Story by Phil "subz" solomon

Crikey! What a party it was. The first Australian Latitudes and Attitudes Cruisers' Party hit the ground running with an estimated crowd of about 350 people ready to liven up the town of Airlie Beach in the Whitsundays. Not too bad for a first attempt.

It all started on the Lats & Atts Bulletin Board where everyone was talking about the great parties they were having throughout the States and down in the islands. The excellent account of the PNW Party was the last straw. “How come they all seem to be having a great time and we're just sitting here reading about it?" I asked myself.

“Hey Titch, why don't we have a Lats & Atts Party over here in Oz?” I casually asked my usual partner in all things stupid.

“Sounds like a fair dinkum good idea to me”, replies Titch with an evil grin spreading over his bearded bollard. “Let's tell the girls.” Sue and Kim just looked at us and then looked at each other with THAT look. You know the one, the “What are these two idiots getting us into this time” type look.

After floating the idea on the Bulletin Board and getting a positive response, and soon after, an encouraging e-mail from the big fella, BB himself, telling me, “That'll teach me to open my big mouth,” we were in it up to our necks.

The obvious venue was the Whitsunday Sailing Club, right in the middle of town and with a view over the water and islands to die for. The Sailing Club came onboard and soon we had Keiran McCarthy, a local musician, booked for the party as well. The date was pretty easy, Saturday, 12th June, right in the middle of the Queen's Birthday long weekend (yep, we've still got a Queen!). There was the Whitsunday Boat Show running over the Saturday and Sunday and the Whitsunday Fishing Classic running over the Sunday and Monday….. Perfect! With so many visitors in town, hopefully we'd get a good crowd.

Sponsors, we need sponsors! Kim McKee from Sunsail to the rescue. Sunsail didn't even bat an eyelid when I asked them if they would come onboard for the ride, just like they do for the parties in the States. “Sure,” said Kim, “we'll help out, our pleasure,” and help out they did with a three-night charter package as a raffle prize. These guys are the best, no matter where you are in the world of cruisers.

Then more good news started to pour in. Capt. Woody and Dena will be arriving on Low Key and will be in town for the party. Then another e-mail arrives a few days before the party. “Ya can't have a party without the Bitchins! We'll be there in a couple of days time.” Yahoo, Bob and Jody are coming. Oh Bugger, now the pressure is on, we gotta make this work. And work it did.

The crowd started to roll in around 6pm and by 6.30pm the music was in high gear and the place was starting to fill up. The club put on a great, low cost BBQ and even had an extra bar set up so that no one had too far to walk for another coldie.

Bob and Jody brought the house down with heaps of prizes and giveaways, including magazines, hats, CDs and a couple of yearly subscriptions.  I don't think there were many people who didn't get something. Woody gave out so many Winch Wenches that Low Key must be riding two inches higher in the water now.

Jody also brought over a pile of Lats & Atts tattoos and tattooing everyone began in earnest. Woody and Dave, from San Francisco, volunteered to do all the girls, and Dena and Phillipa (Flipper) did the guys' tattoos. Soon there was a line of likely sheilas in front of Woody who, by the way, also had the bright idea of licking them onto willing victims….. you are such a considerate guy Woody. That line may have been long, but it sure was eclipsed by the blokes lining up in front of the girls… way to go girls!

One of the rules for the party was that you had to arrive in your loudest tropical shirt. Wow, what a colourful lot there was. Woody, Dena, Dave and Flipper were appointed as judging panel for the loudest shirt and had a difficult time deciding the winner. Finally, Kev Fogarty won the day with, not only the loudest shirt, but also the loudest pair of shorts it has ever been my misfortune to see. Well done Kev, my eyes are still hurting.

The crowd was dancing, eating and drinking ice cold VB Beer and Bundaberg Rum when that time of the night came to draw the winners of the raffle. Bruce, a long time fan of Lats & Atts, was pleased as punch to win a yearly subscription. The grand prize of the Sunsail Charter was won by Airlie Beach local, Steve Halter, who couldn't believe his good luck.

The party continued well into the night (or was that morning?) with many L&A fans enjoying meeting up with Bob, Jody and all the team in real life.

It might have been a good night, but it couldn't have happened without the support of those who had faith in the success of an Aussie L&A Party: Bob, Jody, Woody, Dena and all the Lats & Atts team; Kim McKee and the team from Sunsail; Phil Battey, Kev Fogarty, Sue, Ivan and the team from the Whitsunday Sailing Club; the talented Keiran McCarthy; Michael Elliott from Rotary; Julie Winterburn from the Whitsunday Fishing Classic; Capt. Dan; Kim and Titch Turner; Sue Goudie; the Whitsunday Times newspaper; and all those great people who showed up to prove that the Whitsundays is one of the best places in the world to live, sail and PARTY.

(Publishers note: Okay Phil, now you've stuck your foot in it. Let's see what you can put together to beat this party next year!