The news about the Algoa Bay Yacht Club’s pending ‘eviction’ first came to ABYC members attention at 7:00 am during a news broadcast by Algoa FM.
ABYC Exco members Mark Dawson, Sean Wiseman and myself were sailing a 420 dinghy on the North End Lake in the Redhouse Yacht Club 24 Hour Sailing Challenge as part of Team Full of Sheet.
Most members of the Algoa Bay Yacht Club can tell you stories of great sailing over the years, of many friends made off of yachts seeking shelter or visiting the Friendliest Yacht Club on the South African Coast.
ABYC has hosted many successful international regattas and Algoa Bay has received the accolade of best sailing water along the African Coast time and time again from seasoned international yachtsmen.
The ‘eviction announcement’ was one that hit one of our young female members in the hardest and saddest way ever as she burst out into tears and sobbed her heart out over the fear of losing her friends and sailing guidance from club members. Through heart wrenching sobs we heard of how much her fellow sailors meant to her and of how she valued all the guidance and safe haven that ABYC meant to her.
As one charged with members trust to ensure that they would have access to water to continue with the lifetime sport of sailing I could only walk away and not show my tears at the fact that I had let one of our young sailors down.
Imagine if you will just how much we were all willing to give up to ensure that our young charge sobbing her heart out could continue sailing?
And that is the reason why we continue to ask the TNPA to return to the negotiating table. And that is the reason why we continue to remind the TNPA that we as a club hold the key to nation building and are keeping the dream of a PE Waterfront alive.
ABYC has taught me, as a volunteer, the precious gift of service that allows me to keep on promoting our sport, our club, our harbour, our city and our nation.
It beggars belief that a State Owned Enterprise can act in such a cavalier manner against a Public benefit sporting club using tax money probably provided in some small part by the very members of that club!
ALAN STRATON
Alan Straton
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