Current Newsletter – June 2022
O&CSS Drinks Party – 6:30pm 23rd June – RORC
Members and their partners are warmly invited to a drinks party at the Royal Ocean Racing Club in St James’s Place on Thursday 23rd June at 6.30pm.
Gin has been generously provided by Howard from Salcombe Gin, and the bar will be available for other drinks.
A note from the committee:
More senior members of the Society will remember the popular Society Cocktail Party held in London each December on the evening of the rugby varsity match. This was stopped when the annual dinner moved to October (in Oxford). While the dinner change has been a great success in terms of attracting good numbers, and many of the younger Society members, it doesn’t really serve the more senior members. The Committee has discussed resurrecting the London Christmas Cocktail Party but decided (in a decision in January) that it would be better to hold a ‘test event’ in the summer when Covid threats were likely to be lowest.
Generations – Saturday 1st October – Farmoor
Save the date! Further information to follow – but if you’d like to express your interest please email: genevent@ocss.org.uk
Member News
Swallows Match vs Itchenor SC
ISC won comprehensively in the first match for the Steward Morris Trophy since 2019. Full report to follow, but the team wanted to extend their thanks to ISC for hosting, organising and providing boats for a fantastic event. We are very keen for future rematches!
Wilson Trophy
A huge number of O&CSS members were present for the return of the Wilson Trophy. The Society team did very well in the Swiss League, finishing 4th. However they were pipped to the semi-finals by Seneca Motor Boat Club.
Best wishes
Gregory Sale
Hon. Secretary
Newsletter Archive
February 2022
Coming Season
The programme of events is looking more healthy this coming year and some early dates for your diary can be found on the website.
Two key events to draw your attention to for the first half of the year:
Sunday 29 May: Itchenor Swallow Team Racing
Greg Sale (that’s me!) will be approaching younger members to make up a team. If you are keen to participate in this event, please get in touch with Greg.
Thursday 23rd June: Drinks Party 6:30pm – RORC, London
A chance to all get together in the Fastnet Room! Further details will be circulated when available.
Member News
Congratulations to the OCSS team that took victory at the Wessex Warmer on the 29/30th Jan. Turnout from Oxbridge both past and present was very strong – do follow the link to the gallery put together by Anthony!
Webmaster
Anthony Butler is looking for help in maintaining the Society website – both reporting of events and technical maintenance. If you can help or can suggest someone who might be able to help, please contact Anthony.
Best wishes
Gregory Sale
Hon Secretary
July 2021
We are excited to let you know that we are planning on holding the OCSS Generations event this year, after last year’s break!
The event is planned for the 2nd October 2021 at Farmoor reservoir. We would hope to hold the AGM and Annual Dinner after the sailing at Kellogg College as per previous years. However, due to Covid the College has not yet been able to confirm that this can occur.
Given the circumstances we would like to gauge interest in both the event and the dinner.
Please could you email genevent@ocss.org.ukif you are interested in attending the sailing, a dinner, or both and/or if you have a team assembled.
Kind Regards,
Gregory Sale
Acting Hon Secretary
February 2021
To lighten your lockdown boredom your Committee has organised a webinar at 06:30 PM on Thursday 11 March. It will feature Conrad Humphries describing his experiences of round-the-world racing and recreation of Bligh of the Bounty for Channel 4, and promises to be a most interesting evening. It is also a great opportunity to see old faces, despite COVID scuppering OUYC/CUCrC collaborative drinks this year.
Conrad is a triple round the world yachtsman. He competed as the youngest entrant in the Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race (now Volvo Ocean Race ). As skipper, he led his team to victory in the BT Global Challenge by dominating the race and winning 4 out of 7 legs. Conrad became the fifth British yachtsman in history to complete the legendary Vendée Globe , single-handed, non-stop around the world without assistance.
Most recently Conrad was the professional skipper onboard the tiny 23ft open boat, Bounty’s End in the recreation of Captain Bligh’s epic story of survival , Mutiny on the Bounty for Channel 4. Using traditional navigation equipment and surviving off the same meagre rations as Bligh, nine men were cast adrift 35 miles to the south of Tofua near the Kingdom of Tonga in a replica boat. Their mission: to survive and safely navigate across 4000 miles of open ocean to Kupang, Timor, and recreate one of the world’s greatest open boat voyages of British history.
Conrad will entertain us by regaling tales of daring do, as he fought multiple-tentacled sea monsters and battled force 27 gales crossing seas at the ends of the Earth.
Committee Changes
Three new members have joined the Committee. Greg Sale(C) is taking over from Fiona Hampshire as Secretary – many thanks to Fiona for her almost-five-year stint in the role. Rowena Conway(O) joins to assist in maintaining liaison with Oxford sailing and spotting potential new members. Rachel Tilley(C) joins to administer our port stocks – with Katie Nurton continuing to provide her excellent advice on what vintages to buy and which to drink.
Coming Season
Though the sailing programme for the coming season remains in doubt, we are currently planning a real face-to-face Generations Event and Dinner on Saturday 2nd October. More information will follow as the year progresses.
