Hadedah is registered for the Arc Portugal this year, as we have decided to go south to find some sunshine and satisfy our desires for sailing adventure! Completely crazy at our age? Maybe, but it keeps us happy and excited and the planning is very interesting too. As part of the preparation for this trip, which begins in May, we brought Hadedah back from the West country last September, in order to change the rigging among other important things.
RNVRYC at the D Day 80 Commemoration
On 31 May 2024 more than 30 vessels from the RNVRYC and RNSA were converging on the Normandy Coast from ports on the South Coast from Chichester to Plymouth as well as from a number of East Coast Ports.
The majority were headed for Cherbourg where the fleet was gathering for the pre-positioning phase of the rally. As with any event of this size things can go wrong and this first day was no exception as some boats were delayed and others had problems which had to rectified. Hadedah managed to get her mainsail jammed halfway up the mast which required the skipper to go up in a bosun’s chair to free it. Several boats were redirected from one pontoon to another and so had to berth twice, but all was soon forgotten as we relaxed with a drink and a laugh.
As each boat arrived they were given their special rally flag which gave a sense of identity to the fleet. Old friends met up and new friends were made as we went through the formalities of checking into France. Even those who were taking a different route kept in touch using the dedicated WhatsApp group for the rally.
After a quiet day on 1 June, when a few more boats joined the fleet, a portion of the fleet set sail at midday on 2 June, for St Vaast to show the flag there as well. Those who stayed in Cherbourg enjoyed a pontoon party ashore and this was repeated by those in St Vaast the following evening.
Meanwhile those coming down the East coast were making their way through the Dover straits and down the French coast towards Ouistreham, which was the destination for all the boats.
While some boats left Cherbourg on 3 June and headed directly towards Ouistreham, the St Vaast contingent left on the morning of 4 June with the intention of meeting in position 49°26.2’N 000°41’W over the wreck of HMS ISIS to conduct a short service of remembrance.
By the evening of 4 June most of the boats and crews were in Ouistreham proudly flying our red D-Day Commemoration Banners.
There were three main events organised as part of the commemoration.
The first was a coach trip to the British Normandy Memorial at Ver-sur-Mer, overlooking Gold Beach, on 5 June. It was planned to visit Arromanche after this but because of the significance of the 80th anniversary of the landings, the main sites were rather congested. On the advice of our coach driver, we went to Bayeux for lunch instead.
Secondly, on the morning of 6 June, there was an ecumenical church service to honour those fallen in the Battle for Normandy in June and July 1944. Finally there was a Commemoration Dinner held at Grange aux Dimes, in Ouistreham, which was attended by the mayor, who gave the keynote address. There were three toasts drunk after the meal, a loyal toast to the President of the Republic of France, the King, and finally to the fallen.
Members took part in several different events in addition to these three so RNVRYC and RNSA were represented in many places.
7 June was effectively a rest day prior to the fleet dispersing in several directions, some home to return to work on Monday and others touring many of the delightful destinations on the Normandy coast.