Boxing Day Treasure Hunt 2021

It was a grey, bleak morning with quite a chill in the air. Eleven boats had signed up for the Hebe Haven Yacht Club’s annual Boxing Day Treasure Hunt, with a good turnout—given the conditions, of eight yachts and around 60 participants.

As there was no quiz this year, an exercise in boat handling skills was included instead.

Four marks were laid in Sai Kung waters, on which were recorded (allegedly in rather small lettering) the destination (reciprocal bearing and distance) of the next mark of the treasure hunt.

The first mark was laid near the entrance into Hebe Haven near the South Cardinal Beacon. The second was close to the southern corner of Sharp Island, in the channel between Sharp and Kau Sai Chau. The third was located off the north shore in the channel between Yim Tin Tsai and the Sai Kung Peninsula and the last off the east coast of Kau Sai Chau, across from Tai She Wan (Snake Bay), with the finish nearby. It was necessary to forward to the Event Manager a picture of a crew member touching the 2nd, 3rd and 4th marks earning ten points for each image.

This clockwise navigation of Kau Sai Chau is particularly scenic and, with a 10- to 15-knot northeasterly and temperature of 15 degrees and falling, it meant there were only a few wakeboarders and wakesurfers to avoid.

Boats were given the option to motor or sail. Fortunately, some slower boats or late-starters opted to motor sail to meet the 1300 cut-off.

這是一個灰暗而帶有一股 寒風的早上。11艘船隻已報 名參加白沙灣遊艇會的年 度聖誕尋寶同樂日，在現 時情況下，慶幸最後仍有8 艘遊艇和大約60個參加者 參與。

今年沒有考核，反而以處理 船隻技巧的練習來代替。

在西貢海域放置了四個 浮標，(以明顯較細小的字 體)紀錄了下一個尋寶地點 浮標(相差方位和距離) 。

第一個浮標座落於白沙灣 南方位燈塔附近的出口。 而第二個浮標位於橋咀洲 的南端，在橋咀洲和滘西 洲的海峽之間。第三個浮 標位於鹽田梓和西貢半島 的北岸海峽之間，而最後 一個浮標在大蛇灣的對 面，位於滘西洲的東岸， 終點都在不遠處。這是必 要轉發予活動經理一張照 片是船員觸摸第二名、第 三名和第四名的照片，每 張照片獲得10分。

沿着滘西洲順時針航行的 風景非常優美，10至15節 東北風，溫度是15度並會 下降，這意味着只需要避 開少量滑水者和滑浪者。

船隻可以選擇使用機動或 航行。幸運的是有些速度 較慢的船隻和遲開始的參 加者選擇機動航行去來得 及13:00的截止時間。 Stephanou family wrapped up for the cold on Hebe One

Fender finalists

Lazy Piggy crosses the finish line

First to approach the finish was Bridget Chan’s Minnie the Moocher, well ahead of the anticipated finish time. This meant the Event Managers, Joyce Har and Chris Howarth, had to lay the finish line and – 30 metres in front of it—a yellow mark for the boat handling skills test. But, with Minnie fast approaching, the ODM could not be positioned properly. This made two of the four skill test options—Backwards Sailing (C) from the finish line to the yellow mark for 21 points and a Figure of 8 and Backward Sailing (D) for 30 points—a lot more challenging.

Skill test A was a Figure of 8 (15 points) and B, mainsail reefing while approaching the finish.

Having reached the finish line, Minnie completed its forward Figure of 8. Lazy Piggy was the next to arrive but, while completing its Figure of 8, dropped a boat hook overboard and had to recover it.

Then came the tinsel decorated Ichiban. The crew decided on the Backward Figure of 8—quite an accomplishment! Next to arrive was the J/80, Jelik 6, which, as explained by the skipper Clayton Yeh, had encountered problems with a broken outhaul.

Attempting to complete its Figure of 8, the Bavaria 42, Xakanaxa, came close to T-boning the committee boat before bearing away. Skipper Mikey even had Hebe One’s engine started in case evasive action was needed!

