Saturday 21st September saw North Berwick Rowing Club adventure south across the border for a “social row” up The Tweed. With only an hour’s drive to reach the start line we were relaxed and jovial on departure.

The sun shone and the warm sandy beach glowed as each of the 12 clubs slid their boats into the calm water of the river. Everyone expected an easy and maybe slightly boring row.

On arrival at the first of four bridges these expectations were challenged. As the first, second and third boats attempted to row through the arch, rapids drove them back to create a situation that our expert coxes decided to avoid. We waited patiently for a slot to run the rapids but our first attempt failed as the bow was carried by the strong currents. The full strength of the river’s power were no match for NBRC’s strong crews, however kit failure did leave Skiff John B half an oar short for the rest of the upstream leg.

Swans gathered and dispersed as we progressed up the beautiful wooded avenue of the Tweed. Border country seen from a different angle. BUT, and that is not short for the town we visited, there was a distinct lack of water in our host channel. Once St Baldred's cox Phil jumped out to push us through a particularly slow section we thought “that exceeds the duties of a helmsman” but we accepted his aid. Further upstream we were in and out of the boat so many times we could have described the outing as a great walk. The poplar trees standing to attention signified the arrival at Paxton House and the crew breathed a sigh of relief three hours after departure of our “social row”. Happy we had worked hard, everybody tucked into to their awaiting picnic.

Meanwhile, John B's crew were struggling against the current with only three good oars, a situation made worse by the oarlock pins slipping. There was frequent resort to the yellow hammer to repair the number-one pin, and eventually the number-two pin's fixing failed too, leaving us with only two good oars and one other intermittently useful one! However, we too eventually made it, with a bit of a help from the rescue boat and some wading by Tim and Mel.

John B had unfortunately to be declared unfit for the return conditions, but St Baldred's fresh crew had no problems navigating home through a channel filled by tide. After an hour, four satisfied oarsman and Phil our expert cox filed onto the slipway at Tweedmouth to complete the adventure of the “Tweed Row”. Great day out as always.