Port Pirie Masters Games
A small field gathered on Saturday the 17th of April at Solomontown beach, Port Pirie for the Canoe & Kayak Marathon run as part of the Port Pirie Masters Games. However despite it being a small field it was a genuinely great day on the water.
Don Gomer is a stalwart of South Australian marathon paddling and a West Lakes Canoe Club life member. Don is an avid supporter of the PPMG and has sung the praises of the Solomontown marathon course to all and sundry for many years. He set the course again this year and recycled his many bouys from past years for use on the mangrove marathon course.
A total of 9 paddlers met on the beach with plastic sea kayaks and recreational kayaks dominating the field. Only MCC regulars Gomer, Dingsdale & Butler paddled fibreglass craft.
The course is a 5km return course with additional laps of the same course adding to the overall distance. At times the water can be shallow on the course but even though Saturday afternoon was a low tide the rock wall at the base of the famous “bridge to nowhere” prevented all the water from disappearing and left a navigable wide path over the entire course.
A mass start was organised by Time Keeper Renee Stanley and Chief Official Oceana called Ready/Go as soon as a straight line was held just as she has learned from Martin Finn. Then the paddlers were off. The fibreglass kayaks led the field over the next hour but some outstanding results were achieved in the recreational classes.
The local residents of Port Pirie & surrounds rave about the mangroves in and around Port Pirie and there is obviously a dedicated band of paddlers in the area. From all accounts it would be very interesting to return to the area and complete a night paddle of the mangroves under a full moon.
NB – more photos to follow
