Why I Joined South Shore, by Tim Sowell
I have lived in over 15
countries over the past 20 years, having started my sailing career at the age of
8 in Australia. One of the first pieces of advise I was given when I started my
expatriate engineering career (by a fellow engineer in Iran in the 80s), was
that every new place you go, quickly get involved in a local club outside of the
work environment, as the lifeline to sanity. So when I arrived in Newport last summer from Germany, I looked at both rugby and sailing, realizing that at I am getting too old for rugby, and I have always wanted to get back involved in sailing, so I bought a Hunter 37.6, and moved to the Rhine on Newport Harbor. I asked my neighbors who are locals, which clubs would be best to join. The criteria for my selection was: - A club which is homelike and welcoming. - An active sailing club, where members want to sail.
- A club
which has an active cruising program (we use to do raft ups in
- The
ability to enjoy a sail and then drop into the club at the finish to
- Basically
a club which was there for the members to enjoy their sport, and
I have been a member now for nearly two months, yet to race on Wednesday (which
was a bonus to find after work races similar to concept I use to in Sydney) ,
but the recommendations have been fulfilled, as we have finished sailing on a
number of Sundays and dropped in for a drink or barbecue, the members just made
us at home. Both Tracy (South African) and I (Australian) are a long way from
home, yet feeling like we are at home, thanks to the clubs welcome. |