Fortunately 2021 was a little better than 2020 not withstanding COVID-19. At least we did sail a few competitions in 2021, though nothing like our full regatta programme.

The year started with lake cleaning. This year we ended up doing two sessions, the first was the usual skip full from the bottom end of the lake by the park gates, so from this.............

.......... to this.

A few weeks later for good meansure and for the first ever time, we took a skip full from the top end of the lake as well.

On both occassions we were amazed at the size of timber we pulled out, whole branches, sections of tree trunks, a whole range of forestry materials. It is not getting any easier to clean the lake, the trees around the lake not suprisingly are growing year on year and the leaf fall every Autumn is getting heavier and heavier. The lake is now barely knee deep in the middle, at one time it was chest deep.

We did manage to enjoy our annual 2 day regatta in early June, for once the weather was perfect and a good turnout from our friends at the South Shields model club. The photo above is from the first day at paddy Freemans, and the second photo, below, was taken at the marine park lake at South Shields.

We were back again at Shields for the North East Coast Championship competition which again resulted in a fine days sailing - see below.