THE COMMODORE

To the opening words of our brochure, under the heading About the Ocean Cruising Club, I might add, `and to strengthen the fraternity that exists amongst cruising folk throughout the world'. Doubtless that fraternity would exist without an OCC, but there is also no doubt that our Club does foster and encourage the special relationship between those who cruise, in distant or in home waters, who meet and share problems and spares, raid each others' stores, exchange charts, paperbacks, magazines (however long out-of-date) local knowledge and information, and enjoy each others' company. These may be first time meetings or the fun of chance reunions with people first met in some remote anchorage some thousand miles away some years ago - it is all part of the cruising scene.

When I was about to move, unwittingly, onto dry land I was asked, `what will you miss most about the cruising life?'. Without hesitation I replied `the people one meets'. Eleven years later I might still be sorrowing and feeling out of things were it not for the OCC, through which I have kept in touch with many good friends.

When I wrote my bit for the December issue of Flying Fish I was about to set out to look for Peter and Rozanne Barton in Rose Rambler of Devon on the New South Wales Coast. I found them at Coffs Harbour, where they had recently arrived from Noumea, and we had some fine, fair wind sailing down the coast, following Hum's recommendation that one should never, never sail at night. Unfortunately (though it was welcomed by the Australian farmers who had been suffering from a year-long draught) the weather broke when we reached Pittwater, an arm of lovely Broken Bay, seventeen miles north of Sydney. Days of heavy rain were accompanied by strong southerly winds, so my passage to Sydney and its airport were completed by bus. That in itself was no problem, but I was very disappointed that our change of plan prevented me from seeing Syd and Elizabeth Yaffe and Michael and Kate Delaney, and other members. As you will have heard, Syd has recently agreed to a second term as Rear Commodore, Australia, taking over from Mike Delaney, and my thanks go to them both.

I flew to Auckland where Pat and Mike Pocock and Blackjack awaited me, and we sailed two days later for Opua in the Bay of Islands. You will have read the report in Jeremy's Newsletter of the pre-Christmas OCC party at the Opua Cruising Club, a very enjoyable evening. Rita Hayman came from Auckland to join us. Since then she has been appointed Port Officer for Auckland. Rita is a great sailing lady and a very hospitable one, and I thank her for taking on this task; also John Maddox who has taken over as Port Officer for New South Wales, following Wally Burke. Wally had been a member of the OCC since 1958 and his death is a sad loss to the Club and to the sailing community.

Returning to England in early January after some superb sailing with Pat and Mike in the Bay of Islands, and happy reunions with such friends and Frank and Brenda and Ann King, George and Dorothy Bateman, John and Elizabeth Trevelyan and many others, was unappealing. The Club evening at the London Corinthian Sailing Club during Boat Show week, so well organised once again by Val Egan, softened the impact a little and I have much sailing activity to look forward to this summer. I hope other members can say the same.