Page 50 - Yachter Spring 2023

50 RECIPROCAL CLUB NEWS
HOW THE WRECK OF A 240YEAR OLD WARSHIP BROUGHT FRIENDSHIP
FROM ACROSS THE OCEAN
At the beginning of 2022 the
Hon. Mary Montagu-Scott visited
a marine archaeology site in Uruguay, where the wreck of HMS Agamemnon has rested for over
200 years. Her interest in this wreck and the possibility of a full survey will not come as a surprise to those who know that HMS Agamemnon was built by the Master Builder, Henry Adams, at Buckler’s Hard and launched in 1781.
During her stay in Uruguay, Mary visited the Yacht Club Punta del Este (YCPE) where she was introduced to Commodore Juan Alberto Etcheverrito, who is equally passionate about the wreck. It was through this connection that Commodore Etcheverrito approached me to discuss
the possibility of entering into a reciprocal arrangement with the Royal Southampton Yacht Club.
It took a little time to establish the basis of this, but by December 2022 we had
an agreement in place, and with a virtual
handshake from the Beaulieu River across the ocean to the River Plate we became reciprocal clubs.
TheYCPE is one of the most prestigious yacht clubs in South America, and neither the club nor the port are strangers to high profile yachting events.Their name is synonymous with international yacht racing and the club has hosted the Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race, the BOC Challenge, the Around Alone, and the Velux 5 Oceans, plus most recently the Clipper Round the World Race.
Punta del Este is known as the ‘Monaco of South America’ and is an ideal place
to visit – if you are ever down that way
– particularly in 2024, when they will be celebrating their centenary.
We look forward to welcoming members from the Yacht Club Punta del Este to the Beaulieu River and Gins Clubhouse, and for those of you venturing down to the South Atlantic make sure you add Punta del Este to your itinerary and pay them a visit.
Robin Funnell Commodore