Excuse the plug, but I thought I'd post the blurb wot I wrote on BIBOA's 2002 crusing plans for the recent AGM!
2001 was not a bad year for cruising but 2002 will be even better!
It’s our intention to combine traditional BIBOA “old favourite” cruises with visits to new cruising grounds to hopefully provide something for all.
The old favourites will include the season opener in the Solent over Easter (which is early next year by the way), East Coast Rivers in May a trip to the Channel Islands, and the end of season Weymouth cruise.
In addition two of events that proved popular in 2001 will definitely be reprised for 2002. They are the South West cruise pencilled in for June and the Thames cruise planned for July.
The big cruising event for 2002 is a return to Scotland in May/June. Plans are being drawn to accommodate both a Round Scotland raid using the new millennium canal link and a more leisurely weeks cruising on the West Coast. This truly is some of the best ribbing territory in the British Isles and is definitely worth the journey North for. Keep an eye on RIBLINES for further details soon!
International cruising will certainly feature with John-Pierre Waroux already having organised a weeks cruising in Holland for the end of May. You can be sure that other events abroad will attract BIBOA members to new horizons as well.
Thoughts for new cruising grounds include South Wales and Ireland. And the determination is there to go to some places that we were thwarted by the weather this year such as the Isle of Man.
Again we are going to make the effort to accommodate all sizes of RIBS and experience levels of Ribsters. We’ve proved that small and large can cruise in company effectively with good organisation (and a little help with the weather!)
As ever we are interested in understanding what YOU want to do. If you have an idea for a cruise or a place you are desperate to visit then let either myself or anyone on the committee know. Likewise if you fancy running an event yourself, maybe to share your knowledge of a local area with others then get in touch – organising a cruise does not have to be complicated and there is a wealth of support available from your committee and other members!
If anyone has suggestions, queries or simply wants to talk RIB cruising then please contact me via email or phone. Details below.
So here’s to a fun packed 2002. We might even be lucky with the weather!
Alan Winnett, Cruising Coordinator.
cruising@biboa.co.uk Tel 07796 69512
