SUMMER OF FUN – 2018 EVENTS

SUMMER OF FUN – 2018 BEACH EVENTS

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DATE		RACE	Dist.	OTHER EVENT
Sat – Dec 22	7:30AM	Day 1 Summer of Pain Trophy – the Round Bay	1,000M	Opening day of the Summer of Fun
Tue – Dec 25	7:30AM	Rex Hayhow Trophy	1,000M	Regular BBC Event
Wed – Dec 26	7:30AM	Foundation Cup – Round the Bay		Skins 1
Thu – Dec 27	7:10AM			Chariot Race – Demonstration
Thu – Dec 27	7:30AM	Cord Cup – Club to Peggy’s Rocks & return	1,250M	Skins 2
				Swim/Paddle/Run
Fri – Dec 28	7:30AM	Hunter Bay Classic – Club to Peggy’s Rocks & return	1,250M	Skins 3
	8:15AM		120M	SOF Calcutta
Sat – Dec 29	7:00AM			Rugby Sand 4’s
Sat – Dec 29	7.30AM	Smugglers Keg – Baths to Bathers	1,080M	Skins Quarter Final
	8:15AM	Charm 500	500M
				Bikini Bash – Champagne Cup
Sun – Dec 30	7:10AM	Masters Race	200M
	7:30AM	Balmoral Blue – deadmans to Peggy’s Rocks & return	1,500M	Skins Semi Final
				Generation Relay Children’s Sprint
Mon – Dec 31	7:30AM	The Final Siren – Round the Bay	1,000M	Skins Final
	8:15AM			Team’s Relay
Tue – Jan 1	7:30AM	New Year’s Gift – Round the Bay	620M
	8:00AM		280M	Boardshorts Race
	9.00AM			Major Awards Prize Giving

THE FUN EVENTS OF THE SUMMER OF FUN

EVENT	DAY	TIME	LOCATION	CONTACT
Season Opening BBQ & Great Debate	Sun – Dec 23	5:00PM	BBC	Chris Webb Terry Carroll
Sailing Day Picnic	Thu – Dec 27	11:00AM	Balmoral – Manly	Jack Stening
Golf Day	Fri – Dec 28	1:00PM	Northbridge Golf Course	Mark Simpkins Gerry Elkan
Wine Tasting	Sat – Dec 29	4:00-6:00PM	BBC Top Room	Greg MacKay Ross Boakes
	Mon – Dec 31	8:30AM
Manly Walk	Wed – Jan 2	10:00AM	Spit – Manly	Denise Elder
Bridge Lunch	Sun – Jan 6	12:00PM	Upper Room Beach Club	John Mather

Storytellers – A Scotsman Held for Ransom & The Flight of the Elephants

For the last meeting of the year we were fortunate enough to have two excellent presenters. Regular Storyteller Jon Attwater told the story of his Scottish Great Grandfather A.C. Mackay who left home at the age of 10, went to sea and finished up being held for ransom in Manchuria. Jon was followed by Guy Cooper, who has had a 25-year association with Taronga and Taronga Western Plains Zoo, presenting the “Flight of the Elephants” – the journey to Australia of eight Asian Elephants covering events both chronicled and unrecorded.
Jon knew from a young age a little about his Great Grandfather Alexander Clarke Mackay but there was limited detail. However, through a conversation with member Chris Barrie who said he had some photos of Jon’s Grandfather (turned out to be his Great Grandfather), he was prompted to roll his sleeves up, get out the old trunk in the garage and conduct some serious research. The connection with Chris was that Toni (Chris’s wife) and Jon’s mother are cousins.

A C Mackay was born 1857 in Golspie – a fishing village on the North Sea Coast of Scotland. Alexander left home at the age of 10 and went to sea. Family history doesn’t record what ships he sailed on though he eventually landed in Melbourne in 1880. After a seafaring life, a desk job was not on and he took to the timber industry in Victoria and worked in the Otway Ranges and Gippsland areas, becoming mill manager for the Comet Mill in Clonbinane (the largest in Australia, 55km north of Melbourne) and had a financial interest in the Longwarry Saw Mill, 85km south east of Melbourne. He married his partner’s daughter Annie.

Jon’s research discovered a letter that Alexander wrote to the Department of Education offering to build a school if they would provide a teacher. The nearest school was 5 miles away and the road almost impassable in winter, so he built a school hall. The hall was only 30’ x 14’ and was jointly used for local meetings and dances. As Jon commented “It must have been real cosy”. Continue reading →

SUMMER OF FUN – HELPERS NEEDED

As Christmas draws near so does the Summer of Fun. Eight days of swimming races, beach sports and extracurricular activities. As always this year will see the introduction on some new events that will test not only the physical skills of contestants but their mental ability as well. More on these later.