The Swan 53, Athena, with Simpson Marine’s Richie Allen and David Walder on board, opted to reef its main before crossing the finish line... a task made easy with in-mast furling.

Finally, the tinsel and floral-decorated catamaran Abiders arrived just before the 1300 cut-off and commendably completed its manual main reefing as they approached the finish.

All participants then headed to High Island (Yau Lei) Seafood Restaurant for lunch where there was a judging for the best dressed Santa fender and prize-giving ceremony.

After an enjoyable feast, with numerous corks popping, it was time for the awards. The best dressed boat and crew award went to the catamaran, Abiders.

The competition for the best-dressed fender was fierce. Abiders claimed 3rd place, Minnie the Moocher came a close 2nd with Athena’s bootie-clad, bearded Santa 1st—winning a bottle of wine.

Taking into account all four parts of the event: treasure hunt, skills test, best-dressed boat and crew and the best-dressed fender – Lazy Piggy finished 3rd overall, Abiders 2nd and, to a roar of delight from the crew, Ichiban won the day and a bottle of wine.

Despite the drizzle on the return to Hebe Haven, it was still a spirited group that re-assembled in the Main Bar to continue the celebrations.

Winning fender, Athena

首先接近終點的是Bridget Chan的Minnie the Moocher，遠遠比預期的完成時間 早。這意味着活動經理Joyce Har 和Chris Howarth，需要先放置終點線---距離 30米，是供處理船隻技巧考核的黃色浮標。可是，因為Minnie接近得(太)快，外 置距離浮標未能準確定位。這令四個技巧測試選項中的其中兩個---由終點線到 黃色浮標的向後航行(C) 獲得21分，八字形航行和向後航行(D) 獲得30分---來得 更加挑戰性。

技巧測試A是8字形航行(15分) 和技巧測試A是當接近終點時收起主帆。

到達終點線後，Minnie 完成了前進的 8 字形航行。下一個到達的是Lazy Piggy ，但當 完成航行8 字形時，不小心將一個船鉤掉到了船上，一定要把它找回來。

然後緊接的是以金屬線裝飾的Ichiban。船員決定8字型向後航行---是相當厲害 的成就! 下一艘到達的是J/80, Jelik 6, 正如船長Clayton Yeh解釋一樣，正面對帆 繩索損壞的問題。

那艘Bavaria 42, Xakanaxa 正嘗試完成8字型航行，臨駛離前接近了本會船的T 骨位置。船長Mikey甚至啟動Hebe One的引擎去有需要時採取躲避動作。Swan 53 型號Athena和Simpson遊艇的Richie Allen and David Walder在船上，選擇在 衝過終點線之前把主帆放在礁石上…令收回桅竿的任務更加容易。最後以金屬 線和花束裝飾的雙體船Abiders在13:00截止時間前到達，並在臨接近終點線前 人手完成了收帆。

隨後所有參與者前往糧船灣(有利)海鮮漁村餐廳享用午餐，正判斷最佳聖誕阻 擋板並頒獎。經過一個愉快的時候，以無數開香檳的聲音去打開頒獎的序幕。最 佳衣着船隻獎和船員獎頒給了雙體船---Abiders。最佳裝飾擋板的競爭非常激 烈。Abiders 獲得第三名，賽果非常接近，Minnie the Moocher 亦獲得第二名，而 Athena以一身短靴裝扮和蓄有鬍鬚的聖誕老人贏得了一瓶酒。

考慮活動的四個評估部分---尋寶賽、技巧測試、最佳衣着船隻和船員，及最佳 裝飾阻擋板，綜合而言， Lazy Piggy 和Abiders 分別地獲得第三名和第二名，在船 員們的一片歡呼聲下，慶祝Ichiban 當天大獲全勝並贏得一瓶酒。

雖然在回遊艇會時有下着微雨，但這仍是一個活力充沛的團隊在主酒吧再次集 合，去繼續慶祝活動。