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Mayhem on the water
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The annual British Forces Raft Race produced its usual mayhem on the waters off the United Services Sailing Club where rafts crashed, cheated and sank on a regular basis.
Judged by Commander British Forces, the Gibraltar Defence Police won the 'Best Looking Raft' competition with their 'Noah's Ark' raft. 'It is beautifully made but its height probably means that it will be less than slick on the water,' said Inspector Michael Ruiz. Michael's words later proved to be something of an understatement as the winds blew Noah's Ark worryingly close to the beach in La Linea!
'Before judging, I checked with the Manual of Naval Architecture,' said CBF. 'And a couple of pretty faces on the raft didn't come into it! But every team has impressed me by getting a raft ready for the race and there has been a huge turnout of supporters from across the Command.'
Despite the Convent having entered the 'Pirates of the Convent' raft, His Excellency chose not to be a crew member. 'Having had a lifetime at sea, I was able to assess the seaworthiness of some of these rafts …… and thought I might stay safely on dry land,' said the Governor.
After two heats characterised by bumping, boring and lengthy Stewards' Enquiries, the leading six rafts lined up for the Grand Final. True to form, the final was tightly contested and equally highly disputed but the judges finally declared Windmill Mill Signal Station to be the winners, ahead of the Divers.
The whole event was organised by Sgt Wayne Pullen and Cpl Sian Johns. 'It's been fantastic again. There's been huge interest in the race, thanks to the support of BFBS,' said Wayne. 'And I am particularly grateful to the Navy chefs who stepped in to provide the barbecue at the last minute when a local restaurant pulled out.'
The 2011 Raft Race enabled the Command to send a donation to the RAF Association - but it also brought the Command together for an excellent afternoon of fun - both on and off the water.
09-08-11
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