fire pit, proved a popular late evening venue.

Wednesday evening’s entertainment was a quiz, run and put together by Andy Peter, helped by his glamorous assistant Judy. There were rounds for everyone, from children’s TV, Drascombing history, general nautical and music. Competition was fierce but eventually Brad, Bob, Tony and Joe emerged victorious.

Andy had also set everyone a task – to produce a limerick about their or someone else’s boat. During the quiz he read some out.....many could not be put into print but here are a selection.

“9 years I’ve had Aspen, my Lugger
I’m so fond of her now I could hug her
But the first couple of years
She near brought me to tears
And I nearly got shot of the bugger!!”

“Drascamp is a jolly place
To sail in Periwinkle
But it ain't no joke
When your toilet's broke
And you need to have a tinkle”

“The skipper of the drifter Pellew

Had difficulty keeping a crew

They'd all disembark

When just for a lark

He showed them his secret tattoo”

“The skipper of the good ship Loulie
Set sail in Poole in a hoolie
And when having a pee
The mainsail broke free
And hit him full-on in the goolie”

Thursday morning dawned wet and windy and many decided to go exploring in land…a trip over the ferry at Studland and a couple of hours in the warm and dry watching Mama Mia put the world to rights and when we emerged the sun was shining again.

Thursday’s evening activities included pirate fancy dress and horse racing, marshalled by Tony Wood.

Races for junior jockeys, fillies and stallions (no geldings) proved popular with a penalty for the chair jump and the risk of getting a soaking at the water hazard. The children and many of the adults looked very ‘piratical’ in their costumes.

We were entertained later by fireworks from Poole Quay.

Brian Oswald and Andy Cooper entertained the children with a sing song on the Friday evening, and after the BBQ we were able to compared the quality of Bournemouth’s firework display.

The scouts from the London Docklands, with Jeff  and Andrew Webber, Will Combes , assisted by John and Ollie Webber ran a fiercely competitive knot tying competition, which showed some dark horses in the filed with knots tying talents previously well hidden.

They followed this with a general quiz on navigation lights. This involved one of them standing out in the dark field holding a variety of coloured torches whilst the audience tried to guess submarine from pilot boat. The site of Ollie running like a whirling dervish past the tepee, with a headlight on his forehead, a red torch griped in his mouth, displaying a port hand light in his hand had us all in stiches.

Saturday was our last full day and many crews planned to go for a last sail in the harbour. Alas this was not to be as the promised level of high water never materialised and most were unable to get off the beach so a group recovery took place and soon most of the boats were on their trailers ready for Sundays journey.

Fish and chips were collected and returned at high speed from Wareham for a very convivial last evening in the tepee.

Drascamp 2018 drew to a close on the Sunday morning after a very successful week at Cleavel Point. With over 74 adults and 32 children we had a really good time, one family even boasted bringing 4 generations, whilst another had 3 along for the week.

We had 26 boats on the water and a bewildering number of kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards, which ensured all had a good time on the water.