Posted by Adam Quinan on August 08, 1998 at 15:25:24:
Blessed by beautiful sunny weather, a lovely location and enterprising organizers, Ross and Lisa Cossar, the 2nd Southern Ontario TARS Canada Corroboree took place on August 1st 1998. As well as TARS members, there were Peterborough Sailing Club members and other friends, families and people interested in Arthur Ransome for a total of over fifty. We gathered at the Peterborough Sailing Club on the shore of Clear Lake in Ontario's Kawarthas. Clear Lake was just the right size for dinghy sailing. You could sail off and get somewhere without having to spend all day at it. There was good swimming and some wind for sailing. There were PSC Optimists for the younger ones, an Albacore, a couple of Lasers and a Sunfish for the larger people. Despite their absence, the Thunder Bay Dilleys made there presents (Groan) felt as Tina had made up a number of red caps which were snapped up and proudly worn.
The first item was an icebreaker. We had to seek out from among the other attendees, people who had been to or done various AR related things ranging from camping on an island, climbing a mountain or learning Latin to owning a parrot or monkey. The one thing that no one had done was to have visited China, though someone claimed he owned China and ate off it regularly.
Then there was the sailing, the juniors had an Optimist race, won by Fraser Cossar. Others went out or were taken out in the various boats. The water was warm and the winds variable, no one capsized though I got my shorts wet when the mainsheet slipped out of my hand and I nearly fell in backwards!
As well as the sailing and swimming, Ross and Lisa had prepared a giant map of AR's Lake to be coloured in. Ross had spent hours preparing little wooden boats which could be assembled, glued and decorated. Most of the children and I suspect some adults went away with one. There was a chance to chat to each other about AR and to tell all those who had not yet read the books what they were missing. Ross also made up a semaphore message for us to decode.
During the banquet of barbecued chicken and hamburgers with salads and a seemingly never- ending supply of grog (both lemonade and real ginger beer with a bite to it), a Great Northern Diver (or loon) swam by to make the scene more Ransome like! Dessert consisted of a cake, expertly decorated with a map of Wild Cat Island by Ross's sister. Prizes of AR paperbacks were handed out and efforts were made to ensure that they went to families who didn't have them already! While marshmallows were being roasted on the campfire, with the expert accompaniment of Ken Jones on the accordion we sang some sea shanties including Jim Andrews "TARS Ahoy!". Then it was time for bed and farewells after a memorable and enjoyable day.
Lisa and Ross deserve a big hand for setting such a high standard. If there are any other Southern Ontario TARS out there who want to organize next year's Corroboree, now is the time to come forward. But rest assured we will have another one somewhere. We have too good a time to pass it up!