Watermark #218 August 2022

​Rob reading his commodore's report at the AGM

Birthdays
August         Lynne McAven, Barbara Gibson
September   Heather Hawthorne
October       Jan Mills, Eric Mills, Grahame Probert, Pam Lorden


Rob’s Ramblings – aka Commodore’s Report
Hope you are all well and not affected by Covid or the flu.  Winter illnesses affected numbers at our AGM at McCooks recently with larger than usual number of apologies.  A good time was held by all and our committee remained largely the same.  Note Barbara M is our new secretary.
The Centaurus cup was awarded to D’Accord for the work Jan has put in getting our new electronic banking system up and running and our accounts in order, and the work Grahame has done encouraging people to get on the messenger site.
The Commodore’s cup was awarded to Barbara McEwan for the work she has done on the Club’s website and the efforts she has put in getting the Messenger sites up and operational.  Unfortunately she was unable to be present and receive it.
We enjoyed the lunch at Commercial Bay last week and now the weather is getting warmer and the days longer, we look forward to getting out a bit more in our midweek excursions.  Stay tuned to the club’s Messenger sites.
For Manutaki, we are about to start getting the boat ready for next summer and hopefully a trip to the Barrier.
An update - You may recall that the club put in a formal proposal objecting to the proposed development at Bayswater Marina about a year ago along with about 700 other people/organisations, most of whom also objected to it.  The process is still continuing and we are being inundated by electronic documents relating to the application for what should be a relatively simple matter of saying No.   Someone must be making a lot of money producing all these documents.  We don’t yet have a date for the hearing.
Similarly council have allowed the Pier 21 yard to be converted into luxury apartments.  There is a lot of pressure for council to allow building on marine activity sites to help reduce rates rises.  Unfortunately council decided some time ago not to go ahead with a planned Marina Strategy which could have addressed the issues and protected marina sites for future generations.  If a council election candidate knocks on your door and you want something to talk about, ask them where they stand on the above.
Stay safe out there.
Rob
 
Off Water events
The new committee is meeting next Wednesday, one of our tasks is to organise a new social calendar, we have some good ideas. So keep an eye on your emails and more importantly the club group messenger site.

Still feel free to organise an impromptu event using the club group messenger.

On Water Events
Nil

Jan receiving the Centaurus cup. Unfortunately Barbara McEwan could not attend the meeting to receive the Commodore’s cup but she looks just like Jan so use your imagination.

Club events and happenings 

14 of us had lunch at the Commercial Bay mall, an excellent afternoon, the mall has a huge selection of very good food. I intend doing this again. This was simply organised by one message on the club group messenger site, so if you have not yet got messenger please down load it and let me know.
 
This month’s bad joke
An 85-year-old couple, after being married for almost 60 years, died in a car crash. They had been in good health the last ten years, mainly due to her interest in health food and exercising. When they reached the Pearly Gates, St. Peter took them to their mansion, which was decked out with a beautiful kitchen, master bath suite and a Jacuzzi. As they looked around, the old man asked St. Peter how much all this was going to cost.
 
'It's free,' St. Peter replied, 'this is Heaven.' Next, they went out in the back yard to survey the championship-style golf course that the home was located on. They would have golfing privileges every day and each week, the course changed to a new one representing the great golf courses on earth. The old man asked, 'What are the green fees?'
 
St. Peter replied, 'This is heaven, you play for free.' Next, they went to the club house and saw the lavish buffet lunch with the cuisine's of the World laid out. 'How much to eat?' asked the old man.
 
'Don't you understand yet? This is heaven, it is free!' St. Peter replied, with some exasperation. 'Well, where are the low fat and low cholesterol tables?' the old man asked timidly. St. Peter lectured, 'That's the best part - you can eat as much as you like of whatever you like and you never get fat and you never get sick. This is Heaven.'
 
With that, the old man went into a fit of anger, throwing down his hat and stomping on it, and screaming wildly. St. Peter and his wife both tried to calm him down, asking him what was wrong. The old man looked at his wife and said, 'This is all your fault! If it weren't for your blasted bran muffins and exercise, I could have been here ten years ago!'

Nautical History
Head
The "head" aboard a Navy ship is the bathroom. The term comes from the days of sailing ships when the place for the crew to relieve themselves was all the way forward on either side of the bowsprit, the integral part of the hull to which the figurehead was fastened.
Galley
The galley is the kitchen of the ship. The best explanation as to its origin is that it is a corruption of "gallery". Ancient sailors cooked their meals on a brick or stone gallery laid amidships.

An article from the Townsend newsletter
A Soaker Upper.
What do you do to soak up those little drips of water or oil spillages under your motor or in that area?
There are a lot of products that you can buy. We got caught short a few years ago and lay down a few sheets of newspaper in the area under the motor and gearbox, folding the paper over the stringers and keelson. It works a wonder in soaking up the liquids. Try it!
Old newspaper makes a good blotting paper and if there is only a little spillage, leave it, the paper soaks it up, gets wet and then that amazing thing called evaporation takes over and it is dry again.
Neat. And replacement paper is easily stowed.   

Even worst Bad joke of the month
 A young Technician Phillip and his General Manager Seth board a train headed through the mountains on its way to Kansas. They can find no place to sit except for two seats right across the aisle from a young woman and her grandmother.
After a while, it is obvious that the young woman and Phillip are interested in each other, because they are giving each other looks.
Soon the train passes into a tunnel and it is pitch black. There is a sound of a kiss followed by the sound of a slap. When the train emerges from the tunnel, the four sit there without saying a word. The grandmother is thinking to herself, “It was very brash for that young man to kiss Odessa, but I’m glad she slapped him.”
Seth is setting there thinking, “I didn’t know Phillip was brave enough to kiss the girl, but I sure wish she hadn’t missed him when she slapped and hit me!”
Odessa was sitting and thinking, “I’m glad the guy kissed me, but I wish my grandmother had not slapped him!”
Phillip sat there with a satisfied smile on his face. He thought to himself, “Life is good. How often does a guy have the chance to kiss a beautiful girl and slap his General manager all at the same time!”