Gladstone Harbour Festival - Finding Easter!

Years ago I remember looking for Christmas... Capt Paul and I took a short trip to Antigua, Guatemala.  Here in Gladstone there is no need to look for Easter... it is all around you!

It has been a few days with a lot of walking!  I made a quick run into town Thursday for some supplies for Capt Paul.  Every clerk that I talked with wished me a Happy Easter!  I loved it!  On Friday, Good Friday, most all businesses were closed so I walked over to the park with the lighthouse and then to the Festival grounds! 

This is the view of the Gladstone Marina from the upper park! 

What an awesome lower park too!

From the lower park looking across the river to the festival grounds. 

 

This morning I headed to Spinnaker Park where the sailboat race finish line was!

I was so worried I was going to miss it (after a 45 minute brisk walk)... then found out that with the tides... the lead boat was not expected until noon!  I knew there were the raft races at the yacht club so I started walking back.  My feet were already tired so I decided I might give hitch-hiking a try.  Before getting back out onto the main road I went into a little coffee bar for some water and there was a detective.  I thought I'd at least better ask if it was legal for me to hitch-hike here in Australia.  He said it was NOT legal... but then also offered me a ride to the yacht club!! Whoooohooooo! 

The raft races were so much fun to watch!  The dolphins were the boys club entry... they didn't get very far... and sort of got swamped.  In the video you can see them all overboard!

The good news for them is this years winner...had the number "two" behind it.  Last years number one sank! Hopefully it will be the boys clubs turn next year!

There were eight entries.

Each raft was given a couple of large buckets of flour bombs (flour wrapped in paper) to throw at each other and a few of them had water canons...

to say nothing of the fire department getting involved and hosing down the entrants!

 I walked over to the bridge and watched most of the race from there!  Great fun to watch and I'm pretty sure a great time was had by all!  Getting wet in this heat... well I was getting misted by the fire hose and didn't mind at all!

When the Great Raft Race had completed I walked back to the main road... and a nice young man with his daughter gave me a ride back to Spinnaker Park!  I didn't have to wait long until the winner appeared.

 Black Jack crossing the finish line in first place!!

The video starts with the park, has some of the festival rides, the parade on Friday night, some of the raft race, and ends with the winner of the sailboat race from Brisbane to Gladstone!

I was disappointed that on the video all the "Happy Easter" wishes from the participants did not come through!   I was and am amazed that so many were sharing their Easter joy!  So for us tomorrow is Easter Sunday.  I will be walking up the hill into town for Easter church services!  With the couple of blisters I have from all the walking this past week... yes, I will still be walking... just going to the church that is the closest!  Thank you Gladstone...HE IS RISEN!!!!