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| Beer Can Regatta: Darwin swaggers and swelters with croc repellant on standby | Beer Can Regatta: Darwin swaggers and swelters with croc repellant on standby |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| While much of southern Australia shivered through some of the lowest temperatures in recent years, Megan Brennan wandered along Darwin’s Mindil Beach under a blazing sun, examining boats built from empty beer cans and checking the crews had crocodile repellant in their safety kit. | While much of southern Australia shivered through some of the lowest temperatures in recent years, Megan Brennan wandered along Darwin’s Mindil Beach under a blazing sun, examining boats built from empty beer cans and checking the crews had crocodile repellant in their safety kit. |
| Brennan and her fellow Lions Club judges stopped to laugh at one entrant of the annual Beer Can Regatta. Just in case it helped the judging process, the crew had left a pile of fake cash sitting on their boat. | Brennan and her fellow Lions Club judges stopped to laugh at one entrant of the annual Beer Can Regatta. Just in case it helped the judging process, the crew had left a pile of fake cash sitting on their boat. |
| We’re open to bribery and corruption. | We’re open to bribery and corruption. |
| “We look at construction, how well it’s made, are the crews in T-shirts, do they look like a team,” Brennan told Guardian Australia. “We go through, the four of us judges, and check all of them out then sit down cross legged together and check the points. We’re also open to bribery and corruption – but we won’t tell anyone that,” she laughed. | “We look at construction, how well it’s made, are the crews in T-shirts, do they look like a team,” Brennan told Guardian Australia. “We go through, the four of us judges, and check all of them out then sit down cross legged together and check the points. We’re also open to bribery and corruption – but we won’t tell anyone that,” she laughed. |
| Brennan and her fellow judges had examined half a dozen or so entrants, some looking more seaworthy than others. She questioned the captain of the bribery boat about his safety equipment: lifejackets, paddles and the like. | Brennan and her fellow judges had examined half a dozen or so entrants, some looking more seaworthy than others. She questioned the captain of the bribery boat about his safety equipment: lifejackets, paddles and the like. |
| “What else have you got in the way of survival equipment?” she asked. | “What else have you got in the way of survival equipment?” she asked. |
| “Legs. Arms,” he replied. | “Legs. Arms,” he replied. |
| Brennan mused for a moment, then looked back at the captain. “Have you got crocodile repellant?” | Brennan mused for a moment, then looked back at the captain. “Have you got crocodile repellant?” |
| The Beer Can Regatta has been going since 1974, and has evolved over that period into the safer, more sober and family-friendly event it is now. | The Beer Can Regatta has been going since 1974, and has evolved over that period into the safer, more sober and family-friendly event it is now. |
| A 1980s change by beer companies from steel to aluminium cans had consequences they probably did not account for. The newer, lighter cans can be crushed at 28 knots, the Lions Club discovered, so outboard motors and power boats were banned. | A 1980s change by beer companies from steel to aluminium cans had consequences they probably did not account for. The newer, lighter cans can be crushed at 28 knots, the Lions Club discovered, so outboard motors and power boats were banned. |
| Darwin LGBTIQ get inspiration from Cher | Darwin LGBTIQ get inspiration from Cher |
| On Sunday Shay Whiticker was up early to get to Bunnings for some last minute supplies to finish off Rainbow Territory’s boat. Entering the regatta was an inspired decision by the member of Darwin’s LGBTIQ advocacy group. | On Sunday Shay Whiticker was up early to get to Bunnings for some last minute supplies to finish off Rainbow Territory’s boat. Entering the regatta was an inspired decision by the member of Darwin’s LGBTIQ advocacy group. |
| Related: Northern Territory in a day: excess, destruction, beauty and recklessness | Related: Northern Territory in a day: excess, destruction, beauty and recklessness |
| “I was watering my lawn one afternoon, and threw my beer can, but I missed the bin and when it hit the ground the sun glistened on it and all of a sudden I hear this sound: ‘If you build it Cher will come,’” Whiticker told Guardian Australia. | “I was watering my lawn one afternoon, and threw my beer can, but I missed the bin and when it hit the ground the sun glistened on it and all of a sudden I hear this sound: ‘If you build it Cher will come,’” Whiticker told Guardian Australia. |
| “So I went to my local Rainbow Territory and they all looked at me with a bit of wonder, but one mate stood up and said ‘I will help you build it.’ And that’s how the boat came along.” | “So I went to my local Rainbow Territory and they all looked at me with a bit of wonder, but one mate stood up and said ‘I will help you build it.’ And that’s how the boat came along.” |
