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Paddles
Paddles

Tuesday in Townsville – Outriggers and Stingers on The Strand

March 12, 2013 By Jan Robinson 6 Comments

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THE STRAND IN TOWNSVILLE, North Queensland, is home to several outrigger canoe clubs, whose boats live permanently on the sands, but last Friday on our daily walk, we noticed some new arrivals.

Outriggers on the Strand in Townsville
Outriggers started arriving on Friday afternoon
Outrigger Assembly
Soon they were being assembled in every available space.
Silver Coconuts lay on the ground.
Outriggers and coconuts on Saturday Morning.

Realizing we had stumbled upon the beginnings of some sort of event, we returned the following morning.  A quick Google search had revealed that Townsville was hosting a Coral Seal Outrigger Canoe Regatta. 

The silver coconuts in the above photograph, are a permanent art installation, just the right size for little people to sit on, or for errant shoelaces to be tied upon.

Outrigger Regatta Townsville
Official Boats, with Magnetic Island in the background.
Canoes on the Strand
Jetty with Canoe race starting and bulk sugar terminal in the background.
Canoes racing in Townsville
Racing.

The land in the background of the racing photo is Cape Cleveland.  The beacons that look like sticks in the distance, actually mark the channel into the port and flash red and green at night.  Quite pretty when combined with the multi-coloured lights of Jupiter’s Casino and the port at night.

Boats coming ashore after the race.

After a Race.

Reverse parking the outriggers on the sand.
Reverse parking after a Race.

The photo below, taken from beside the Race H.Q. tent, shows contestants and spectators, then stinger enclosure No. 1 and behind it, the wall of the rock pool and the Arcadian Surf Lifesaver’s Club.  You can see most of the contestants are wearing stinger suits or leggings.

Beach scene toward the rock pool
The scene looking from Race H.Q.
Blue Ocean and Island
The broader view showing a dreamy blue Magnetic Island
Paddles
Paddles Galore – and this was just one tent’s worth.
Outrigger trailer parked
Transport
Race HQ
Race HQ.

Race H.Q. was set up on the Landsborough Street Headland, a slightly raised headland with a good view of the water, from where judges could scan proceedings through binoculars. 

Tantalisingly close to Juliette’s Gelateria in my opinion.

Race HQ was behind the Icecream Parlour
I wonder how much icecream was consumed!

The large net below was used by lifesavers to drag for box jelly fish first thing in the morning and on the change of tide.  Box Jellies are the most common marine stinger on Townsville beaches.  Growing to 3 metres in length they are easily netted and excluded from stinger enclosures.

Not so easy to exclude  is the tiny Irukandji.  See the comparison HERE.  Luckily Irukandji are rare in Townsville, but a young girl WAS STUNG  inside stinger enclosure.  Winter is the best time to swim in the ocean in North Queensland as the water is still warm and there are few, if any, marine stingers.  Stinger enclosures are removed during the winter months.  For more information on ocean swimming and the Strand visit the CITY COUNCIL’S WEBSITE.

I feel it is important to know about swimming safely in the ocean before arriving in our little piece of paradise!

Lifesavers Box Jelly Fish Net
Box Jellyfish drag net drying on the Rockpool Headland

Our car was parked in the newly constructed car park behind the Rockpool, so as we left we took the opportunity to visit the rock wall for views back toward the Regatta.

The pool is a popular venue with families as there are no waves, fresh sea water is pumped in continuously and there is a sloping concrete floor into the pool.  Emptied and cleaned every Wednesday, it is suitable for wheelchair use, while the raised grassy surrounds provide a good vantage point for parents watching children in the water.   Can you see the flying fox in the foreground of the photograph?

Fresh seafood and salads are available at the family friendly Rockpool Seafood Restaurant located in the poolside blue building.  Eat on the deck, in the restaurant, or have a picnic on the grass.

The rockpool uses seawater in a man made rock enclosure.
The Rock pool pumps fresh seawater continuously.

As we were leaving I noticed a lifesaver hanging stinger suits out to dry.  Stinger suits are worn by all lifesavers (incl. nippers) and the pink high viz vests are worn in competitions.  As we own a boat and enjoy snorkeling, our whole family own stinger suits.

Stinger Suits Drying
The Arcadia SLSC Clubhouse is situated between the Rockpool and Stinger Enclosure (No. 1)

The Picnic Bay SLSC have a club house on the Strand as well, located at Stinger Enclosure (No. 2) which borders on Strand Park.

An air of excitement hung over the Regatta.  Participants were obviously enjoying the day with boats from as far away as Mission Beach and Cairns in the line-up.  We do not follow the Outriggers ourselves, apart from watching them practice, but it was a colourful and interesting way to spend the morning.

What regattas or events have you stumbled upon?

Read more fun things to do in Townsville and Magnetic Island here.

More from my site

  • Cania Gorge National ParkCania Gorge National Park
  • Surrounded by Cows at AniSurrounded by Cows at Ani
  • Queensland Road trip to Misty Paluma RangeQueensland Road trip to Misty Paluma Range
  • Larnach Castle History and GardensLarnach Castle History and Gardens
  • Do Travel Memoirs Inspire You to Travel?Do Travel Memoirs Inspire You to Travel?
  • Fall in Love with Australia at Notch PointFall in Love with Australia at Notch Point

Filed Under: Festivals, Townsville

About Jan Robinson

Jan Robinson writes about travel on her Budget Travel Talk blog. A solo traveller in her teens, for the last 40 years Jan has travelled through Australia, Asia, Europe, Turkey and New Zealand with her husband. They specialise in road trips, caravanning and Independent travel without spending a fortune. Her favourite destination is Turkey and she is currently dreaming of Myanmar and Mexico.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Krista

    March 12, 2013 at 2:01 pm

    What a great find to stumble upon! 🙂 I love all the colors and sunshine and gorgeous, gorgeous water. 🙂

    Reply
    • Jan

      March 12, 2013 at 3:07 pm

      I know – I cannot understand how we did not hear about it before OR after!

      Reply
  2. Lisa Wood

    March 15, 2013 at 8:09 pm

    I have seen stinger suits but often wondered if they really worked?
    Such a great way to spend the day – watching the race. Some of those canoes look really long – and with a wooden paddle – great work out for the arms!!

    Reply
    • Jan

      March 15, 2013 at 8:58 pm

      Wherever they cover they work Lisa. The only thing is sometimes feet, hands necks and faces are left unprotected. But still the suits cover most of the body. When we snorkel there is a strap under the foot which holds the leg of the suit down and then the flipper goes over the top, and the goggles cover a fair part of your face. The worst place for stingers is to be sitting in the shallows.

      Reply
  3. Danielle @Bubs on the Move

    March 22, 2013 at 9:56 pm

    I haven’t seen outriggers like this in action but would love to give it a go myself. I must admit I just keep my family out of the sea up north during stinger season.we have too many other nice swimming holes and pools to risk it.

    Reply
    • Jan

      March 23, 2013 at 10:13 am

      We do not often swim in the ocean during stinger season unless we are snorkeling. The best fresh water swimming hole near Townsville (that I like anyway) is Crystal Creek and it takes about 75 minutes to get to. Then of course we do not get as much rain as Cairns so sometimes we have to wait for rain to clean them out.

      Reply

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