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Welcome to our November update.
Our next major event is the Sir Peter Blake Memorial Regatta which will be held off the East Coast Bays in the waters of the Hauraki Gulf on the weekend of 9/10 December. The youth component of the regatta (including all centreboard classes) will be based from the Torbay Sailing Club. The keelboat divisions will be based from Gulf Harbour Yacht Club. Entries are already strong with over 20 classes represented in the centreboard divisions sailing from Torbay. We had over 400 competitors last year and are on target for an even greater number this year.
:: For a notice of race and entry form click here ::
A new feature at this year's regatta will be the Westpac Enviro-tent. Our intention for the Sir Peter Blake Memorial Regatta has always been for this regatta to be special. This weekend is about more than competing in the sport of sailing. It is about remembering Sir Peter - and for many of the younger competitors - learning about Sir Peter and his life. It is also for learning about the marine environment and understanding how to care for it. The Westpac Enviro-tent will contribute to that objective.
In the marquee will be a series of displays and environmental education material which competitors, their family, friends and visitors to the regatta can learn from. Organisations such as the Sir Peter Blake Trust, WWF - New Zealand, Maritime New Zealand, the Coastguard Boating Education Service, Department of Conservation and Ministry of Fisheries will all have displays in the Westpac Enviro-tent.
The Westpac Enviro-tent will be erected on the Waiake Beach reserve, Torbay, North Shore and will be open for the duration of the regatta.
A special presentation by Sylvia Durrant on seabirds and conservation will be held in the main regatta event marquee (Waiake Beach) after the sailing (after 5pm) on Saturday 9 December. Sylvia has, for several decades, run a bird rescue and rehabilitation centre from her home in Rothesay Bay. She is an expert at rehabilitating sick and injured birds like Little Blue Penguins and Takapu (Australasian Gannets). Sylvia will bring some of her seabird friends with her and will talk about how we can help. Don't miss this.
The annual get-together for friends and family of Sir Peter will again be held at the Devonport Yacht Club on the evening of Friday 8 December from 1800 hrs onward. All are welcome to attend.
This month we farewell one of our Trustees, Howard Fancy. Howard has been the Secretary for Education at the Ministry of Education for many years and he served as an ex-officio trustee on the Sir Peter Blake Trust Board. We thank him for his important contributions and welcome his replacement, Karen Sewell, onto the board.
2005 Sir Peter Blake Ambassador Brittany Packer has, with her friend Jessie, produced the second edition of the environmental e-mail magazine for teens called "The Lorax Leaflet". If you are interested in receiving this newsletter e-mail Brittany at loraxleaf@youngenviros.org
Congratulations to 2005 Sir Peter Blake Emerging Leader Award recipient Samara Sutherland from Experiencing Marine Reserves who, along with other enthusiastic supporters, helped launch the new Whangarei Harbour Marine Reserve on 18 October. The concept for this marine reserve was conceived and promoted by a Year 13 Geography teacher and his students at Kamo High School in 1990. Every year since, students at the high school have continued to advocate for the reserve - one of those students was Samara. It's a great story of environmental leadership and perserverance. :: For more information on the new reserve click here ::
On Friday 13 October Trust Executive Director Mark Orams presented the Hawke's Bay Environment Awards. :: Read more about these awards by clicking here :: At this event a presentation was given by 2006 Sir Peter Blake Ambassador Bridget Hunt (13 years old). The principal and some teachers from her small rural Pukehou school were present and it was obvious how proud they were of Bridget and her appointment as a Sir Peter Blake Ambassador - as were all those attending the awards.
That's all for now - see you next month.
Kind regards
Mark Orams and Vicki Watson |