Please select your home edition
Edition
V-DRY-X

SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week après Cape Upstart

by Di Pearson, SMIRW Media 19 Jun 2019 10:47 AEST 29 August - 4 September 2019
Enjoying sunset from the Cape Upstart BBQ - SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week © Mike Steel

It started nearly four years ago pre-SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week (SMIRW), and its quickly becoming an institution with competitors, whose first questions to Townsville Yacht Club (TYC) organisers include, "Is Cape Upstart on again?"

Blame it all on a past competitor, Jason Antill. "He infected me with a great idea," says Mike Steel, the former SMIRW Event Chairman and competitor from TYC.

The idea was that sailors heading north for the last of the northern circuit regattas could get together in a relaxed fashion; catch up with friends and meet new people before the main event. This year, it will be held on Tuesday 27 August, two days before racing starts, giving entrants a day to recover!

Named by Lieutenant James Cook, on 5 June 1770 during his voyage along the eastern coast of Australia on the HM Bark Endeavour, competitors love Cape Upstart, not to mention the barbecue with fellow competitors. Accessible by water only, yachties can row ashore or be ferried by Townsville Yacht Club officials.

Richard and Karen Bonato are the hosts at Cape Upstart, a national park in the locality of Guthalungra in the Whistundays where the Juru Clan of the Birri-Gubba Tribal Group lived for thousands of years.

For the last three years, just before SMIRW, the Bonatos have opened their home to welcome yachties, thrilled to share this piece of paradise.

"We know Mike (Steel) and he asked us what we thought about having a barbie for the yachties. We don't get to see him much, so we thought it was probably not a bad idea. It's a rare chance to see him," says Richard Bonato laughing.

"Really, we enjoy doing it. We get to meet people we'd never usually meet. The yachties seem very appreciative too. It's a great gathering of people who enjoy to sit around and have a feed and talk. There's a lot of interaction. We welcome anyone who wants, to come to the house for a shower while they're there too, as not everyone has a shower on their boat.

"It's our holiday house, where we go fishing, swim and go on the boat. It's a great place for kids. Our kids grew up holidaying there and now our grand kids enjoy it," he ends.

All supplies have to be brought over from the mainland, so while the Bonatos provide the venue, Marty Phillips supplies fresh as fresh Barramundi for the barbecue via Infinity Blue Barramundi in Northern Queensland.

"Fish don't get blown over by cyclones," Phillips says of his change years ago from land farming to the Barramundi farm.

"To be a farmer in this part of the world you have to be an environmentalist. We've got pristine areas on either side of us; the Great Barrier Reef and the World Heritage rainforest, so we have to do the right thing." See more at: infinitybluebarramundi.com.au

Grown in salt water, Phillips says, "In the past I've donated around 20 kilos of Barramundi each year for the barbecue. My business has merged now, so I will supply fish at cost this year. I package it up fresh, get it to Townsville and they pick up," he says of the sustainably produced fish.

The Northern Queensland fish farmer admits, "I've never been to the Cape Upstart stopover barbecue, but I'd love to one year, because I hear it's such a raging success and I'd like to be part of it. I'm still waiting for Mike to invite me..."

Mark Chew, a past competitor from Victoria, endorses this popular event. "It is a wonderful night with a big fire on the beach and a good way to socialise with fellow sailors before the event. It is a really beautiful gesture," he says of the memorable evening that combines convivial company, a seafood BBQ and a few drinks set in one of Queensland natural beauty spots.

SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week will be held from 29 August to 4 September and only a handful of berths remain. If you plan to enter, do it right now. Choose from IRC Racing, Spinnaker, Non-Spinnaker, Multihull and Trailable Yacht classes. And don't forget to book for the Cape Upstart barbecue when you enter: www.magneticislandraceweek.com.au

Related Articles

SMIRW sold out in a record 10 minutes!
You have to be quick with the fingers to be one of the lucky ones Yes, you are reading correctly, SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week entry opened and was sold out in a record 10 minutes flat - you have to be quick with the fingers to be one of the lucky ones attending Australia's 'must do' regatta at the end of autumn Posted on 4 Mar
SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week overall
Scores tallied, winners declared, as conditions dictated there would be no further racing SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week 2024 ended abruptly this morning as conditions dictated there would be no further racing and therefore winners were declared based on overnight's pointscores at another wonderful week of sailing. Posted on 4 Sep 2024
SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week Day 4
Perfect day for Round the Island Race Zen (NSW) has taken the overall lead of Spinnaker Division 1 on Day 4 at SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week (SMIRW) 2024, in The Yacht Sales Co. Race Day Round the Island Race Posted on 3 Sep 2024
SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week Day 3
A change of pace and winners Layday at SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week 2024 was enjoyed by all yesterday, but today it was back to serious business for 'It's Live in Queensland Race Day', when Division 1 and the Sports Boats were put through their paces. Posted on 2 Sep 2024
People you meet, SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week
The much loved annual event is as eclectic as ever Two balmy days of sailing away at SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week 2024 and the fleet at TYC much loved annual event is as eclectic as ever, as Olympians and other champions mix it with regulars, internationals, newcomers and club sailors. Posted on 1 Sep 2024
SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week Day 2
More breeze made a difference There were cries of "My handicap has been crucified," this morning at SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week 2024, after some boats scored huge wins in yesterday's Tan Lines Distilling Race Day, one claiming, "we were just lucky in the light air Posted on 31 Aug 2024
SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week Day 1
A nice light day to start proceedings The opening day of SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week 2024 was not to everyone's liking, as it was a little light on for breeze, but you couldn't otherwise fault the beautiful warm and sunny day and flat water that was served up to the competitors. Posted on 30 Aug 2024
Delights of SMIRW don't begin and end with sailing
SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week 2024 sold out in an unprecedented 12 minutes SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week 2024 sold out in an unprecedented 12 minutes - minus a few seconds - but it's more than the sailing that attracts competitors, their families and friends to this quaint island paradise. Posted on 24 Jul 2024
Entries sold out in 12 minutes!
For SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week 2024 Entries opened for Townsville Yacht Club's (TYC) SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week on Friday amid a flurry of activity, the much loved event was sold out in an unprecedented 12 minutes - minus a few seconds. Posted on 4 Mar 2024
SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week Day 5
Around the Island Race caps off another magic week What a way to finish 2023 SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week (SMIRW), the stronger breeze everyone has longed for kicked in and because of it, competitors got to do the much anticipated Around the Island Race,. Posted on 6 Sep 2023
Pantaenius Sail 2025 AUS FooterSydney Boat Show 2025 - Apply to ExhibitsMRT AIS Man Overboard Beacons AUS / NZ