Member News
Congratulations to Miranda Merron on finishing 22nd out of 33 starters and 25 finishers in the Vendée Globe on 17 February 2021. Also to Sam Davies who finished the course with two competitors behind her despite setting out in last place after retiring at Cape Town in mid-December.
Best wishes
Gregory Sale
Acting Hon Secretary
December 2020
Just a reminder, if you are not already aware, that 2 Society members, Sam Davies and Miranda Merron, are competing in the current Vendee Globe. We wish them every success and you can follow their fortunes on the Vendee Globe website.
We have had a good response to our recent data cleanse campaign – many thanks to all who got back to us. We await confirmations from some members – if you have not already done so, please let us have your best email address and current mobile number.
Best wishes for Christmas and a better 2021, Anthony
pp Fiona Hampshire, OCSS Secretary
www.ocss.org.uk
September 2020
The aim of this email is to give you some guidance as to how to sign in to, and participate in, the Society’s virtual AGM and Port Auction – to be held on Thursday 1 October at 7pm. It is important that you ‘attend’ this meeting so that we have the necessary quorum of 20 members.
Joining the Meeting
Signing-in to the meeting will be available from 6:45pm on the day, using the link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81689533275?pwd=dU1lUUNYSHM1UnJ2czJ0RHpHbGp6UT09
If you have Zoom installed, proceed in your usual way. If you do not have Zoom installed, use the browser version by following these steps:
- Click on the link above or paste it into your browser
- Click on the ‘launch meeting’ link that will appear in the middle of your screen
- Click on the ‘join from your browser’ link that will appear immediately below it
- After entering your name and navigating “I’m not a robot”, click on the ‘Join’ button
- Click on the ‘Join by Computer Audio’ button
- Finally, click on the small ‘Start Video’ symbol at the bottom left-hand side of your screen – and you are in!
In extremis, should you need the information, the Meeting ID is: 839 9632 9714 and the Passcode is: 016146 .
Participating in the Meeting
Participants’ microphones will be muted as a default. If you wish to speak to a point, hold down your space bar and speak. If there is a collision of speakers I (Tom Low) as Moderator will invite people to speak in order. Votes on particular issues will be taken using Zoom polls – each with the two answers of ‘Agree’ and ‘Disagree’. The President, Patrick Bird, will have the name Virginia Bird attached to his image, and I will have the name Patrick Bird attached to my image. Please keep this in mind to avoid confusion!
Other Points
This email gives only the briefest of guidance. If you are not familiar with Zoom, please Google and view the many excellent videos available on YouTube.
P.S. The accounts for the last 18 months are now available on the website: http://www.ocss.org.uk/?p=2680 .
Best wishes, Tom
Tom Low, AGM Moderator
www.ocss.org.uk
September 2020
As there is no Annual Dinner this year, members are invited to buy some of the Society’s excellent vintage port to drink at home instead. The port will be sold in an informal auction, starting today and ending at 7.30pm on Thursday 1st October during the online AGM. Successful bidders will be announced at the end of the AGM.
The Auction
• The auction is open to O&CSS members only
• Bids can be submitted via an online form or by e-mail. See below for details
• Current winning bids (but not names) will be announced at the start of the AGM
• You can bid for up to three bottles. To allow a range of members to enjoy the port, the second and third bottles will be allocated only after other close bidders (‘close’ is at the auctioneer’s discretion).
• The auctioneer’s decision is final!
How to Bid
Please complete the bidding form here https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/73XLSLJ.
You can also submit bids by email to katie.nurton@btinternet.com, including the following information:
1) Which port you are bidding on – make two bids if you want to try for both ports
2) How many bottles you are bidding for (up to three)
3) Your bid per bottle (min £28)
4) Your delivery preferences. The auction price excludes delivery. You can collect the port from Itchenor Sailing Club or London SW4 or have it sent by courier (extra cost).
The Port
Smith & Woodhouse 1997 (12 bottles)
Smith Woodhouse was founded in 1784 by Christopher Smith, Lord Mayor of London, and now belongs to the Symington family. They use traditional methods, with grapes still crushed by foot. One critic described the 1997 as “everything one could ask for from a Vintage Port of the highest quality”, with scents of eucalyptus and mint overlaying the fruit. Ready now but should keep another year or two in a cool cellar.
Quarles Harris 1997 (6 bottles)
Quarles Harris one of the oldest port houses, founded in 1680 and now owned by the Symington family. Unlike its competitors, it didn’t have its own vineyards but selected the best grapes from small farmers. It is known for its firm, dry style. The 1997 has lively aromas of liquorice, blackberries, rosehips and cream, with sweet fruit and gentle tannins on the palate, a spicy aftertaste and a long, big, tingling finish. Ready now but should keep another year or two in a cool cellar.
Do not miss this chance to acquire some very fine port – and good luck in your bidding!
P.S. Varsity Match is now a 1-day event at Farmoor this Saturday (19 Sep).
Best wishes, Katie
Katie Nurton, OCSS Port
www.ocss.org.uk