Fun and learning at Port Geographe Experience
A raft-up offered guests a taste of the famous R Marine Perth December Raft-Up experience and created a visual spectacle.
Geographe Bay is a boating haven in the south west corner of Western Australia and the perfect location for a Riviera motor yacht Experience.
It proved to be the perfect relaxed and welcoming start to the weekend.
The bay was named in May 1801 by French explorer Nicolas Baudin after his ship, ‘Géographe’.
A wide expanse of water, mainly protected from the power of the Indian Ocean by Cape Naturaliste, it was the perfect destination for a fleet of 14 Riviera motor yachts with more than 50 owners and guests on board that came together for the four-day Port Geographe Experience hosted by the team at R Marine Perth.
The 90-nautical-mile voyage took the yachts close to a spectacular coastline from Fremantle, south of Perth, calling in at Mandurah along the way where three yachts joined.
Line astern and heading for the shelter of Geographe Bay.
Safely docked at the Port Geographe Marina, the Riviera crews settled in for a weekend of events and fun that began on Thursday evening at Shelter Brewing Co. in the nearby town of Busselton. It proved to be the perfect relaxed and welcoming start to the weekend. The atmosphere immediately brought everyone together with exceptional food, drinks and energy throughout the evening. R Marine Perth’s Ryan Lloyd kept guests entertained with a light-hearted “How well do you know the R Marine Perth crew and Riviera?” quiz which had everyone laughing, interacting and competing for some fun prizes.
Neil Martin, owner of the Riviera 72 Sports Motor Yacht named ‘Platinum’, was particularly impressed.
“The evening gave us a great opportunity to meet new people,” he said. “The R Marine team quickly encouraged a sense of friendship right across the group from that first evening.”
The night also provided a briefing for guests, outlining the itinerary for the days ahead including the flexibility required around variable weather conditions.
Top: Riviera motor yachts together in the Port Geographe Marina. Middle left: proudly flying the Riviera flags. Middle right. Sharing a drink near the marina. Lower left: enjoying the brews from Shelter Brewing in Busselton. Lower right: Beautiful skies greeted the fleet.
“The evening gave us a great opportunity to meet new people…the R Marine team quickly encouraged a sense of friendship right across the group from that first evening”
Neil Martin
Friday saw the fleet exploring the pristine waters of the relatively shallow bay and the spectacular coastline toward Eagle Bay, a small headland at the southern end of the wider Geographe Bay.
A number of owners commented to the R Marine team that the day of cruising in company was their first opportunity to experience the coastline in a group environment and several said that the experience gave them new confidence to explore the region independently in the future.
Natasha Collins said the camaraderie through the group spread quickly to tips and recommendations from the more experienced boaters.
“It was great to be able to share our knowledge and experience,” she said.
Natasha and husband Rob have owned their Riviera 5400 Sport Yacht, ‘Samson Time’, for a year after changing from a flybridge model.
“We prefer the single-level entertainer layout,” she said.
Exploring the wild coastline.
“It was great fun and another fantastic opportunity to meet new people.”
Natasha Collins
Natasha and Rob operate an equipment maintenance business in the Pilbara region of northern Western Australia which has involved a great deal of time aboard work boats.
“That experience translates well to the joy of recreation on board our Riviera,” said Natasha. “We were able to share some of that experience with other owners during the weekend.
“The yacht’s name draws from the small Pilbara coastal town of Point Samson where Rob grew up, and where we have spent most of our lives both working and living the Pilbara lifestyle.”
Natasha’s knowledge and skills did not extend to one quickly improvised event.
“We were planning to go out of the water for a day, but the sea was rough and the R Marine team decided to bring everyone back to the marina where they set up a golfing competition,” Natasha said. “It involved hitting a ball over the water to a target. I decided to give it a miss; too many precious windows close by!”
The men’s and women’s golfing winners each received a Garmin watch as a prize.
An impromptu golf tournament on the marina.
On the second evening, guests travelled south by bus into the Margaret River wine region for a memorable dinner at the Swings & Roundabouts wine bar and restaurant. Guests enjoyed an evening of fine wine and outstanding cuisine. A level of excitement was added with a series of giveaways from Garmin.
Saturday began with a bus trip into Dunsborough at the southern end of the bay for an alfresco breakfast at Meelup Farmhouse. A special treat for the young and young-at-heart was interacting with and feeding the animals at this hobby farm.
All of the events of the weekend led to a signature raft-up held off the heritage-listed Busselton Jetty. This is the longest timber-piled jetty in the southern hemisphere at nearly two kilometres long, built over the shallow bay to accommodate ships loading and off-loading cargo at its outer edge. The raft-up offered guests a taste of the famous R Marine Perth December Raft-Up experience and created a visual spectacle.
“It was great fun and another fantastic opportunity to meet new people,” said Natasha Collins.
Top: Captains and crew of the 14 Riviera motor yachts pose for a group photo before heading to a memorable dinner at the Swings & Roundabouts wine bar and restaurant.
“A raft-up is fun but it is also a challenge…I was pleased to be able to help a few less-experienced owners, and it worked perfectly.”
Neil Martin
The raft-up was both a chance to have some fun in the water and also a learning opportunity for many.
Neil Martin said the raft-up was also an opportunity for some owners to learn more about bringing their yachts tightly alongside one another.
“A raft-up is fun but it is also a challenge,” he said. “I was pleased to be able to help a few less-experienced owners, and it worked perfectly.”
Neil has enjoyed a long association with Riviera. He purchased his first, a Riviera 51, in 2010 and has since cruised most of the east and west coasts of Australia before taking delivery of ‘Platinum’ and cruising her from the east coast around the Great Australian Bight to her home in Mandurah.
A final get-together and a vibrant dockside celebration at the Port Geographe Marina.
“Our team works to bring our owners together, creating new friendships and lifelong memories, reinforcing the sense of community that comes with being part of the Riviera family.”
Ryan Lloyd
The weekend concluded with a vibrant dockside celebration at the Port Geographe Marina. Fresh local seafood was prepared by a chef and delivered to each yacht along with meat platters. Live music and a “Bad Fashion” themed party encouraged everyone to completely let loose and embrace the fun spirit of the event. The judging and showcase of the top six outfits became a highlight of the evening and had everyone on the marina in fits of laughter. The winner of the “Worst Dressed” competition received an engraved magnum of champagne.
Ryan Lloyd said the experience events are about much more than boating.
“Our team works to bring our owners together, creating new friendships and lifelong memories, reinforcing the sense of community that comes with being part of the Riviera family,” he said. “Several owners told me they had formed genuine friendships during the weekend that they expect will continue well beyond the event itself.”
