By Anna and Martin Cross.
Anna and I had an amazing week at the 25th Anniversary Lake Eyre Yacht Club from 29th September to the 6th October camped on the shore of Lake Killampupurna. The Club is based at Marree and the lake is 140km away along the unsurfaced Birdsville track. The regatta is definitely the epitome of “It’s not the winning but the taking part that matters”. 60 mono hulls, catamarans, trimarans and windsurfers taking part ranging from a Mirror to A Class Catamarans. The week has included 2 days of just sailing to visit parts of the lake have lunch then sail back. This aLao allowed sailing down a bit of the flooded Birdsville Track. Apart from one pursuit race we didn’t know any results until the prize giving back at Marree and no one cared! A great crowd of Aussies made the pilgrimage from all over Australia! The regattas can only be held when the Lake Eyre and the other Lakes are fully every few years or so. There is probably enough water for another event next year likely to be at held on a different lake. One more ticked off the bucket list! Results and some pictures below.
ABOUT: The Lake Eyre Yacht Club’s 25th Anniversary Regatta is an 8-day event in total with 6 nights at regatta site and 1 night before and after at the Clubhouse or elsewhere at Marree. Dates have been chosen in the overlap of each State’s September/October school holidays. The Regatta Camp is located on the southern shore of Lake Killamperpunna situated between the Birdsville Punt and the Birdsville Track. Two-wheel drive access should be available providing the Birdsville Track from Marree to Etadunna has no restrictions The event is for Lake Eyre Yacht Club members, families and friends only. We extend reciprocal rights to members of other boating clubs. You may join the Club as a “Gunna” prior to the event – details on our website’s Membership page.
WHERE? Lake Eyre Yacht Club, Marree All participants meet for a briefing the evening before departing to Regatta Camp the following morning.
