FLEET 27 PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Thunderbird fleet 27 is alive and well on the waters of
the Swan River in Perth, Western Australia.
Our nine boats are based at Royal
Perth Yacht Club, once the home of the America Cup. They are METALA
( Bruce Spencer) FALCON (Sk. Professor John Wager)
CONDOR (Sk. Chris Semmens) VAMOOSE
(Co Sk. Mark Fitzhardinge and Chris Chapple, carrying on for the late T'bird
legend Bill Fitzhardinge) SIROCCO (Sk. Brian
Connor) THUNDERSTRUCK (Sk. Ben Blake) THUNDERATION
(Sk. Rob Wallace) KILLARA (Sk.Andrew Hebb)
BLUE THUNDER (Sk. Dr James Baker) and MAGIC
(Sk. Colin Smith). Another boat may join us shortly - John Gleeson is presently
refitting MOONSHADOW.
Eight of these boats regularly race as a Thunderbird fleet
on Saturday afternoons. Competition is strong with some of the clubs best
skippers at the helm and appropriate handicapping makes for some very close
finishes. We are privileged to enjoy a mutual supportive and warm camaraderie
between all skippers and have an unspoken ethic that T'birders never protest.
'Thunderbirders are active involved in all aspects of
club competition. The Gra Rosser is a match racing series held in November;
a strong T'bird contingent competed for the Governors Cup in December and
will no doubt be equally well represented in the K.W.Langley Single handed
race in February. State Championships held in March are seriously contested
and well run. Social occasions are plenty with magnificent Twilight sailing
every Thursday. Hot summer nights, spectacular sunsets and the lights of
the city across the water create an unforgettable experience. It's easy
to ignore the BBQ and dancing on the club lawns until food and drink supplies
on board run low.
The Annual Thunderbirds weekend at Rottnest
is not to be missed. We assemble at the Fremantle Annexe on Friday afternoon
and proceed 'en masse' to a predetermined restaurant for fine flood and
wine. Walking distances make it easy to be safe drivers! After a leisurely
breakfast on Saturday we hoist the spinnakers for the 'Race to Rotto'-
approximately two hours to an island created for boating and water fun
of all sorts. Once moored in Geordie Bay, some take off to catch the Fleet's
breakfast, others drop a pot for a lobster or two. If you're not into that
kind of energetic activity there's always a lazy swim and a few drinks
on deck keeping watch for the odd Manta Ray or playful dolphin.
Saturday night sees everyone congregate in one of the
island cottages for a great BYO dinner and the inevitable theatrical revue.
Songs, poems, stories and mayhem of all kinds leads to the midnight procession
to 'Thunderbird Cove'. Led by Blue Thunder's flautist playing the Grand
March from Aida, T'birders young and old stagger by torchlight to the end
of the bay for the Solemn Initiation of New Thunderbirders. Initiation
rites are a devoutly kept secret and cannot be revealed, even to other
T'bird Fleets. The sea breeze on Sunday takes us back to Fremantle, then
up the Swan to home, leaving us with happy memories and a sense of how
great it is to be a Thunderbirder.
If you're a member of a Thunderbird Fleet, anywhere in
the world, and find yourself heading to Perth, make sure you contact us
through the Royal Perth Yacht Club,
Australia II Drive, Crawley, Western Australia We'd love to meet you.
Helen Lampard, Blue Thunder.
