Hosted in the stunning turquoise waters of the Whitsundays, yachties from around the world gathered for the annual Rendezvous at Shag Islet, in the Gloucester passage in the Whitsundays. At this year’s event, 180 power and sail boats participated.
The Shag Islet Cruising Yacht Club (SICYC), a not-for-profit club, raises money for the charity, the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia. The phenomenally successful SICYC has seen the club’s numbers increase by 500 members over the last 12 months, now 4000-strong from 15 countries.
At the 2015 Rendezvous, the guest of honour was distinguished professor Judith Clements AC, a prominent prostate cancer researcher and chair of the Queensland Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA). Professor Clements spoke of the cancer that affects all ages with an increasing younger demographic being diagnosed each year and explained the research being undertaken to update the testing and diagnosis procedures.
Also in attendance was Deputy Major of Whitsundays Andrew Willlcox who described the activity as the best event he has attended in his position with the council, proclaiming, ‘Here in the Whitsundays, we have good days and we have great days. And today is a great day!’
There were 700 members, friends and sponsors on hand who dug deep and raised $82,000 for prostate cancer awareness and research taking the combined charity collections to a whopping $252,000.
On the Saturday of the four-day event, 106 dinghies from the participating yachts assembled just off the beach from Montes Reef Resort “holding hands across the Blue” in the shape of the Prostate Cancer of Australia (PCFA) logo to drive awareness of the cancer that takes lives of more than 3,000 Australians per year.
Professor Clements and founder of SICYC Ken Thackeray said their goal now was to spread the message beyond the Whitsundays, with the hope that on the last Saturday of August each year, other boating, fishing and surf lifesaving clubs might hold hands across the blue ahead of Prostate Cancer month every September.
Every SICYC member is a Vice Commodore of a nautical location and are lifetime members. To become a member of SICYC costs $60 including a polo and membership card. For further information, join and support a great cause at sicyc.com.au
