Highs and Lows
by John Curnow, Editor, Sail-World AUS 5 Jan 2020 21:00 UTC
Tough conditions for all teams New Caledonian youth pair - 2019-20 Australian Hobie Cat Nationals, day 3 © Kathy Miles
They go together in a symbiotic circle to form our weather patterns. In life, they also seem to always be in close proximity to one another, as well. Normally, this is a truly a wonderful time of year in Australia. So many classes have their national championships, and you get to read and see a delightful array of material. It is made even sweeter by the fact that you don't get to have it all year around in a lot of cases. It is akin to stone fruit in this way. Such happy days...
However, 2019/20 will also be remembered for the cataclysmic and hitherto unheralded and unrecorded events that unfolded and have now affected so many. About now a huge thank you goes to the many first responders and helpers who have gone past any known level of service.
The world's focus has been on the red skies, the dark days in what is normally bright sunshine, and the heart-wrenching devastation. We all feel for those who have lost now, and who face uncertain futures, such as those whose livelihoods are in question, like the forestry and apple communities around Batlow and Tumut, just by way of example. There were also vineyards that were destroyed, and all of these all take lots of time to be fruitful...
I read recently that we have lost more than even the Amazon fires that had the world and the G7 leaders all making statements. Additionally, the cost in terms of native fauna, already under ridiculous stress and may not ever recover, is quite sickening. Then there is our livestock. The sunburnt country is now well and truly ablaze. Let it rain, and soon.
Of course other parts of our world have war, impeached leaders, starvation, floods, landslides, earthquakes, and a million other things. As if more poisonous snake species than anyone else on the third rock from the sun, crocodiles, spiders, sharks, stonefish, jellyfish, stingers wasn't enough to contend with. If it doesn't want to eat you, it wants to kill you, and did I mention the sun? Maybe this is why we are resilient...
January is also a time when tennis and cricket (game on a huge ground where one person with a thin piece of wood gets to defend against another who is hurtling a really, really hard red ball at them at up to 155km/h) get lots of airtime. The players and the organisers have been quick to have funds donated when the serve an ace, or hit a six (big achievement given said limitations just before).
So it has been great to have sailing, through the yacht clubs and its corporate sponsors, really take it on. The ones I have noted are firstly Southport during their Sail Paradise series, and then the Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club. Whether you are KPMG, Gant, or simply made a donation when you got a drink or a sausage, we all say thank you for digging deep.
Right oh - there is plenty of information on the website for you to review when you can. There is material on the 5.5m, Hobie Cats, AC of course, Optimists, we've asked for material on the I14s so stand by on that one, 13 and 16 foot skiffs from the charming Port Stephens, Optis, awesome material from Southport YC's Sail Paradise on the Gold Coast, the Clippers are on their way to Airlie Beach, RS Aero Worlds, Lasers, check out Tribal Warrior who were the first Indigenous crew in the Hobart, Couta Boats on Port Phillip, there was the King of the Derwent, Cherubs, and a whole lot more below.
Now if your class or association is generating material, we can help you spread your word just by emailing us. Got this newsletter from a friend? Would you like your own copy next week? Just follow the instructions on our newsletter page. Whilst there, you can also register for other editions, like Powerboat-World.
Finally, keep a weather eye on Sail-World. We are here to bring you the whole story from all over the world...
John Curnow
Editor, Sail-World AUS