The “Pirates of Port Owen” came on Saturday, 20 September, to join the epic Opening Cruise, which ushered in the summer’s sailing season.
The whole town celebrated the opening of the season as the Port Owen Yacht Club (POYC) hosted its Opening Cruise Pirate Festival.
According to Stefanie Ash, a yacht club member, 35 vessels participated, with “parrots cackling and rum songs, and cannon firing.”
The day commenced with the official opening by Club Commodore Bruce Quayle, where the flags were raised, the fleet blessed, and a good sailing season was wished.
Members of the Port Owen Yacht Club then lined up in the Berg River outside the Port Owen Marina and canals, slowly proceeding down the River to Rooibaai, where Quayle waited aboard Aragon, the catamaran, to receive the salute from passing vessels, which included sailboats, motorboats, dinghies and kayaks.
Alongside Quayle aboard Aragon were VIP guests who assisted in judging the passing vessels to determine the winner of the best-decorated vessel. The captain and crew were also scrutinised as prizes for best-dressed male and female pirates were also up for grabs.
According to Ash Quayle, he was dressed so hairy, burly and piratey that not only was he difficult to recognise, he also palmed the prize for the best dressed male at the evening’s spectacular Buccaneer’s Banquet.
Also participating in this year’s event were five sailing vessels from the neighbouring Saldanha Bay Yacht Club and two sailing dinghies with bright red sails from the Saldanha Bay Sailing Academy. The POYC has been supporting the academy for a couple of years and also assists in teaching children.
After the Commodore’s salute at Rooibaai, the vessels proceeded out of the Laaiplek harbour mouth. “The small dinghies had to turn back because they were not able to make much ground against such a strong tide pushing against them,” Ash said.
Just outside the Laaiplek Harbour mouth, the vessels then again lined up windward of Biccardi Breeze either by dropping anchor or simply remaining stationary.
On board Biccardi Breeze were the ashes of John Titterton, former manager of the Port Owen Marina Authority, who died last year. After a short ceremony, everyone remained silent as his ashes were strewn into the ocean.
Some yachts, such as Honeychile, reflecting the day’s Pirate theme, were adorned with a cannon, a “hostage” on the bowsprit, loot, rum and booty.
At the dinner party at the clubhouse, the winners were announced:
• Best-decorated vessel: Point Blank with skipper Gunner Heiberg and crew, Barbie Heiberg, Nicole Marchant, John Nosworthy, John Frey, Elsa Visser, Dariol McGregor and Malcolm Driessel.
• Best-dressed male: Bruce Quayle.
• Best-dressed female: Alice Steyn and Charmaine Jansen.
The next afternoon, 11 vessels took part in a race in the bay, all participants handicapped and vessels starting at different times. The sailing was such that all vessels finished at more or less the same time. “At the beginning, there was nearly no wind, and boats had to search for the breeze to get wind in their sails. Close to the finish line, the gusts suddenly came, with speeds of more than 30 knots.”
Unofficial results had Barato finishing first with skipper Patrick Knobel as the race’s winner.
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