Fun on the water at Port Neptune Regatta

With more than 150 Scouts from across NSW and the ACT full of energy and excitement, the 72nd Port Neptune Sea Scout Regatta kicked off in perfect conditions on Saturday.

Picture this: 44 boats zooming across the water (22 in each division), everything from sleek solo Lasers to packed Quests, Pacers, Cherubs, and Hobie Cats. The competition was intense, but the vibe? Pure fun! From a thrilling Saturday afternoon race to another right before lunch on Sunday (after the canoeing events, of course!), the sailing could not have been more exciting.

The event is the second-longest running Scout regatta in Australia and is hosted by 2nd Abbotsford Sea Scouts. It was started in 1948 to give Scouts experience in upper harbour and river sailing.

 “A huge shoutout to our Canberra crew for making the long trip to join the fun!” Group Leader Greg Van Winden said.

“Even local Groups got in on the action, camping out for the weekend to stay close to the excitement (Meadowbank, Yaralla, Epping, and more). We also had some surprise first-timers, adding even more buzz to the atmosphere. And SWASH Leaders from the Water Activity Centre in Woolwich were our safety heroes, running three safety boats to keep things smooth and safe.”

The regatta hosted numerous events across the weekend on both the water and land, with two different sailing races, canoe races and a fun run.

Dad and daughter triumph

The 2nd Abbotsford Sea Scouts pairing of Scout section Leader Mat Ronald and his daughter Chloe (pictured left) successfully defended their Joey-Parent canoeing title.

“The Joey and parent canoe race is to get Joey Scouts participating in our canoeing events, and recognises that Joey Scouts are still building their skill level and are typically unable to canoe on their own,” Mat said.

“For the race, the parent and Joey Scout had to run down the hill to the canoe, push the canoe out, get into the canoe, and then paddle a rectangular-shaped course around two buoys. Once back to shore, they have to jump out, pull the canoe out of the water, and run back up the hill to the finish line.

“I think our winning it twice is just experience. I’m a Queen’s Scout and learnt to canoe when in Scouts. I won canoe races in my District (Upper Murray, in Victoria) in the annual ‘Head of the Mitta Mitta’ regatta. For Chloe, as a 2nd Abbotsford Sea Scout, she is paddling – canoe or kayak – ever second week, so we get a lot of practice.

“Having said this, I did also compete in the Canoe Open event at this year’s Port Neptune Regatta with a fellow Scout Leader, and we fell out of the canoe about 15m from shore. So it can go wrong!”

Joey Scout Chloe, seven, said she liked doing the event with her dad.

“It’s fun, because we both get to compete together. But it’s not about winning – it’s about having fun and spending time with the person you’re canoeing with,” she said.

“Some of the things we’ve learnt doing the race is to get straight into the canoe and then get the paddle – you don’t get the paddle first! Also, when you get to the buoys, you turn around as far as you want, you don’t get close to them, as if you hit the buoy, it’s harder.”

Sailing experiences

The Neptune Cup and Neptune Shield sailing events both went to out-of-towners in the Lake Ginninderra Sea Scouts from the Australian Capital Territory.

For Scout Eva Clements, aged 12, this was her first time participating as a skipper.

“I was nervous and excited about being a skipper, but the only way to learn is to give it a go!” she said.

“It’s so good to be in control of the boat. There were three of us in the sailing boat – we spoke and sang a lot as we sailed. I was with an experience skipper – Meg – who is a Venturer Scout to help me learn the ropes. So I suppose we co-skippered taking it in turns.

“When the wind got beyond my comfort levels I took the main-sheet and gave the tiller to Meg, and then swapped back. I really had a great time – we all get along really well and had heaps of fun on the water. We sang the song I’m Just Ken most of the time as we sailed, in between the chatting. I’m a chatterbox.

“I liked the Saturday Division B racing because I spent more time in charge of the boat and the wind was better on Saturday than Sunday. We came second in Division B for fastest Venturer boat. Although I’m a Scout, it goes off the oldest member in the boat.”

Meanwhile, the Iron Cub and Iron Scout challenges were major highlights, pushing everyone’s endurance, teamwork and spirit.

Venturer Scout William Wendt, 15, came second in the fun run and mid-pack in the Division A sailing on both days.

“Although I didn’t do as well as I would’ve liked, I still enjoyed the sailing the most as I am trying to gain as much experience as possible running the spinnaker (big sail used when going downwind) on strong winds,” he said.

“I was also a volunteer helper, responsible for not only derigging mine and other boats, but also moving boats, rigging and other things used for the weekend, such as gazebos, fire pits and tables.”

Scouts show their support

The Port Neptune Regatta showed the positive spirit of Scouts, with cheers for teammates and friends just as strong as those for competitors. It also showed the fun never stops, even for older Venturer Scouts and Rover Scouts, who teamed up for an epic paddle across Hen and Chicken Bay.

Greg said the event brought everyone closer.

“A big highlight was seeing Jesse, the Leader from Lake Ginninderra, take home the Commodore’s Award,” he said. “He was an absolute legend, supporting everyone in the lead-up to the event, leading over the weekend, and just being an all-around amazing mentor for our youth.

“After all the action, the Scouts kicked back and chilled out with Angry Birds 2 and Wonka on the big screen. It was the perfect way to unwind and recharge for another day of adventures!”