Now I have your attention! Yes – the wine is free and is of high quality.
Every year at the end of the Summer of Fun Terry Carroll hands out bottles of wine to those who help out at the festival. So if you have some spare time over the Xmas period and want to hop on the wine wagon please email us email me or add your name to the ‘Helper’ poster which will be placed in the front club room at the beginning of December.

Being a helper allows you to meet and integrate with the active members and get an insight into what makes the BBC such a great club. We need helpers for the following events;

Assisting at the start and finish of the races, this is not too onerous as you will be working with seasoned professionals.
Helping registration of the starters
The fun races –- Swuddle, Boardshorts race, relays, grandchild relay, Calcutta
Golf, Bowls, Wine Tasting, Self-Improvement Breakfast
We need a video whiz and a social media expert. Hence anyone with teenage children who would like to demonstrate their skills – happy to bring them on board. Free I-tunes passes for anyone under legal drinking age.

Volunteer your help here

ERIK MATHER 2 4 6KM SWIM – SATURDAY 24TH NOVEMBER

The 2,4,6 km invitational open water swim established by Erik in 1998 and renamed in Erik’s memory, is on again. Register on-line early as numbers are limited.

Balmoral Beach Club members and member’s guests participating in the race are encouraged to make a donation, in lieu of an entry fee, in support of the Melanoma Institute of Australia (MIA). Melanoma has touched the lives of many Club members, their families and friends, so it is meaningful that the swim makes a significant contribution to MIA’s research into a cure. Last year the swim raised $15,000 for MIA, help us beat that this year.

Swim Details

Date: Saturday 24th November 2018
Participants: Open to Club members and their friends
Time: Registration from 6.15am. 7am start.
Location: The Balmoral Beach Club, 6 The Esplanade, Balmoral.
Distance: 2, 4 or 6km
Course: Bay to Chinamans’ and return
Entry: Donation, in lieu of an entry fee
Registration: Online or 6:15am on the day (NOTE: on the day registration for members only, however as numbers for each distance is capped we recommend you register on-line to ensure your entry)
Water bottles: We request that all swimmers bring their own re-usable water bottles on the day so that we can reduce plastic waste
NOTE: Under 18’s will need to re-confirm register on the day and will only be allowed to enter on the completion of the consent and waiver form which requires a parent or guardian to be present to sign the consent and waiver form.

SUMMER OF FUN 2018 – THE “FUN” EVENTS

The Summer of Fun is not just about swimming – a major part of the festival is the extra curricular events. If swimming is not your thing you can always swing a club on the golf day, test your palate at the Wine Tasting, a relaxing game of bowls, or hike with Denise to Manly. There is something for everyone at the Summer of Fun.

First up is sailing day – Thursday December 27th at 11.00AM. If you have a boat and wish to take part or would like to crew please respond to the link at the end of this note and Jack Stening will contact you to co-ordinate your involvement.

Next up on the Friday is Golf Day at Royal Northbridge. Tee off will be at 1:00PM. Come as a single or put together your own foursome to challenge for the prizes.

The most popular event at the SOF is the Wine Tasting. This will be held on Saturday December 29 at the Club from 4:00-6:00PM. Host – Greg MacKay ably assisted by his wine connoisseur Ross Boakes is currently sourcing the best wines from the McLaren Vale and Claire Valley for this year’s tasting. Come along and learn a little of the history of the wines and impress friends with your gained knowledge at the next dinner party.

Generation Relay takes place on Sunday 30th December at 8:15. Originally it was the grandparent/grandchild relay it has now morphed into a child under 12 with their partner – grandparent, parent, uncle, aunt, guardian – whatever. Always fun! It will be followed by a short race for the children so they can practise for the big time.

Denise Elder will be letting her boots do the talking on the Spit – Manly walk, starting at 10:00AM on Wednesday 2nd of January. Breakfast at your favourite café in Manly and then test out the B-Line bus back to the Spit.

It is planned to hold the Bowls Day on Thursday 3rd of January at 4:00PM at the Mosman Bowling Club. This is subject to confirmation. Jenny Hole will have been out manicuring the greens for the annual assault on them by the wayward beach club members.

The festivities finish with the annual Bridge lunch and game on Sunday 6th January. John Mather will be hosting what is always a great event. Those interested will need to go to the trybooking website to book your spot. https://www.trybooking.com/446314

Posters and whiteboards will be put up around the front room of the club from the 8th of December for participants to put their name down.

If you are new to the club and interested to find out more about any of the above events please respond on the email link below.

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