| The boats vary in quality. Some extremely seaworthy-looking vessels took thousands of cans and many months to build. Others could have been cobbled together that morning from the leftovers of a larger than expected Saturday night. | The boats vary in quality. Some extremely seaworthy-looking vessels took thousands of cans and many months to build. Others could have been cobbled together that morning from the leftovers of a larger than expected Saturday night. |
| The captain of a “croc-amaran” did some hasty duct tape repairs in the middle of a television interview. An otherwise impressive looking boat by a team from a local Amcal Chemist lost its hulls as soon as they picked it up. A dinghy helmed by Free West Papua activists had some cans half-heartedly strung over the bow, but mainly the crew just wanted to fly the morningstar flag. | |
| About 15,000 people turn up every year to check out the vessels, take part in races and competitions and stroll around the market. | About 15,000 people turn up every year to check out the vessels, take part in races and competitions and stroll around the market. |
| Ten can-mandments keep things under control | Ten can-mandments keep things under control |
| The main event – when the boats take to the water in various competitions – fills the afternoon. The competitions are governed by the “Ten can-mandments”. | The main event – when the boats take to the water in various competitions – fills the afternoon. The competitions are governed by the “Ten can-mandments”. |
| The most important rule is to get out there and have fun. | The most important rule is to get out there and have fun. |
| “The ten can-mandments are absolutely vital,” said Brennan. “But the most important rule is to get out there and have fun.” | “The ten can-mandments are absolutely vital,” said Brennan. “But the most important rule is to get out there and have fun.” |
| This year’s regatta took place the same weekend tens of thousands of Australian, US and Japanese troops conducted the Talisman Sabre joint military exercise, also in Darwin. But despite the large warships moored off the coast, the real battle was at Mindil. | This year’s regatta took place the same weekend tens of thousands of Australian, US and Japanese troops conducted the Talisman Sabre joint military exercise, also in Darwin. But despite the large warships moored off the coast, the real battle was at Mindil. |
| Armed with water pistols, flour bombs and water balloons, boat crews took to the sea – but they had begun on the wrong horn, thanks to an exuberant crowdmember, and organisers spent half an hour coaxing them back to shore. | Armed with water pistols, flour bombs and water balloons, boat crews took to the sea – but they had begun on the wrong horn, thanks to an exuberant crowdmember, and organisers spent half an hour coaxing them back to shore. |
| The delay was not an issue – the timetable had already been abandoned due to over-enthusiasm at the thong throwing competition. | The delay was not an issue – the timetable had already been abandoned due to over-enthusiasm at the thong throwing competition. |
| The boats retook their positions, some limping after the false start, and then, with the real starting horn, they were off: a race to the floating buoys which indicated submerged treasure. The booty had to be captured and returned to the organisers’ tent without being pirated to claim the $500 prize money. | The boats retook their positions, some limping after the false start, and then, with the real starting horn, they were off: a race to the floating buoys which indicated submerged treasure. The booty had to be captured and returned to the organisers’ tent without being pirated to claim the $500 prize money. |
| Tipanic, built by a team of engineers from several thousand cans and some very structurally sound framing, was a clear contender for the title. Flour flew, crew members leaped from boat to boat, and splashing oars and pistols dampened already soaked enemies. | Tipanic, built by a team of engineers from several thousand cans and some very structurally sound framing, was a clear contender for the title. Flour flew, crew members leaped from boat to boat, and splashing oars and pistols dampened already soaked enemies. |
| The engineers were declared winners, despite strong looting attempts by rivals. Wreckage, both boat and human, lumbered to shore. Discarded cans were collected and the crowds dwindled. Some took the opportunity for a swim, confident the crocs would have been scared off by all the activity. Tipanic’s team celebrated victory, but the win came at a cost, and what was left of their once glorious ship was unceremoniously loaded onto the back of a flatbed truck and driven away, never to see battle again. | The engineers were declared winners, despite strong looting attempts by rivals. Wreckage, both boat and human, lumbered to shore. Discarded cans were collected and the crowds dwindled. Some took the opportunity for a swim, confident the crocs would have been scared off by all the activity. Tipanic’s team celebrated victory, but the win came at a cost, and what was left of their once glorious ship was unceremoniously loaded onto the back of a flatbed truck and driven away, never to see battle again. |
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