This event aims to get as many windsurfers (and other non-powered craft) on the lake for all or part of the hours between Sunrise and Sunset on Sunday 1st May and raise as much money as possible towards a good cause.  In the past W4CR has supported beneficiaries such as The Bobby Moore Fund, The Royal Marsden Cancer Campaign, Macmillan and Cancer Research UK to name but a few.

David Tuttlebee set the theme for the event as ‘more than just a day at the beach’, so Bray would like to encourage it’s members, family and friends to help W4CR meet their special challenge for the Sunrise Sunset event this year!

1000 windsurfers on the water at noon

To support both the £100,000 fundraising target and the 1000 on the water at noon requires a very special effort, so please get onboard with us down at Bray Lake.

At Bray Lake, a number of members are looking at setting themselves a personal endurance challenge for the day over a number of craft.  Bray Staff will be taking a stint between duties by participating in a team relay / tag event.  We welcome whatever time you can give though towards the worthy causes nominated this year.

W4CR are very pleased to have support from the RYA, who are this year organising National Windsurfing Week from 1st – 8th May and KEY is the Sunrise Sunset 2011 launch event.

To take part Entry is already open via www.W4CR.org. To join the event at Bray just follow the easy steps on site found under “ENTER to take part in 2011″ and help us have some fun whilst raising money for worthy causes.   You are welcome to set up your own “Just Giving” Page, or join in the group effort at www.justgiving.com/Bray-Lake-Watersports.

After a fairly lengthy flight with a few bumps, drunks and children screaming we arrived at the hotel to receive a warm welcome from Simon and Lindsay who were already out here.  Monday evening was a quiet affair with most of us heading straight for food and a few beers.  Unfortunately it appears Andy C might have had a few too many beers as while a group of us sat outside chatting he pointed out with great enthusiasm the goat behind us! Upon closer inspection (from the same tables it has to be said) it was discovered the goat was  a dog, maybe Andy C needs to get an eye test or we put it down to a very long day.

Day Two – The Sea Badger that took the fin!

Tuesday was our first day of sailing and after meeting at 0930 to be put into our groups for the week we all ventured out onto the Red Sea for a sail.  The wind was fairly light – 12knots – so everyone was able to have a good time on the water.  The more advanced group sailed round to Baby Bay to try their luck at a few freestyle moves.  Unfortunately the first casualty of the week was experienced here by Andy C who met a badger that attacked the board and removed the fin completely! For those who are unsure about the existence of sea badgers we think that Andy C might just have found a bit of coral to hit – still the board, sail, mast and boom were all ok…..

Day Three – Black Eye

On Wednesday we had very light winds which meant only the beginners and improvers and very keen intermediates went out in the morning and afternoon.  For those of us (Vincent, Justin and Fiona) that decided to give the sailing a miss a trip to the local island to go snorkling kept us occupied… OK island might be a little bit of a leap..but we all enjoyed the trip.  A few others also decided to take a boat out for a change.

Unfortunately the second casualty happened on this day – again to AndyC who was seen be sporting a very nice black eye – apparently obtained whilst going to the toilet!

Day Three

List of casualties….. (all of one – namely Andy C)

(1) Fin due to hitting coral – oops sorry I mean the sea badger called Bob

(2) Black Eye

Contributed by: Fiona

An early arrival just after nine ensured we had space. At £4.80 for 4 hours, or £9.00 for the day it’s not one of your better value locations, but it’s pretty and offers a nice grassy bank for rigging. No reason to get your mast stuck with sand (yes – you know who you are). Becki being fairly new to windsurfing found the harbour area shallows offered confidence building security, and a degree of energy conservation on mount and dismount she informs me.

With Craig standing in the water with hint’s and tips and quick changes for demo’s it was easy for him too between paddle boarding. Having hired a RRD155 with its standard fit 46 fin, the shallows presented a different experience for me! A bit of a walk out, a little sailing backwards on the nose whilst testing my navigation of the moorings later and I was then happily pottering up and down the front of Avon beach playing amongst the many Pico’s!

The conditions were almost on the verge of planing at times, but sadly, didn’t quite come up so between gusts it was a light wind skills day for me. Dave and Sue dropped by (recently relocated) for a social, and hopefully once they’ve settled in they’ll have James kit them out to play on our next visit too. A good morning was had – Becki got some good practice in for the next part of her improvers course this week. I’d like to head back again on a slightly windier day, but as the gatecrasher it was good to check out a location I’d not been to before. On arrival at Bray to drop off the board, I hear they were planing all morning – typical, but I guess that’s windsurfing for you…

Contributed by : Candice

Anybody who knows me will not challenge my admission that I’m a lazy sailor. I have the odd spurt of needing to achieve something, but generally plod steadily forwards and have managed in 6 years what most people with a bit more gusto than I can achieve in 2, but whatever! Part of the whole experience for me is the escape, the opportunity to chill out, enjoy some banter and potter about the lake on one of the Kona’s.

