Darts

A very hard-fought match against The Sun Inn gave for a really enjoyable neck and neck evening last Friday. Sadly, we were fielding a reduced team of only five, so the outcome was a narrow defeat 5-6, but a satisfactory result nevertheless. Wendy sent us packing with an excellent hot chilli to combat the ice and snow and we thus returned home glowing and unbowed!

Tonight (Friday), we are away to the Parsonage.

Quiz Night

A reminder of the quiz night tomorrow (Saturday) with an 8 for 8.30 pm start should not be necessary for serious quizzers, but the event is mainly for random minds seeking enjoyment over erudition who may well need the reminder! Points will be awarded and points mean ?????? (answers on the night!) So do come along and join the entertainment!

First Aid Course

A first aid course is being run at Cardiff Bay YC on Saturday, March 16, for anyone needing an update or initial training. Please give Sam a call on 02920 666627.

Membership

Membership renewals are now due and completed forms with cheques should be posted to the club for membership secretary Jackie Rigby. Renewal forms are available in the clubhouse and on the website - http://www.saundersfootsailingclub.org.uk">www.saundersfootsailingclub.org.uk

Clubhouse Door Code

Have you renewed yet? Not long to go before the door lock code is changed!

Nautical Nip

We are almost entirely composed of it, our sport depends upon it, we cannot exist without it and die quicker in its absence than from almost any other deprivation, but excess is lethal. We relax and are soothed by it, we marvel at its beauty, yet we curse it probably more than anything else. 'It' of course is water. H2O is probably the best known molecule in the world and appears extremely simple, but in fact has incredibly complex properties.

I am prompted to these reflections by the imposition of a number of different forms of water in recent times. Not only did we suffer from hose pipe bans and dire warnings of drought early last year, but then went on to suffer the wettest year on record. We have more recently been subjected to snow and ice with which we are neither regularly familiar nor capable of dealing with very efficiently.

Such climatic conditions are a clear reminder of the wondrous number of forms that water can take on - most commonly of course as a liquid, but also as ice, snow, mist, clouds and steam. What wonders these few words embrace!

Think of the number of sea states that you have seen or even encountered, the variety and complexity of clouds, the infinite intricacies of snowflakes, the immense power deliverable from waves, tides, hydro and steam, the beauty of a waterfall - the list goes on and on!

Water is also any chemist's wonderland as it dissolves, hydrates, combines with, suspends, ionises and reacts with so many other substances in so many ways. The mega billion drinks industry is after all only based on water!

Our busy high-tech lives cause us to curse at excesses or deficiencies of this most common component of our world and it is worth stepping back to reflect on the amazing properties which we normally just ignore or take for granted.

Skipper's Mate