|
|
OYSTER DREDGING MATCH
SUNDAY 9th SEPTEMBER 2012 1100 hrs - 1300 hrs An Oyster Opening Competition will also take place at the Packing Shed. More details are in the Regatta Programme For further information please contact William Baker on: 01206 383158 Supported by members of the West Mersea Oyster Industry, the Colne Smack Preservation Society and the Sailing Smack Association |
|
The 2011 Mersea Island Oyster Dredging Match, held every year to celebrate the opening of the local native oyster season and 'to show working boats handled in a traditional way' took place last week off the beach at West Mersea. A record twenty-two boats took part and worked a small area of the Tollesbury and Mersea Oyster Company ground. Dredging at such close quarters required great sailing skills by all competitors, and although there were one or two collisions, no major damage was done to any vessel. Crews ranged from two men in a boat to seven or more, with some competitors taking their whole family out to enjoy a day on the water. At the end of the match, all the trophies returned to Mersea boats. Smacks and bawleys as well as the smaller bumkins competed in two categories: for the boat 'dredged, handled and rigged in the most seamanlike and professional manner' - smack (John Frost Trophy) Robbie Lee and Paul Harding's Dorothy - bumkin (Charles Harker Trophy) John Milgate's Boy George: for the 'greatest weight of clean, culled, native oysters' - smack 1st (Hervey Benham and John Kemp Trophy) David Whiting's Mayfly, smack 2nd (Florence Trophy) Robbie Lee and Paul Harding's Dorothy - bumkin (Brig Trophy) Liam Boyd's Vendetta. After the dredging competition the popular oyster opening event was held on Packing Shed Island. This year a new prize was awarded of a framed print of the Packing Shed by local printmaker Liz Morris. The winner was Sel Yuzen of the West Mersea Oyster Bar. The committee of Will Baker, Caz Haward, Richard Haward, Graham Larkin, Bev Perkins and Donald Rainbird are grateful to the Tollesbury and Mersea Oyster Company for the use of their ground as well as all those who volunteered their time and donated prizes for the raffle.
  |