Dance in doubt but still too close to call

Event date Saturday 30 January 2010
High tide 07:47 (1.30 m) then 20:03 (1.21 m)

Eighty-Four Hours Out: Part of MetVUW forecast chart for regatta evening, issued at six this morning. chart MetVUW

Currently no rain is forecast.

But because this will likely continue to change back and forth before Saturday evening, the Rodney Times has been given a ‘watch this space’ story.

The story signals that both the dance and the shoreside events may have to be cancelled, but to give each event a fighting chance, the decisions will be delayed for as long as practicable.

Now the job of the organisers gets really demanding as they work with the various suppliers to keep the option of proceeding open until the last possible moment. For example, the order for venison patties will be confirmed this morning. Rather than the 1000 planned, the order has been halved. But if the dance does have to be cancelled, a big push by friends of the Mahurangi Regatta will be needed to ensure that, with the help of Stubbs Village Butchery, the 500 patties are sold in short order.

Because the burger baps are produced from scratch on the day, and thanks to Warkworth New World’s wonderfully accommodating bakery manager, the final decision can be made on regatta morning.

Then there is the logistics of erecting the marquees, kindly supplied by Dave Giddens Sailmakers. Extra volunteers are needed, as this will now be done as late as possible—probably on the morning of the regatta.

The unflappable leader of the brilliant Prohibition Big Band, Trevor Thwaites is continuing with preparations in the expectation the dance will proceed, saying ‘and I hope that it does’!

Friends of the Mahurangi and the Mahurangi Cruising Club continue to scour the MetVUW and other forecast charts and to make, or defer making decisions, to give the dance the best possible chance.

The sailing regatta, of course, will proceed—‘more wind’ being the catch-cry of the classic wooden boat contingent. But the shoreside events—the very popular children’s running, sack, egg and spoon races—face cancellation. The final decision on the dance will be left as late as possible.

Since the regatta was revived in 1977, shoreside events have only been washed out three or four times.

Saturday could yet see that lucky streak endure, and the seventh consecutive regatta dance.