Left a cold, icy, slippery Yorkshire for a much warmer Cornwall to help with the annual Mylor Yacht Club Car Treasure Hunt. Our friends Terry and Pat came last in 2009 and their prize was the pleasure of organising the 2010 hunt.
The car was loaded with snow chains, shovel, food, drinks, water, camping stove, extra clothing and sleeping bags. All to cope with the snow and the possibility of being stranded for several hours. After leaving our close we had no snow on any of the roads, although there was plenty in the surrounding countryside. Traffic was unusually light and our first hold up was at a the strange double mini-roundabout about a mile from Terry and Pat's house.
We left "Sarah Jane" in the water this year and haven't been down to her since October. The last time we did this we found she stayed cleaner and drier than on land. Above decks there is no green mould and no debris from trees, probably because there is more wind and sun on the water. below decks she was very dry and odour free. The dehumidifier has done a good job and Terry has checked that all is OK every couple of weeks . On land the dehumidifier empties into the sink with the drain seacock open. On the water we didn't want to leave an open seacock so the dehumidifier emptied into the bilges. Sceptics said this would just recirculate the damp air, but this appears not the case, probably because the bilges are below floorboards and have been emptied regularly ( Terry again), also on the water the hull is warmer than on land so there is less condensation.
Some advocate keeping the boat on land in the winter to allow the hull to dry. But having experience of how long it took the hull of "Willow" our last boat to dry out for osmosis treatment I don't subscribe to this.
We had intended to sleep on the boat to give it a good airing, but the offer of a bed and creature comforts at Pat and Terry's house ( a very interesting converted schoolhouse) changed our minds, easily. Instead we visited a couple of times to pump out and run the heating for a few hours to complete the airing.
During the trip I entered Emma's "Wobbly Mylor boats" photo into the Mylor Yacht Club annual photo competition. It was awarded 3rd. place.
After several days of cold, wet, misty, weather Treasure Hunt Sunday dawned dry, clear and sunny.
About 40 treasure hunters in 11 cars met for coffee and the start at a local pub, The Norway Inn. To stagger the start teams left on completion of a Shopping Quiz, with questions and answers such as;
A drink fit for an old English Queen. Victoria Wine
These are served hot. - Currys
They could supply cold appliances - Selfridges
Awarded in exams to the late Lady Diana. - Marks & Spencer
These really set the standard for the rest of the day. Some of the answers really gave an insight into peoples shopping habits ( Betty Stoggs instead of Victoria Wine / Primark for M & S).
The Hunt itself was around the lanes north of the Helford river, with answers to around 36 clues to be found. Some very easy ( everyone finding ), such as " what chemical is symbolised by a fire hydrant", answer H - Hydrogen, or spotting Llamas in a field, to more obscure clues - " where are sacrificial offerings made", the answer being UV strips at a local sail maker, ( only one team
got this ).
The theme running through the hunt was astrological signs of the Zodiac, with 11 signs related to the answers to the clues.
These were pretty obscure ( an insight into Terry's brain perhaps ).
A sign showing the village of Constantine twinned to Pont Croix - Gemini
A water Wheel - Aquarius.
The 3 Mackerel restaurant - Pisces
A scrap yard weighbridge - Libra
Two signs were impossible to find in the locality so Taurus was a can of Red Bull behind the club bar and Aries was a picture of a Goat pinned to the wheel cover of "Sarah Jane". One team thought this was a Camel !!
(Above ) On board "Sarah Jane" with Pat, Terry and goat.
Only two teams identified the Zodiac link, but neither identified the missing sign (Scorpio).
The finish was at the Clubhouse in Mylor where ploughmans and soup was available to competitors and hunt followers.
The hunt was considered a great success and enjoyed by everyone.
Back home now, the snow has disappeared apart from a few persistent heaps in the garden.
Getting ready for next indoor bowling match. Looking forward to the first win in 2010.
