Stories from our community

Meet John Edwin Bertrand AO, Australia’s most famous yachtsman. He led Australia II to victory in the 1983 America's Cup. John's connection to Kingston runs deep. “My history goes back a long way,” he says, “and it's the sand and the water that I love most.” He recalls the freedom of growing up in Chelsea, where he would explore all day and only return when hungry. Chelsea’s Yacht Club served first as a makeshift kindergarten where he and his friends would “hang from the rafters and listen to the adults”. It was also the launchpad for his extraordinary career. Today, John enjoys sailing his dinghy and marvels at the purity of the sand along Chelsea Beach: “It’s like talcum powder” and like nowhere else. We celebrate you, John! Here’s Cheers to 30 Years!