Short-handed short term but long-term promising
Constant Friend of the Mahurangi: As a district councillor, Dr Grahame Powell had to hound engineers and contractors to ensure the Scotts Landing boardwalk was completed in time for the Mahurangi Regatta Ball, in 2004—the original walkway shown here reclaimed by the sea, long since. photographer Frederick George Radcliffe
Most are still in holiday mode.
Or if back at work, they are certainly in holiday mode come the weekend, and particularly the long, Auckland Anniversary weekend.
Which makes mustering the sixty or so volunteers involved on the day of the Mahurangi Regatta much harder than it looks. The short notice arrival of friends and family frequently results in a ‘recruit’ totally forgetting a prior commitment the regatta.
This fact of life has long since been learned by old regatta hands, finding that a relaxed attitude is essential for retaining sanity. Mercifully, folk can often be recruited on the beach to plug some of the gaps, such as when an expected sand sculpture judge failed to materialise.
Other roles are more crucial. There are only so many people the aptitude and skills to be make a great regatta announcer. This year, for the first time in many years, the regatta will be devoid of dulcet tones of Professor Cluny Macpherson. Professor Macpherson, whose light-hearted commentary and effortless te reo Māori is a hard act to follow, will be lecturing offshore at the time of the regatta.
In order to spread the load beyond the tiny harbour community, a long-term plan is being devised to better involve the visiting yacht clubs and city hall.
Consummately complementing the Auckland Anniversary Regatta, the Mahurangi Regatta is a sublime coming together of the rural and urban—the ultimate opportunity for the new Auckland Council to demonstrate awareness of its rich, hinterland. Two-term mayor of the since-subsumed Rodney District, John Law, has agreed to host a meeting in March to start the planning, for 2012 and beyond. His directorship of the newly created Tourism, Events and Economic Development council controlled organisation perfectly positions Mr Law to help chart a more sustainable future for the event.
Another ex regional politician keen to help is Bill Burrill, one-time chairman of Auckland Regional Council’s regional parks committee. While he didn’t seek election as an Auckland Council councillor, Mr Burrill now heads up a new organisation, Friends of Regional Parks.
It is Burrill and Law who must be thanked for the decision to build the boardwalk between Scott Homestead and Scotts Landing, at the editor’s urging.
But now to find fifty or more friends of the Mahurangi to weigh in on regatta weekend:
For offers of assistance, please phone +64 9 422 0703 or e-mail the editor.
The valiant volunteers
The morning before
Friday 28 January, Scotts Landing
- 1
- Gatekeeper 10 am (can be job-shared)
- 2
- Scott homesteaders
The afternoon before
Friday 28 January, Scotts Landing
- 1
- Electrician
The afternoon before
Friday 28 January, Sullivans Bay
- 4
- Small marquee erectors 3 pm
- 2
- Buoy-layers [Filled]
The morning of
Saturday 29 January, Sullivans Bay
- 1
- Information and publications, dispensing of, from the comfort of the small marqee)
- 1
- Tractor launching hand
- 1
- Announcer [Filled]
- 2
- Starters [Filled]
- 4
- Finishers [Filled]
- 2
- Dispatch runners
- 1
- Master of the Mahurangi boatswain [Filled]
- 1
- Augustin Sea Bear Kayak Cup boatswain
The afternoon of
Saturday 29 January, Sullivans Bay
- 1
- Information and publications
- 1
- Announcer [Filled]
- 2
- Starters [Filled]
- 4
- Finishers [Filled]
- 5
- Sandcastle supervisors [Filled]
- 2
- Sandcastle judge [Filled]
- 2
- Dispatch runners
- 1
- Tractor retrieval hand
- 1
- Tug of war boatswain [Filled]
The evening of
Saturday 29 January, Scotts Landing
- 1
- Bus driver
- 6
- Bar tenders
- 2
- Bottle scouts, can be small and fleet of foot
- 12
- Cooks and galley hands
- 1
- Janitor
The morning after
Sunday 30 January, Scotts Landing
- 5
- Café crew
- 8
- Cleanup