Club Update | January 2021
Telephone: 0467 475 263 Postal Address: PO Box 49, San Remo, VIC, 3925 Web: www.woolamaibach.org.au Email: Secretary@woolamaibeach.asn.au
Woolamai members,
Please find below a very important update provided by the board of WBSLSC and Life Governor Ron Nicholson.
Re-opening of Club facilities
It is with great happiness the WBSLSC Board can announce that LSV has permitted the re-opening of our clubhouse bar and kitchen to members.
This change takes effect immediately and therefore, the patrol groups over the Australia Day long weekend can make use of the facilities. It certainly will be fantastic to enjoy post patrol social functions again.
It will take a number of days to make the kitchen and bar operational and we seek your understanding on this matter. For example, the glassware and crockery have been packed away to comply with our COVID Safe plan. The bar fridge will need to be restocked and there may be areas in the kitchen that require a clean.
There is no doubt this will be a very busy weekend for our club. The weather forecast combined with a long weekend will result in a very high number of people visiting our beaches. We hope everyone will have a fun and safe time on our magical Phillip Island coastline.
Please note:
Social distancing limits of 1 person per 2 square meters apply within all clubhouse facilities, effectively doubling the previous limit. For example, upstairs in the function room, the new limit is 60 (previously 30).
Whenever any person enters the clubhouse they must scan in using the displayed QR codes or manually using the login book.
The use of bunkrooms remains as per previous advice provided by our Club Captain Josh Cottier.
The club residence remains reserved for patrolling LSV Lifeguards who do not have a local residence to stay at. As LSV has extended the season until at least Sunday 21st Feb the residence will remain unavailable for other members and the rental market until at least this date.
As always please treat our clubhouse with care and ensure it is kept clean and tidy. If you see something that needs attention please report it to your patrol captain or board member and we will do our best to address it for you.
We will continue to follow the advice from DHHS/LSV on all matters related to COVID. If there any changes to this advice we will announce them as soon as they are available
Nippers!
The Nippers 2020/21 program has concluded after another successful year. Congratulations to all our nippers involved, you are the future of our great club! Thank you to all helpers, with a special mention to the Nippers Committee, and Charles & Vicki Tuchtan for their tireless work.
Patrolling Numbers Limit - Removed
Due to loosening in COVID restrictions, we are able to remove the max 25 person on patrol at one-time limit that has been observed throughout the season so far and we will be able to host anyone willing to patrol on any given day.
If you are planning to attend a patrol other than your own (this includes our active reservists) please try to touch base with the rostered patrol captains prior to the day to let them know that you’ll be joining in on patrol.
Working Bee
10:30am - 12:30pm on Saturday the 13th February.
Club Champs
Dates locked in for Saturday 27th February.
Extended Lifeguard Season
We have received official notification from Life Saving Victoria of the following:
Woolamai Beach and Smiths Beach will have an extended 7 day a week Lifeguard and Volunteer season until 21st February 2021.
Following this Volunteers will patrol only on weekends until Easter.Cowes Foreshore will be patrolled until 26th January 2021.
Bass Jet Ski (RWC) Service will continue only on weekends after 26th January 2021.
History of Woolamai Book Launch
Wild about Wooli has now been launched! You would have seen the email sent out from Surfguard, as well as the posts on our Club Facebook and Members Pages. Make sure you snag yourself a copy. It is a fantastic read and a real credit to the continued and dedicated work of Graeme Clauscen (Life Member and Club Historian) as well as his many contributors and helpers!
The book covers the first 50 years of Club History in a fantastic fashion with as much light shone on the 2000s as the 1960s.
The Board of Woolamai Beach SLSC extends its thanks and gratitude to Graeme and his team for their work on the publication.
All Access Wooden Ramp
The wooden kiosk ramp has been fixed and is back open to members of the public.
