PORT Stephens Yacht Club has turned 50 and the anniversary was celebrated at the Soldiers Point Yacht Club in style.

The club’s members conducted a sail past at the race starting line at the Soldiers Point Boat Ramp car park under somewhat blustery conditions.

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Races are held Wednesday and Saturday afternoons and offer great spectator opportunities at the start line and around the port.

The yachts are a diverse group and range from dinghy style vessels and large catamarans to serious ocean going racing yachts.

Courses usually go into Salamander Bay, around George Reserve and up to the entrance of the channel to Tea Gardens, however sometimes they sail offshore and other times venture inland to Tanilba Bay.

The boats were decorated with flags, the boxing kangaroo and some even made a political statement.

‘Yalunga’ which is moored at Salamander Bay took the win for the best dressed boat with a blue and yellow tribute to Ukraine.

The universal signal flags were well represented, including a set made by one of the club’s founding members which is over 50 years old and was seen on the catamaran ‘SubZero’.

One of the vessels that participated in the sail past, ‘51st Project’, has competed in the Sydney to Hobart and several are regular competitors in the Sail Port Stephens Regatta.

Some of the vessels flew flags that represent the countries and territories that they have visited including the Torres Strait Islands, Norfolk Island, and our nearest neighbours Papua New Guinea.

Some of the fleet and their owners have sailed some of the most challenging courses on the globe, including circumnavigating Australia and even crossing the Atlantic!

Member for Port Stephens Kate Washington and Port Stephens Councillor Leah Anderson were among the special guests and both have committed to a sail on Port Stephens in the coming weeks.

Cr Anderson told News Of The Area, “The sail past was wonderful.

“I didn’t know that the club was open to the public twice a week and I look forward to visiting in the future,” she said.

A book of the history of the club has been compiled by local Robin Foley.

Sail Port Stephens is on the calendar and for those who like to watch the Bay there are soon to be more spectacular sights on our waterway.

By Marian SAMPSON