AUSTRALIA DAY SHANNIGANS

Australia Day 2013 on the Inlet.

 

What does Australia Day mean to you?

For me Australia Day means celebrating everything that makes us “Fair Dinkum Aussies”. Sun, Sandy beaches, Snags on the BBQ, Beach Cricket, and the chance to share the day with great friends.

 

The day began with the traditional raising of the Aussie flag onto the Angling Club flagpole, and it was soon time to rig the good old Advance Australia Fair sail for the annual sail past. The original plan was to sail together in formation all the way up to Pensioners Point, but the wind direction had other ideas. Around 20 sailors took part in the sail past this year. Rob Kenyan, (IWC’s very own Peter Parker), took the waterproof camera out into the water and took some great action shots during the sail past. Some of us just couldn’t resist the sound of the camera shutter and struck a pose on the way past.

Rob even managed to capture a rare photo of the normally land based “Australian Fast Bowler” on a windsurfer. Cries of “How you goin” could be heard from all over the inlet. He must have heard about the annual IWC vs. GOKITE beach cricket match that takes place each year and was trying to get a game.

 

With the sail past over it was time to get the sausage sizzle on the way and we were privileged to have the team of Shaz Green and Natasha Worner to show us their culinary skills at the BBQ.  Thank you both for an awesome job.

 

This year’s IWC/ GOKITE Beach Cricket Match didn’t take place due to clashing dates but I am assured that there will be a result in the not too distant future.

For those that did not hear the ramifications from the fallout of last year’s match, IWC won over GOKITE, which meant that Kate was given a windsurfing lesson. But in a strange chain of events Doug also volunteered to have his first Kiting lesson. In a personal best for Kate, Doug managed to take out 2 innocent bystanders on the beach. The first time Kate has had this occur in a lesson and yes Doug did it twice. Clearly been watching the Kiters at Invy!

 

The day was a very enjoyable one and I can’t wait for next year!

A big thanks to all of the crew that came down for the day!

 

Simon Chambers

(Australian Fast Bowler)