So what was I expecting from El Tur? Not much, except Windsurfing it has to be said. Having had a small contingent from Bray check it out the year previously Frostie had played down the place for all non windsurfing activity and luxury, but when selling to somebody who works in the travel industry who can get herself a good deal or two, that’s probably a good move! Needless to say, on arrival I was pleasantly surprised not to find a complete hole. Yeah, the hotel was a bit tired and a bit basic, but it was clean, the staff friendly and food edible. Evening entertainment consisted of the beach bar (which we readily made good use of), a pool table and table tennis (dabbled at a bit at by a few of us), but with sixteen of you to have a couple of drinks and warble amongst yourselves of an evening – who cares. A good mix of personalities ensured that we all ticked along and once we’d relaxed into the El Tur lifestyle, laid back completely towards the end of the week, Kathy woke us all up and ensured we stretched the grey matter with a Quiz night. Some relaxed more than others – Not sure I have a photo of Big Dave awake – asleep in hammock, asleep in the Beach Bar, but then he’s a tall chap holding up a tall sail for most of the day.

Oceansource – How could we not have been looked after by our old Bray buddies, Phil & Danielle and the guys? It was like a home away from home – kit sorted, carried to the water and off you go – Platinum Card with sand and sunshine (not a goose dropping in sight) – Fab! This being only my fourth overseas windsurfing venture, I’ve not got a lot to go on, but I was happy. The couple of Lake Garda trips were a lot less predictable on wind, but had a good turn out on members so company was good and it has enough to keep you busy when not sailing. Ventured to Dahab last September with Gary M & Gav – A lot more in the way of post sailing activity, and organised Neilson instruction, but what it is with the inability for people to sail upwind in that place!

The lagoon at El Tur was great for me. Sixteen of us, four other guests at Oceansource and only a couple of sailors from the Russian outfit next door so I had plenty of clear warm sailing area to be throwing myself into (regularly). Some of the more advanced amongst us would have liked a force 1-2 upgrade on what we had most days so to have got out on smaller sails, but at least we all could get out and we didn’t have to resort to working on our tans. We were joined in the lagoon on a couple of the afternoons by dolphins, which was squeal and “awesome” inducing for Kathy, Lindsay and I – completely missed by some (Gavin, in his own zone again), or just greeted by a tired rolling of the eyes if too close to a squealing female (Yes, Eustace – that’s you)!

Tuition was available to those who wanted it, so Claire and I took some time out with Danielle to work on our beach starts and try and make some headway with our waterstarts. We are no way near consistent, but had got a couple of waterstarts each under our belts by the end of the week. Some of the boys opted for a ‘Phil Master Class’ to work on that perfect carve gybe or learn a new trick. And let’s face it, even without tuition you’ll always be in company at the waters edge with people on hand to offer support, hints and tips (sorry for swearing at you Gav, just a moment of exasperated overload on my part) so everybody had the opportunity to come away with something other than mosquito bites (for which Pete won the prize). On his last musing in my direction, I don’t think Ra Ra (Ian) had quite cracked his goal for the week, but was confident in what he needed to do and close enough to be smiling at his achievements and ready to carry on the challenge back in the UK.

So, my El Tur routine was pretty much – breakfast, windsurfing, lunch, windsurfing, bar, dinner, back to bar, bed, and so we did it all again, and again, and again, and again and again. The last day we had a slight over lap with the contingent arriving to take our place – it was a shock to the system having to share our sailing area after being in selfish luxury all week – still plenty of room though, with no upwind walking! And then it was all over….. I left El Tur with my instructions from Danielle, not replicated that waterstart at Bray just yet – but I will. With renewed enthusiasm for my next spurt I’ve booked myself a spot on the SB Windwise Tour at Bray on 24th and may tell you about that if you don’t think I’ve bored you with this.

As a result of meeting in El Tur, Gary and Kathy are now looking to hook up for regular sailing at the coast, so always worth checking out the forum to see whose heading out and about. Once that penny jar contains enough money for my own kit I hope to be joining them.

Now, Club Trip Trip 2010? Where are we going?

Contribution by:  Candice Betts