We started 2016 with a leisurely walk along Perlubie Beach.
With the tide out, it was a great time to pick up shells and check out the spots the local stingrays had spent their New Year's Eve.
As the morning wore on, the activity and the atmosphere were building on the beach, with many locals hard at work setting up for the annual Perlubie Beach Sports Day. By about 11am, Ang & Rob were all packed up and ready to hit the road. We said our farewells, then wandered down towards the beach pavilions to get involved in the fun.
Perlubie Beach Sports is a day that dates back to the early part of this century. It started in 1914 at a time when family life and making your own entertainment was an accepted part of everyday life.
Many of the same events are still held today. (Unfortunately, the Perlubie Cup Horse Race is no longer held on the beach, due to liability and insurance issues, but the old horse stables still stand!)
First up Jack and Jarrah competed in the Bowling at Stumps and the Netball Throwing competitions. They both did well and received the first of many lollies for the day.
At midday the Memorial Perlubie Mile was held. This involved an 800 metre (kids) and 1600 metre (adults) Open Endurance Race on the beach. Jack, Jarrah and I jumped on the back of one of the utes loaded up with competitors. We were transported up the beach to the start line. Not really knowing the protocol, I had jumped on the ute with the boys and as it turns out this ute only went to the 800 metre start line. So instead of competing in the adults' race I ran as support person for Jack and Jarrah. I was proud of them for running the whole distance, even putting in a sprint over the last 100 metres.
Over the course of the day we all competed in so many events. The boys went in the Under 10s Egg & Spoon Race. We entered a family team in the Wheat Sack Race.
Stepping the Distance Race
Fletch got so excited that he took off with the 3 year olds. He came back and ran in his age group too.
70 Metre Ladies Handicap
Throwing The Rolling Pin
Bruce didn't have much luck with the Footy Tyre Kick, but his Men's Open Tug of War team were victorious, winning a $60 bar tab.
Jack, Jarrah and Fletch all had a go at the Under 10s High Jump
Fletcher almost took out the Under 6s Mr Muscles Competition
There were so many events that we missed a few just because there was so much going on. The Perlubie Beach swim - a beach to blue line run and swim of approximately 250 metres, was great to watch. And we just weren't quick enough to enter a team in the Beach Volleyball or Plank Races.
There was plenty of food, drinks and souvenirs for sale, and many a seafood raffle to be won. There were cash prizes for event winners and lolly prizes for all competing kids. The beers were cold, the burgers were hot, the locals were friendly and we were absolutely thrilled to be a part of it all!
Towards the end of the day, the local sandcrabs were brought out for the annual Perlubie Crab Races. We were impressed that all 20 crabs were sold at auction for great prices, most going for well over $200. Proceeds of the two races went to the RFDS and the SA Ambulance Service. The winners of the two races received well over $700 in prize money.
The final event of the day was the Perlubie Ironguts
competition. In this event a dozen brave souls raced each other to down a meal of delectable delights including warm white wine coloured green, a raw egg, Christmas cake smeared with Wasabi, rice bubbles with baked beans, a piece of cold steak smeared with chilli sauce and a can of beer.
The blokes were competitive
but the only two girls who entered took forever to get through the various courses. In hindsight I reckon I could have taken out
the $100 prize money no problem.
It was close to 7pm before we wandered the 100 metres or so
back to our camp. After almost eight
hours in the sun, we were all beat. The
boys had won so many lollies that they hardly needed any dinner. Nevertheless, they gobbled down some baked
beans and fell into bed.
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