A message from Ron Nicholson
WOOLAMAI WIPEOUT – AUSTRALIA DAY WEEKEND 2021
Light At The End Of The Tunnel
After a difficult twelve months for the Woolamai Beach SLSC, it is great to be able to announce that things are now looking up and there is a lot of positive news coming out for our Members.
When the pandemic first hit last March we were like so many other Aussie organizations that went into lockdown with the result that the Presentation Night scheduled for last May was canceled and since then we have not been able to get the Woolie Family together for nearly twelve months.
During that time we lost three notable WOOLAMAI WARRIORS in John Barber, Brendan Condon, and Mick Wearne and we saw the Clauscen family lose their son and nephew Kristen.
The club board and officers were then put through the hoops with hard-hitting Covid 19 Restrictions and many hours spent working on COVIDSafe Plans to get the Volunteer Patrols, Life Guard Program & Nippers underway for the 2020/21 season even as the clubhouse was virtually shut down to any social activities and the Life Guards were shunted around to the Residence at the Cranny. No Nipper’s functions or bar being opened after patrols. Then we had to cancel the running of the 2021 Channel Challenge and this really hurt as the event is a major point of interaction with the local community and the major swim/run Aquathon held in Victoria. There was also had some angst over patrol rosters and trying to come up with solutions that suited all sections of the club but that has been worked through to some degree.
Finally, we have had a run of serious injuries and illnesses impacting some stalwart Wounded Woolamai Veterans over the past six weeks – all of whom would normally be very busy helping out on Channel Challenge Day.
Dennis Harris had a fall at his Island property with a badly broken nose affecting his good looks as well as severe cuts to his head and as a result, he has also been diagnosed with early onset of Parkinson’s disease. Dennis is a LM and has been a key organizer of the Channel Challenge for over thirty years.
Mark Roney came a bad cropper after falling off a ladder and dislocating a shoulder and fracturing vertebrae and ribs and while recuperating he was bitten by a spider or snake at the farm. Another LM is the first to set up the race center on Channel Challenge day each year.
Rob ‘Seal’ Williams then tried to outdo Mark by somersaulting head over heels off his mountain bike and also dislocating a shoulder and breaking some ribs – no Gerrie’s patrols for Seal for five months. Rob was involved with the first Channel Challenge back in 1986 and is there each year to help out.
Finally, we had Peter ‘Doc’ Mannix, a great club supporter and driver of the shoe bag bus at every Channel Challenge also came off second best with a snake at his Woolamai house and soon showing off a thumb that had turned jet black.
We wish these dedicated Woolamai veterans a speedy recovery and plans are in place to get us all together and give them a Group Hug in three weeks’ time.
A ‘Back To Woolamai’ Day – Sat 13th February
The first of the good news came through on Thursday with the announcement that restrictions on numbers and activities at the clubhouse were being lifted so that by Sat 23rd Jan the clubhouse bar should be stocked and operational for the Australia Day weekend.
Then on Sat 13th February, which would have been Channel Challenge Day, there is a day of activities at the club starting with:
A 10.30am – 12.30pm Working Bee to continue the good work recently carried out by PINP who are currently moving tonnes of sand from around the clubrooms. Darell Clark, Thommo, Stafford, and Murray have all been involved and will lead the way.
The Blue Zinc Patrol is on duty at 1.00pm and with luck, the weather will enable a club swim ‘out the back’ during the afternoon. Sully to lead the way.
Drinks for everyone as catchup at the clubhouse at 5.00pm (earlier if the weather dictates)
Dinner at the San Remo Hotel as they have been our major Channel Challenge supporter since Lyall Williams first suggested it in 1986.
An introduction by Graeme Clauscen to his magnificent new book – Wild About Wooli: copies will be available and he will sign them: it is fantastic.
We will need bookings for dinner which is being co-ordinated by Georgie Wettenhall. Please email your attendance confirmation to Georgie (wettenhallg@gmail.com). The deadline is Monday 8th February 2021.