This much awaited event finally popped up! The eager-beaver young lot, not-so-young, not-at-all young lot of sailors of Bombay Sailing Association and Colaba Sailing Club all landed up at the pure air National Defence Academy at Khadakwasla, Pune on Saturday 8th. October by 10 am. A few of our regulars even shacked up there from Friday night.

This is a Quadrangular Regatta sailed there since 1959 annually, instituted by General Thimmaya, the then Commanding-in-Chief of the Army. Quadrangular means four teams participate - being from the National Defence Academy (NDA), College of Military Engineering (CME), BSA and CSC. The Regatta location is at Peacock Bay, a beautiful stretch of water with a dam at its far end. Each team comprises of 10 persons i.e. 4 in a Whaler and 2 each in 3 Enterprises. For those who don't know, a Whaler is a rowing-cum-sailing Naval boat 27 feet long (6 feet longer than your familiar Seabird!) It is a slow cow in light air when on sail but in heavier winds she can move with dignity and strong seamanship. Enterprises, as you may have seen are unpredictable (for many) 2-man dinghies especially in a good blow.

Saturday morning was a practice race with lightish 8 knot winds. Then we all hit the bar for beer and lunch for our mental and physical wellness at the NDA Officer's Mess. Race-1 was at 1530. Light winds made sailing Enterprises easy but the guys in Whalers cursed and prayed for good wind. Race No-2 which was held immediately after was a fiasco. Wind had dropped to 2-3 knots...Enterprises crawled and Whalers became still-life photographs! Finally wisdom dawned and the Race Officer called off this race for the next day.

Evenings and nights are always lovely there with the greenery and a pleasant climate. Being a Defence Academy one could almost whiff the discipline in the air mingled with the sound of silence. There are a couple of goodish eating houses just outside NDA where our Club teams had a good fill and fun. Then it was pipe-down time to rebuild our energies to thrash our opponents next day.

Sunday morning 0900 was Race-2. Wind was around 7-8 knots with a few blows touching 9. Race-3 followed No.2 with almost the same wind strength. Enterprises, 12 of them battled it well but Whaler guys wanted more wind .which they never got.

And so the fun-on-the-water was over by lunch time and the race to the bar and Mess seemed more vigorous. By 1630 we all assembled at Peacock Bay for the Prize Distribution and snacks where the Commandant, NDA was the Chief Guest.

How we all fared?