MyPE

Community Business Directory, Event Listings, News and Views from Gqeberha, Nelson Mandela Bay

NMMU goes sailing

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NMMU ABYC Wednesday
NMMU students surround Alan – with the Fanta Brown in hand – Schalk Du Plooy, behind Alan and partially obscured John Tudehope (Sailing Committee) on the right

Alan Straton, Commodore of the Algoa Bay Yacht Club (ABYC), set up an invitation on the ABYC web-site offering 20 ‘first-come-first–served berths’ for NMMU students to sail on the evening of Wednesday the 29th of October.

Prof Paul Webb whispered on the NMMU grapevine and Schalk du Plooy of Botany put up his hand to be the student representative.

Schalk put out an ‘all students communiqué’ notification and the website address and within seven minutes all places were taken!

Port Elizabeth, as always, obliged with enough wind for some heeling on deep keelers, including the famed 60-foot Cape to Rio race winner ‘Warrior’. After two hours on the briny a group of very happy (sometimes wet) students staggered back on to dry land. Boerewors rolls supplied by the club, member-priced beer, as well as prizes such as tee shirts for the ‘most scared’ and ‘most wet’ students, rounded off the evening.

The Yacht Club encourages NMMU students to join their ‘learn to sail’ programme and visit their website http://abyc.co.za/. Schalk aims to set up a student team of more seasoned sailors for competitive sailing.

I must down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied…. ~ Sea Fever by John Masefield

The ABYC has a thriving Saturday Sailing School with committed coaches giving sail training to all members – student membership is very reasonable and includes the use of club boats whilst training.

An exciting 2015 Sailing Calendar sees one International sailing event – the 60th 505 World Sailing Championships being hosted in Algoa Bay by ABYC from 23 March to 3 April 2015 and the finish of South Africa’s oldest offshore sailing event – the Vasco Da Gamma from Durban to Port Elizabeth in April, putting the sport of sailing firmly in the spotlight. With support from the Port of Port Elizabeth and the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality ABYC is firmly focussed on fulfilling the cities claim as the Watersport Capital of South Africa.

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.