All Aboard for Unmissable Tales of Adventure at the Port Edgar Open Weekend

THREE captivating and inspiring stories of adventure, near-death experiences and endurance are set to thrill the crowds at Port Edgar Marina’s 10th anniversary Open Weekend on 4th and 5th May!

Article Source: Port Edgar
Last Updated: 26 April 2024 10:39

From stories of being shot by drunken pirates in the Amazon to becoming the youngest woman in the world to scale both the north and south sides of Mount Everest, visitors to the Marina’s 10th anniversary event on Saturday 4 May are in for a treat as speaker line-up confirmed.

The full adventure talks programme announcement comes as planning continues apace for the Marina’s first Open Weekend since COVID, with two packed days of watersports, street food, kids’ activities, music and shopping lined up on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 May 2024.

Ex-Royal Marine John Bathgate, who was shot by drunken pirates in the Amazon last year during his Summit to Sea expedition, will kick off the speaker programme on Saturday at 11am, recounting the moment his once-in-a-lifetime South American challenge almost proved fatal when he and his team-mate were attacked near the Colombian border. Tickets available here.

Then at 1pm, three rowing adventurers Jess Goddard, Charlotte Irving and Taylor Winyard, self-styled the ‘Pacific Triow’, will shed light on the training and preparations needed to get ready for the epic 2,800-mile row they’ll be tackling from Monterey in California to Hawaii later this summer as part of The World’s Toughest Row endurance event. Tickets available here.

Finally, double world record-breaker Mollie Hughes - mountaineer, sports adventurer and author of Blue Scotland - will take to the podium at 3pm, sharing hair-raising tales of her incredible achievements in becoming the youngest woman in the world to successfully scale both the north and south sides of Everest, as well as the youngest woman in the world to ski solo from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole. She will also be discussing her book Blue Scotland – the ultimate guide to exploring Scotland’s wild waters. Tickets available here.

The trio of adventure talks will be hosted by fitness and sports enthusiast and podcaster Alan Nash aka Get After It Nashy.

Tickets are £10 each per event and children under the age of 12 are free.

Mollie Hughes, who is based in Edinburgh, said: “My love of watersports started during my childhood in Devon and is now part of my daily life with running an ethical adventure travel business. I’m excited to share stories from my endeavours at Port Edgar’s Open Weekend as part of its 10th anniversary celebrations and am very much looking forward to speaking about my own water-based travel tales from my book Blue Scotland.”

Port Edgar Marina’s managing director, Russell Aitken, said: “Visitors are really in for a treat with this unmissable line-up of adventure talks and I’m sure audiences will be agog at the tales our speakers have to tell of their incredible feats of endurance and overcoming adversity. We’re expecting tickets to be snapped up quickly, so we definitely recommend pre-booking via Eventbrite before coming along to the event to secure your space.

“The Open Weekend promises to be such a special weekend for everyone at the Marina as we celebrate the event’s 10th anniversary. We’re pulling out all the stops to make sure that it returns with a splash!”

Families are expected to flock to the Port Edgar Open Weekend, which has previously attracted 10,000 visitors from across central Scotland.

As well as the adventure talks, expert instructors from Port Edgar Watersports CIC will be hosting numerous watersports taster sessions offering the chance to try canoeing, sea kayaking, stand up paddleboarding, windsurfing, keelboating and powerboating plus Wetwheels Edinburgh CIC will have experiences available throughout the weekend. The sessions cost £30 per adult and £20 for children over 8 years old. It is highly recommended to book in advance of coming along via www.portedgarwatersports.com/bookings/

Once again, the Open Weekend will feature a feast of food and drink options with a wide selection to suit all taste including Fred’s Backyard BBQ; Alanda's Fish & Chips; Pizza Geeks; Taberu; Yu Ca Taco; Choola; Caravan of Courage; Moskito; Mimi's Bakehouse; and MacLaurins coffee.

Shoppers can peruse an extensive range of country, marine and casual clothing and accessories at the Marina’s shop, Beacon. The shop will have amazing offers over the weekend and features brands including Dubarry, Joules, Schoffel and Fairfax & Favor.

In celebration of its 200th anniversary, the RNLI will also be present offering practical skills training relating to water safety for both adults and animals!

Taylors Snacks – formerly known as Mackie’s Crisps - will be adding some further fun and games to the proceedings, with their special ‘potato shy’, ‘snack race’ and crisp grabber. There are also face painters, crazy golf and Make Mess Matter to keep younger visitors entertained.

Due to the popularity of the Open Weekend event, car parks are expected to be very busy, so visitors are being encouraged to travel by public transport. Local residents are encouraged to cycle or walk. For anyone arriving by car, there will be a £5 parking donation for the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation – with other opportunities to donate across the site.

Less than 30-minutes from Edinburgh city centre, on the southern banks of the Firth of Forth, Port Edgar Marina boasts stunning views of the Queensferry Crossing and the Kingdom of Fife beyond.

As one of the east coast’s largest marinas, with berths for over 300 boats, Port Edgar is also the home of Port Edgar Yacht Club and a number of major marine businesses.

The Port Edgar Open Weekend, 4 & 5 May 2024, 10am-5pm. Parking charge of £5 on entry will be donated to My Name'5 Doddie Foundation. For further information, visit www.portedgar.co.uk and the events page on Facebook.

Adventure talks tickets can be booked here:

John Bathgate at 11am: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/john-bathgate-adventure-talk-port-edgar-open-weekend-tickets-888383377597

Pacific Triow at 1pm: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/pacific-triow-adventure-talk-port-edgar-open-weekend-tickets-888398041457

Mollie Hughes at 3pm: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mollie-hughes-adventure-talk-port-edgar-open-weekend-tickets-888297711367

To avoid disappointment, it’s recommended to pre-book a watersports taster session by contacting Port Edgar Watersports CIC on www.portedgarwatersports.com/bookings or call 0131 319 1820.

It is £20 per child aged 8-16 and £30 per adult.

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