EXCESSIVE wind and rain has meant that there has been no racing and little Sailing at Castle Cove.

However, onshore activities continued with a historic visit to the club and some ‘green’ improvements to the club’s environs.

The son of AD Hownam Meek, who established Castle Cove Sailing Club in 1923, visited the ‘new’ Castle Cove Sailing Club – the club’s third incarnation since its inception.

Richard Hownam Meek, aged 90, enjoyed coffee with several club members who knew him and his family in the early days.

Brian Wilkins and wife Joan, sister Rosemary Spicer and her husband, Malcolm Spicer, the commodore, Sara, and honorary secretary, Hazel Shaw, enjoyed reminiscences about the early days of Castle Cove.

Mr Hownam Meek now lives in Lymington with his son Anthony, who brought him over to visit Weymouth and the club in particular.

After serving in the Army in the Second World War, Richard was posted to Hong Kong, where he became one of the leading lights of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club and set up the second clubhouse out there, as well as being sailing secretary among other posts.

So furthering the sport of sailing across the globe must run in the family.

To mark his visit, in front of the club’s picture of his father, Sara presented Richard with a Castle Cove pennant and invited him to come back to the club in warmer weather and, hopefully, to see some racing.

Fortunately, last Saturday morning, the weather held for the planting of four trees.

This was when Castle Cove ‘mucked in’ and took part in the Tree O’ Clock event, part of a Guinness World Record attempt during National Tree Week.

Not only was this part of the record-breaking attempt, but also an improvement to the natural environs of the west boundary of the club.

Four alders, small, native trees well suited to a damp, seaside bank, were chosen by Rosemary Spicer and planted by her small team, headed by the commodore, Sara Lloyd, along with Brian and Joan Wilkins, during the special hour.

Weather permitting, dinghy sailing continues at the club on Sunday mornings right up to Boxing Day, when members in the guise of cowboys and Indians will be competing for both sailing and sartorial honours.

HAZEL SHAW