Perth Gets All Decked Out for America’s Cup

Driving home the other day from the Long Beach Convention Center, I spotted a bumper sticker that asked, “Have you hugged your surfboard today?”

I couldn’t think of anything less attractive than showing affection to a fiberglass surfboard, except perhaps to a rattlesnake or rat.

As I say, I had been to Long Beach, where I had attended a press conference of the three California syndicates preparing challenges for America’s Cup 12-meter sailboat race in Australia in 1987.

It was there that I found something lots more huggable than a surfboard. It would make a sensible bumper sticker--that is, if you’re the sort that likes to wear your heart on a bumper (which I am not). This sensible bumper sticker would read, “Have you hugged your wallaby today?”

Now there’s a creature that’s pretty lovable. I know, because I hugged a wallaby at the Long Beach Convention Center.

This particular wallaby was about the size of a a golden retriever, although I was told that wallabys, related to kangaroos, come in sizes as small as a rabbit.

The wallaby, whose name, as I recall, was George, had come all the way from Western Australia with a small contingent of representatives of the Western Australian Tourism Commission. One of them was Warren Pateman, who serves as general manager of the America’s Cup unit. Pateman and some sailors from the San Diego, Newport Harbor and St. Francis yacht clubs talked about the big, upcoming event in Perth, while George, the wallaby, peacefully snoozed through it all.

He woke up just once when one of the TV people, whose cameras and lights were behind the back row of seats, made a funny sound, a sort of a squeak. The wallaby was instantly alert, rising on his large and powerful back legs, his short front paws extended in from of him, his eyes bright, his doglike ears perked forward. He stared for some time in the direction of the sound and then, satisfied there was nothing else to learn, settled down on the floor at the feet of his trainer.

George wore a collar and a leash. His long, hair-covered tail, several feet longer than the leash, curved in a graceful “S” on the carpet.

I guess George had heard the talk more than once about the astonishing lengths Western Australia is engaging in to accommodate and entertain the 1.3 million visitors, with about $1.5 billion in their pockets to spend, expected to attend the Cup event in early 1987.

But it was all news to me.

“Perth is a young and vibrant city situated on the Swan River and the Indian Ocean. It is one of the windiest capitals in the world and certainly the most isolated,” the speaker said.

He stressed that Perth is looking toward 1986-87 as an opportunity to demonstrate to the world that it is truly an international city capable of hosting an event of the magnitude of the America’s Cup.

Incidentally, the Royal Perth Yacht Club, where the ornate silver America’s Cup is displayed for the first time in a foreign county in 134 years, is on the bank of the Swan River, about l2 miles inland from the sea where the races will be held. The towns of Cottesloe, Mosman Park and Fremantle are on the coast. At Fremantle, a new marina is being built to berth challengers’ boats from around the world.

This marina is only a small part of the new developments. Private enterprise and government are staking billions on tourist accommodations. They include a $300-million hotel-casino complex on Burswood island just east of Perth, a floating casino aboard the Swedish luxury liner Visby, nine new five-star hotels, a new air terminal, 100 new diesel-fueled motor coaches to carry tourists to points of interest and a $15-million freeway face lift.

This list went on, and when it was over, George roused himself again, and I went up to meet him, asking his trainer’s permission to pet him. I felt for his pouch. It wasn’t there. Of course not, silly, only lady wallabies have pouches to carry and suckle their young. George courteously permitted my pouch search, a hug and many strokings and pattings. In the end, he nuzzled his cool, dark nose against my hand.

I think he liked me. I’m going back to the Long Beach Convention Center to see the California International Sailboat Show, where the Australian tourist people will have a booth. Maybe George will be there. It would be nice to see him again.