SUNNY weather attracted a strong crowd to the coast over the weekend for the annual Beachport Market Day and Duck Race.
Holidaymakers and locals flocked to Railway Terrace on Saturday morning to browse fresh produce, arts and crafts, vintage goods and clothing stalls.
The hot summer weather saw the foreshore, the surf beach and the salmon hole packed with visitors.
As temperatures soared into the 30s, the town’s stores were filled with visitors seeking shelter from the heat.
Spectators and participants began trickling to the Pool of Siloam from around 3pm, an hour before the official start of the race.
By 4pm the landmark venue had standing room only as spectators squeezed together to watch the thrilling race between almost 1600 plastic multi-coloured ducks.
Former Beachport resident Ralph Adamo travelled from Victoria to compere the event while the Beachport District Development Association, Beachport Rivoli Bay Lions Club and community members provided a sausage sizzle and refreshments.
Lions members launched the boat in front of a shoreline of children who were eagerly awaiting the flock and hoping to snare a duck.
However, northerly winds were not conducive to the Lions’ original finishing line, with the ducks floating to the opposite side of the pool.
With the initial finishing line unlikely, Lions and spectators moved to the north side of the pool to await the winning duck.
In another twist, the wind again changed direction closer to the original finishing line.
Almost 45 minutes later, a plastic duck belonging to Millicent youngster Lily Vanderheul was crowned as the winner.
Second place was Beachport’s Elle Machin with duck number 82, while third place with duck number 325 was Beachport’s Charlotte Pegler.
Matilda Gillespie’s duck was fourth place and Millicent’s Heather Grosser claimed fifth place.
The Beachport Duck Race is in its 17th year and was named as the 2014 Kintore Ward recipient of the Australia Day Community Event of the Year Award.
Organised by the Beachport District Development Association and assisted by the Beachport Rivoli Bay Lions Club, the event is one of the association’s biggest fundraisers.
