Paul Adam has kindly submitted the following report on the recent 18’ skiff regatta held at the club.
The JJ Giltinan Trophy is awarded to the winner of the 18 footers world championship. The 2022 championship was held from 4 March to 13 March. After several years of restrictions due to COVID, this year’s event was slightly more normal, in that there were crews from Germany and Denmark as well as Interstate boats from Queensland and WA competing. However, in other respects it was one of the most unusual trophy periods I can remember with frequent heavy rain and at times very strong winds. Racing on the Tuesday was abandoned, with the boats preparing to start, when heavy rain and strong winds made visibility negligible and the PRO judged sailing conditions unsuitable. For the first time in many years this meant that the Friday lay day became a race day, so there was sudden re organising to find volunteers for the canteen. We are very grateful for those who responded at short notice.
Perhaps because of the weather it was a record year for sale of pies! WE also produced an abundance of sandwiches, sufficient to cause the demise of two elderly sandwich presses after years of good service.
Supporting Shirley and myself in the canteen at various times were:
Ryan Aldrich, Rosemary Barrett, Jim Dounis, Victoria Epworth, Scott Finlayson, Richard George, Michael Osborne, Christine and Timmy Patton, Juliet Piggin, Isabella Roach, John Ryan, and Ian Tudball. Many thanks for all the hard work that was put in.
In addition, as well as providing on course assistance in the Paul Adam, John Vasey was an invaluable help with carrying supplies and organising in the club house.
As a consequence of the heavy rain and run off, the harbour was brown, not blue, and frequently smelled putrid. However, fish were much more visible than usual with many leaping from the water. This attracted many birds, which caught many smaller specimens of fish (darters, several species of cormorant and terns were the main predators, curiously the normal seagulls were very few in number). Anglers on the wharf were catching large fish and taking them away for dinner - rather them than me!
There were also remarkable changes in the beach profile. Sometime during the night between the Monday and Tuesday there was extensive erosion under the clubhouse - by Wednesday morning the footpath along the Bay east of the 18s was covered with a deep layer of sand and council needed a backhoe to make it possible for walkers to use the footpath. The sand has started to come back but it will be interesting to see how long it takes to get back to the ‘normal’ level.
Is a result of the heavy rain and the very poor drainage the rigging area became a quagmire in places, while the warmth and wet promoted growth of grass, which Council has now mown – but may be council could invest in a flock of sheep!
The 18s season concluded on the 20th March with the Queen of the Harbour race. There is anticipation of many more overseas boats for next year’s Giltinan - but that will be dependent on events outside any control of Australia. – but certainly, there will still be a need for sandwiches and pies through the season.
