Until next year

KNYSNA NEWS - The Knysna Yacht Club marked the end of the 2023/2024 sailing season with a celebration on Saturday 18 May. The event, although intentionally scaled back compared to the Opening Cruise, still drew a large number of boats for the traditional sail past.

Participants in the sail past included Knysna Canoe Polo players, sea cadets, keelboats, dinghies and power boats.

As they sailed past the clubhouse, they saluted Commodore Ken Reynolds, joined by Lt Lamini (Sea Cadets, TS Knysna), Patrick John (bar supervisor, Knysna Yacht Club) and club president Albert Lombard.

The day's festivities began with some keelboat crews rafting up at Featherbed before the sail past. This season's Learn2Sail junior sailors also joined in, boarding keelboats and large catamarans for a change of scenery.

After a season of learning on dinghies, the young sailors enjoyed cruising along and saluting from the larger boats, also receiving certificates from the Commodore in a short ceremony.

Macan took a full crew out to salute the Knysna Yacht Club commodore.

The TS Knysna Sea Cadet base was a prominent feature, with cadets paddling and sailing their vessels past. Some cadets even took to the water in KYC dinghies for the sail past, showcasing their growing skills as skippers. Sea cadet officers also participated in the event.

A light to moderate south-easterly wind added to the enjoyment of the day for participants under sail. The day concluded with the annual sailing prize-giving for the season.

A breeze played ball and yachties came out in their numbers to the close of sailing cruise at the Knysna Yacht Club. Photos: Mark Taylor