Wyndham Harbour cruise
in company with R Marine Jacksons
The fleet tied up at Wyndham Harbour marina and ready for a weekend of fun and Riviera friendships.
In late summer, eight Riviera owners made the easy cruise across Port Phillip Bay to Wyndham Harbour for R Marine Jacksons Summer Cruise in Company. A relaxed weekend on the water blended dockside gatherings, a visit to Werribee Mansion for a delightful High Tea and the simple pleasure of spending time together aboard their luxury motor yachts.
“R Marine Jackson sure do a wonderful job,” says Neil Searle, who, with wife Pamela, cruised across from Sandringham Yacht Club aboard their Riviera 505 SUV ‘Glasscutter’.
Attention to detail is something Riviera owners appreciate, whether it’s a thoughtfully designed stateroom or the morning newspapers delivered on a weekend away. “It was an excellent weekend. These organised trips are always about the people, with a great family atmosphere, plenty of time spent together on the Rivieras and always someone new to meet.”
The mood across the weekend was relaxed and social, with owners drifting from yacht to yacht, sharing stories and comparing features. Time on the water offered the chance to connect, learn from one another and enjoy the quiet pleasure of Riviera living, whether it involved joining the organised activities or simply staying aboard and soaking up the calm of Wyndham Harbour.
“The first night we congregated on ‘Glasscutter’ and shared a few wines and stories. There were about 20 of us onboard on the Friday night and it was a very good catch-up and a chance to meet new people. On the Saturday night we congregated on ‘Sparky’, a Riviera 72 Sports Motor Yacht.”
“These organised trips are always about the people, with a great family atmosphere, plenty of time spent together on the Rivieras and always someone new to meet.”
Neil Searle
On their Riviera 4800 Sport Yacht, ‘Persistence’, and accompanied by their four-legged pal, Buddy, Phillip and Sandra Cozens agree with Neil: the highlight of their weekend was spending time with mutual friends on their luxury yachts.
“At these events everyone has something in common, we love our boats, and it’s just a good social outing for the weekend to shoot across to other parts of the bay with a group of other Riviera owners,” says Phillip. Buddy is always up for the experience, too. “He loves the Riviera as much as we do! He’s born to be on a boat. He’s quiet, doesn’t interrupt or bark, and does most of the trips with us.”
“At these events everyone has something in common, we love our boats, and it’s just a good social outing for the weekend…”
Phillip Cozens
The weekend offered a good variety of activities from mini golf to high tea to some quieter and relaxed moments.
The R Marine Jacksons team are experts at organising itineraries in the region that make the most of their boating grounds. Between group experiences there was time for owners to explore at their leisure, with optional outings including the B-24 Memorial Restoration site at the historic Werribee airfield, lunch and wine tasting at Shadowfax Winery, or a visit to Werribee Open Range Zoo.
“They’re not the sort of things you might normally go out of your way to do, but with a group of like-minded people it’s great fun,” says Phillip. “Wyndham is just on the other side of the bay from us at the Sandringham Yacht Club. It’s very good for boating and it was a lovely weekend with mild weather. There were a lot of highlights, the socialising, the dinner with everyone and mini golf, as well as Werribee Mansion and the High Tea – that was something special. R Marine Jacksons are very good at organising events. If they’re organising a tour, you know you should go!”
“They’re not the sort of things you might normally go out of your way to do, but with a group of like-minded people it’s great fun.”
Philllip Cozens
As the eight Rivieras departed from Wyndham Harbour across the bay to their various home ports, there was a shared sense that a great cruising destination may set the stage, but it is the camaraderie of the community aboard a Riviera that makes the journey memorable.
