Issue date
On Saturday the 26th April 2014 the Onerahi Yacht Club hosted the 50th Reunion of their Whangarei to Noumea Yacht Race. The inaugural race started on the 18th April 1964 and then subsequently ran through the years 1967, 1971, 1975, 1978, 1980, 1982 and 1984.
Harry Pope (Akld) and Bill Mitchenson (Tauranga) looking at some of the race folders.
Fifty years after that first race, over 100 competitors gathered to mingle and reminisce. Of course, many had competed in more than one year, it would seem that the best tally was for 6 races completed. Some had travelled from as far as Dunedin and Christchurch while a couple of car loads came from Tauranga, plus of course those from Auckland and around Northland.
Don Galbraith (Akld), Peter Campbell (Akld), Dan & Bev O'Brien (Tautanga), Don Gemmell (Akld), John Lidgard (Akld), and Doug Galbraith (Kerikeri). Wondering where the daylight went? In the 1964 race the Galbraith's yacht "Tara", with Don, Peter, Don & Doug part of the crew, was first home while John Lidgard was 8th home and 4th on corrected time in "Takiri"
The organisers at the club had gathered together an excellent collection of information, newspaper cuttings, photos and items of interest, which were presented in folders covering each year of the event while a slide show of the yachts and people involved ran continuously on a large screen. Trophies were on display and all of this was enhanced with photos, scrapbooks, trophies and memorabilia brought along by the guests.
David Lewis (Navigator, "Tarua", winner '64), Bain Carmichael, Wayne Dumbleton, Lin Carmichael (winner of the '71 race in his yacht "Castanet"), Tony Leggatt, Jim White, Brian Taylor.
An afternoon gathering allowed an open, informal day with the briefest of ceremony, a welcome from club Commodore, James Blackburn, and a bit of a reflection back on the event by club Patron, Lester Smith. The afternoon sped by in a whirl of old faces and catch-up, a real ‘talkfest’, and for some the day didn’t end until well after the sun had disappeared.
Jim White, Mac Nell, Clyde Colson, Bill Mitchenson with "Charlie" ( Navigators prize "Anticipation" '78).
For the current club members this was a real privilege to celebrate with and honour those pioneering yachtsmen that created this event and the astonishing number of adventurous entrants that completed these early ocean challenges.
Clyde Colson, Mary Smith, Frank Hall, Denyl Colson, Janet Hall and Lester Smith. All three men are past Commodores of OYC and all had a large involvement with organising and participating in the races.
An excellent day was enjoyed by outstanding people, reflecting on a great era of New Zealand yachting.
More photos can be viewed on the club’s website, www.oyc.org.nz
