Pembrokeshire Gig
The Pembrokeshire Gig Association
Registered Charity No. 1034969
Registered Charity No. 1034969
Events of 2006
The Sailing Programme in 2006 - Part 1
Since completing her last winter refit and taking to the water on 2nd April, Cwch John Kerr has enjoyed regular weekend outings, which have combined general sailing and rowing with as much training as possible for those progressing to Able Crew, Mast Captain and Coxswain qualifications.
Association members have also been preoccupied extensively ashore preparing for SeaFair Haven 2006 (see the link below to the Website for that major traditional boat Festival). For SeaFair, the Gig Association combined with the community of Llangwm on the upper reaches of Milford Haven to host some 20 boats of the Gig, and Longboat Flotilla, which included the South-East Ireland Gig, An Seabhoc Mara. Two other Bantry Gigs from Brittany, Tolerance from the Rance Estuary, and MorBihan from ite namesake Inland sea of South Britany. Two slightly smaller but impressive gigs of the MorBihan local class also attended.
Fantastic support was provided by the village community, as reflected in the following extract from the Llangwm newsletter:
Seafair Success – Llangwm Hosts Gigs and longboats
The months of planning and preparation that preceded the Seafair Haven event paid off handsomely. Having been selected as host port to the gig, drascombe, skiff and longboat categories, a party atmosphere prevailed at Black Tar during the last week of June helped by favourable weather.
What a wonderful sight as the small fleet of gigs and their crews from Brittany, Ireland and the UK, drascombes, Thames skiffs, an Irish curragh and even a miniature Viking longboat put ashore on the evening high tide on Sunday 25 June.
Awaiting them was a warm welcome from a large crowd of villagers, a reception and drinks in the garden of Quay House, a well arranged campsite and a marquee with a well stocked bar and great live music – folk songs, sea shanties and dancing to the Carreg Las Ceilidh Band.
The Bretons entertained us with their songs and it was memorable seeing a Breton piper playing his bagpipes at the top of the shore with his compatriots performing a traditional dance around him.
The week progressed with well programmed river ‘raids’, the crews exploring the upper and lower reaches of the Cleddau during the day, from Carew and Pembroke to Angle and Dale, and enjoying more Llangwm hospitality in the evenings.
