UP THE COLO. The History of KMYC s visits to the Colo River. by Noel Shields

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1 1 UP THE COLO The History of KMYC s visits to the Colo River. by Noel Shields Up The Colo is a phrase that is part of the Club folklore. Former Club Honorary Secretary Graham Taylor wrote We went up the Colo at Easter in 1957 for the first time, a flotilla of 23 vessels took part. Laden with food, we visited our nearby member Dr. McGarrity s farm. (Armitage, 1995). In a further passage in Armitage s Book Graham Taylor was quoted as saying. What makes our cruises so popular. It is the indefinable something we are all so conscious of when taking part in our club activities- the club spirit. It is a happy family gathering. After a few years the group relocated to a property owned by Farmer Jones. In the 1980 s when the farm was sold, they were no longer available for the club to use that as a land base. Mick O Dowd a Maritime Services Officer offered the water front of his property and that has become the home for Up the Colo trips. It has changed hands and the new owner Cas Antunes, was very happy to continue the annual event and he mows the area each year before Easter for us. It has been tradition for years for the boats to leave on Good Friday at 6.00 am to catch the tide. It took approximately 6 hours then, although with the faster boats, Captains and crew slept in to until 8 a.m. The marquee, barbeque and tables are set up, boats anchored up and down river from the jetty. In the morning the mists can come in and with a still river the reflections are amazing.

2 2 In those days, the farm had an orange orchard, which we were allowed to pick. Everyone came ashore in their dinghies for meals except breakfast. Usually, barbeques and salads, or themed evenings. Of course, there were the Club Campers who pitched their tents onshore or others who drove up just for the day. One year we found that we had company of a very large bull. Mick explained that he saved the bull as he came floating down the river in a flood in June and consequently was named Juno. On Saturday it was the custom to take a run up river in the dinghies to a sand bar. Everyone took a picnic and if the weather was warm, some were brave enough to swim. Every year the sand bar changed - sometimes it disappeared completely. But in 2014 it had grassed over. (Looks like the crowd are waiting on Henley-on- Thames for the Oxford/Cambridge Race). When actually they were just waiting for Rob, Jan and Andy!!!

3 3 How the The Drink and Drift began. Ken & Noel were puttering along (sedately) in their dinghy when Noel said to Ken, Do you know Ken? Mmmmm said Ken. Noel continued The river is so tranquil and beautiful, it is sacrilege to be making all this noise. And as we know in all boating families, the wife is always right. Ken cut the engine and they drifted down the river, in peace and quiet. As others came along they asked if we had broken down and they said No we are just enjoying the peace. They also cut their engines and tied up to us and so the drink and drift was born. Now all you can hear is chatter, laughter and clink of bottles. All is quiet and peaceful. For a few years a water fight was also waged on the Drink & Drift day. Some members didn t like getting wet so now the water fight takes place opposite the jetty around the boats.

4 4 The odd person viewing from their boats or jetty had better beware of flying buckets of water. The Young Ones Have Fun Also. Noel s words. It is great to act like kids again. There was always some entertainment. One year Russell Tyler gave the kids an out of date life raft. They had hours of fun. There were dinghy races up and down the river. We called them the mosquito fleet

5 5 On Sunday morning the Easter Bunny delivered Easter eggs to all the boats. SUNDAY SERVICES It was customary for the men to don their whites and we all puttered down the river to Church. The Club had a long association with the little Anglican Church called St. John s at Lower Portland. The Club s history with the Church of the goes back as far as 1957 when the club first decided to make the Colo their destination for the Easter cruises. In, 1985 or 1986 the Club built a veranda in appreciation for the many years of friendship the parishioners had extended to the members of Kuring-Gai Motor Yacht Club. Sadly the parishioner s numbers dwindled and the Parish decided in the 1999, that St. John s would be deconsecrated and sold.

6 6 A Minister from Wilberforce came from St. John s the next few years for the Church Service which was held at the campsite until he became too busy to make the journey to Lower Portland. Then it was lunch and the Annual Easter hat parade. On Monday morning after a champagne breakfast everyone packs up, the tent, barbeque, tables and all the gear and heads for home.