OPENING OF THE LYTTELTON YACHTING CLUB.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 158, 7 December 1874, Page 2

OPENING OF THE LYTTELTON YACHTING CLUB.

Owing to the S.W. weather on Friday many apprehensions were entertained thatthcopeuing day of theLyttelton Yachting Club would not prove propitious. Jupiter Pluvius, however, tired himself out on Friday, and though Saturday morning was rather gloomy, all apprehensions were dispersed when, about 1 o’clock a steady N.E. breeze (the best for such a purpose possible) sprang up. The afternoon was all that could be desired by the most fastidious person, although the programme had to be altered in consequence of the change of wind. Great interest seemed to be taken in the matter by the townspeople and many visitors from Christchurch, and it was quite stirring to see gentlemen in aquatic costumes hastening hither and thither with bundles of bunting and other things required. On board the ships, too, there was also a keen interest taken, a generous spirit of emulation seeming to have stirred all hands. Shortly before 3 p.m local yachts, ships’ boats—the latter sailed by their respective captains or officers—ranged up alongside the yacht Annie Ogle, which was commanded by the vice-commodore, H. P. Murray-Aynsley, and sailed by the rear commodore, T. W. Maude. Amongst those on board we noticed W. Kolleston, Esq., patron of the cltrtS, Mr P. Cunningham, Mr P. C. deMalct, and other visitors from Christchurch. Upon a signal given by the vice-commodore, the Hag of the club was hoisted amid the hearty cheers of nil present, and simultaneously the ships Dorette, Elizabeth Graham and John Knox were dressed out gaudily in their bunting, the former ship saluting the commodore’s flag. The salute was the signal for the procession to commence. The yachts and boats got under weigh in fair order, and proceeded to the Gladstone pier, where Messrs Rolleston and Aynsley were landed. The flotilla then ran down round the hulk off Battery Point, head reached in close order up to the buoy off the breakwater, when the yachts lay too. The vessels that were engaged in the procession were the yacht Annie Ogle, the yacht Venture, late of Kaiapoi, sailed by Mr Packard; Mr Allwright’s yacht sailed by himself; ihe life boat and cutter of the L'orettc saPed respectively by Messrs Bruce and Pritchard; the Duke of Edinburgh’s boafc

sailed by the captain ; the E. P. Bouverie’s boat sailed by Captain Roberts ; the Merope’a cutter sailed by Mr Bowling ; the Hydaspes’ manned and sailed by members of the club, and a number of other sailing boats. It was inthe programme that a race should take place between the boats belonging to the ships Dorette, Duke of Edinburgh, and Merope. These boats were marshalled inside the breakwater, and Mr Packard, who officiated, managed to effect a splendid flying start. The course was from the Gladstone pier round the buoy off Ripa Island, round the reef to win inside buoy ;off screw pile jetty. The first boat round the buoy was the Dorette’s life-boat, closely followed by the Duke of Edinburgh’s. Running down to the reef the same position was maintained, the boats at the time being only a few yards apart. The wind by this time had fallen light, and great judgment was necessary to manoeuvre the boats advantageously. Tack after tack was made by both boats, the contest becoming with every moment more and more interesting, the Duke of Edinburgh’s boat managing to get to the winning buoy about a minute and a half before her rival. Both boats were beautifully handled, and ifcis considered by many that had the breeze been fresher their positions would have been reversed. Guns were fired by the Dorette, that acted as flagship, as the boats got homo. The Merope’s and Dorette’s cutters were third and fourth respectively. Two of the waterman’s centre board boats belonging to Thomas Ockford and O’Neill, and sailed by their owners, went round the course and arrived several minutes before any of those belonging to the ships. The yachts cruised about the harbor during the afternoon. Altogether it was a most enjoyable afternoon, and we hope to sec many more of the same sort spent in Lyttelton. It is notorious that the harbor is not fitted for pulling, and therefore clerks and others daily occupied in sedentary occupations cannot do better than spend their half-holidays on Saturday in this manner, and we recommend their brethren in Christchurch who require the life-giving sea air even more to come and do likewise. The sight from the shore when the flag was hoisted and the ships dressed was a very pretty one, and we hope that the Lyttelton Yachting Club, so auspiciously inaugurated, may have a long, vigorous, and prosperous life.