Home  News Eyott SC
|
Written by Derek Dodd
|
|
Sunday, 29 May 2005 |
| Article Index |
|
Eyott SC
|
|
Page 2
|
Page 1 of 2 FIFTY YEARS UP THE CREEK. Fifty years up the Creek-that's the Eyott Sailing Club. If you think this is an odd thing to say please read on ...
In 1950 a few sailing enthusiasts decided to form a sailing club in rural Essex, in order to pursue their hobby and be able to race against each other. They chose Fenn Creek, a small tributary of the river Crouch in the little village of South Woodham Ferrers, about 9 miles from the county town of Chelmsford. The Essex coastline is famous for its mud and its salt marshes, which are interwoven by a multitude of little creeks. Once the haunt of smugglers, this whole area is now a Site of Scientific Interest and is considered one of the few true wildernesses left in England. Essex is often dismissed as flat and boring but this is probably because some of the best parts are difficult to get to and more easily reached by water than by land. The original clubhouse was an ex-wartime pontoon to which the group added a "cabin" and this was moored to the north bank of the creek. The boats they chose to sail were Cadets. The Club was named the Eyott Sailing Club, after Eyott Farm of which the dinghy park was a part. The name Eyott (sometimes spelt eyot or ait) comes from its geographical position- on a piece of land almost surrounded by water Since those early days, the club has seen many changes: the new "cartop" HERON dinghy was soon the adopted class of boat, membership steadily increased, a clubhouse was built on land (later rebuilt and subsequently doubled in size), more classes of boats were adopted and suburbia has encroached until it now reaches the car park. However the HERON, including GRP versions, remains a favourite with 16 HERON owners in the membership in the year 2000. It is still a relatively small club with approximately 40 memberships, which provide about 100 active people.  Heron's Particpiating at a Recent Open Event at Eyott
|
|
Last Updated ( Saturday, 15 July 2006 )
|
|
|
