2019 Rally
The rally organisers promised that this year's rally would be very different from any predecessors.
We also expected a few teething problems with the use of a new venue.
What we did not expect was the absence of the entertainment area and bar until after the rally started!
Heavy rain across the midlands two weeks before our rally had caused many rivers to flood.
The Stratford Rowing regatta earlier in June was cancelled and navigation halted on the Avon and Severn until a week
before our rally.
Then a very wet 24 hours two days before our rally produced a strong stream in the Stratford reach.
Consequently,
Avon Navigation Trust
were unable to place the mooring buoys in the river enabling diagonal mooring rafts;
and critically delaying the arrival of the pontoon and the Princess Marina trip boat
(thanks to Bancroft Cruisers)
at Stratford.
On Wednesday morning, we abandoned the mooring plan, instead getting rally boats to moor up alongside the
recreation ground, breasted out three boats in places.
Three attendees were temporarily stuck downstream, they eventually reached Stratford on Friday;
one was stuck at Wilemcote for longer (a long story, maybe for another time).
However, the rally kicked off on time with a very pleasant meal in the historic Hathaway Team rooms;
proceeded by drinks in their garden.
The four stuck crews used a mix of taxis, buses, trains and generous lifts from local residents to reach the town centre.
Thursday dawned bright, warm and sunny - with the forecast for greater heat to come.
Just the day for a double-decker bus trip through the rolling Warwickshire countryside.
The party alighting at
Crompton Verney
spent an interesting day viewing the art works and strolling in the grounds.
Whilst those who visited the
British Motor Museum at Gaydon
admired many classic vehicles,
especially the unrivalled collection of Jaguars.
During the afternoon ANT were able to position the pontoon and the Princess Marina opposite the theatre,
with two members boats along side providing power.
Thus, following a frantic couple of hours, we had the rally bar up and running only half an hour behind the planned time.
Friday was hotter and Saturday even more so - it broke the record for the hottest rally day ever (31C, or 88°F).
However, the marquee on the pontoon funnelled the breeze and the cooling effect of the water kept the drinks in the bar cool;
the middle of the river was the cool place to be.
Another rally record that we broke was the largest number of boat no-shows.
Amongst the accepted excuses were: boat too wide to fit lock; trapped by structure failure on Llangollen canal;
trapped by floods on the Trent; crew incapacitated by accidents; family tragedies.
Full marks to those that did work round these and attended by other means.
The crafters enjoyed two craft sessions. One was to produce marbled paper and then to use it for decoupage.
The second produced hanging hearts and coasters - many with the curly RN logo.
The technical sessions covered cylinder head and gearboxes.
Both were of great interest to members who have joined more recently.
The sectioned gearbox really showed what goes on under the covers - many thanks to Ian and Andrew Oliver for that.
Also many thanks to
River Canal Rescue,
for rescuing a technical session due to late unavailability of the intended speaker.
Many attendees took one or more of the backstage tours of the
RSC
theatre,
whilst everybody found time to explore the shops and other attractions in the town.
Not often can we use a rally site so close to a town centre.
Our formal entertainment on Friday evening was two interesting talks on the past,
present and future of the River Avon and the Stratford Canal.
Thanks to Roger Clay of ANT and Clive Henderson of the Stratford Canal Society for those.
Those two organisations were the recipients of the proceeds from the traditional rally raffle.
Saturday evening's entertainment was a much more relaxed affair.
Carol's Vintage events focused on music from the decade 1964 to 1974 - two significant years for waterways
in Stratford.
Many rally attendees entered into the spirit by donning flared trousers, boho blouses, velvet skirts and
other apparel of the decade. The evening's quiz really sorted out those who remembered the 1960s and 1970s!
Post rally cruise
Following the rally, many boats proceeded downstream.
Some reached Evesham on Monday evening, others on Tuesday and a few stopped at Bidford on Avon.
A brave few did first venture upstream, turning at the Old Bathing Place or the Red House.
Alveston weir was not reached because of overhanging trees.
Many of us spent a very pleasant evening on Tuesday enjoying excellent beer in the
BCM micro-pub
on Bridge Street, and sharing various take away meals.
This being the nearest pub to our chairman's mooring was not unnoticed!
Wednesday evening saw at least a dozen RN boats moored in Bidford.
Five abreast mooring by the recreation ground, with the shortest boats on the inside is not a common sight.
River Festival
On Thursday morning the Avon was very busy with boats heading to Stratford for the
Stratford River Festival.
ANT had allocated the prime mooring raft opposite the theatre to our RN boats, so we had to arrive promptly.
Many of us adhered to the River Festival tradition of decorating the boats with bunting and/or flags and
some illuminations for the evenings.
The River Festival is more of a chilled out food and music festival than a boating event.
Our presence swelled the boat numbers considerably and provided plenty of photo opportunities for the
thousands of festival visitors.
Saturday evening at the Festival is very much a party, highlights this year were performances by
The Midnight Sapphires (a Supremes tribute group) and a spectacular fireworks display.
Plus the
Green Duck beer that
Kinver Canopies donated to us!
Same again?
Overall all those attending the Rally and Festival thoroughly enjoyed their time on the river.
We overcame the problems caused by the floods, and heat (not quite a drought) in true RN style.
A good job the plague of locusts did not materialise, as they were not in the Health and Safety case.
So will we have another rally on the Avon? Certainly yes; but not for a few years yet!
Finally, many thanks to all our members who helped organise and run the rally.
2021 Summer Gathering | 2018 Rally
Due to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) epidemic we cancelled the 2020 rally which was to be held at
Circus Field Basin, Aylesbury - home of the Aylesbury Canal Society.
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