Monster the Loch 2021
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On Friday 17th September 5 intrepid adventurers (Duncan, Ross, John, Jacque and Ann) set off from North Berwick heading to Fort Augustus to take part in Monster the Loch III, a 21 mile row on Loch Ness from Fort Augustus to Dorres Beach along with 86 other human powered boats. The weather was wet on Friday evening but changed to sunny and calm for the start of the race early Saturday morning.
Click here to see a video of the start
We were among skiffs, yoals, outrigger canoes, 8's, double skulls, kayakers and 2 Sups and the field quickly spread out with the 8's and outriggers speeding ahead. We managed to complete the row in 3 hours 58 minutes with Ann and Jacque taking turns at coxing whilst the men put in full effort for the whole 21 miles. There were a few blisters and aching muscles afterwards but the were overshadowed by a huge sense of achievement, not to mention the medal and t-shirt!
A few more photos can be found here
Five in a Row: Donation - online fundraiser - Yoga for Rowers (&friends)
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One of our members, Laura Cram, is leading a donation-based online yoga class on Sunday 5 September from 5 - 6pm.
Treat yourself to a gentle workout for mind and body and a nourishing relaxation all the while helping to raise funds for Five in a Row's epic Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge. Our awesome rowing club colleagues will shortly be rowing 3000 miles unsupported across the Atlantic to support and raise awareness for Reverse Retts.
This all levels online yoga class is suitable for everyone, including absolute beginners. There is no ticket price, just whatever you can offer to support and help a worthy cause.
Please share with friends and family, rowers and non-rowers - all welcome.
To sign up please follow the link below.
To find out more about Laura and her approach you can find more information here.
Regatta Racing Returns to North Berwick
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After a break of two years, Saturday saw the return of the North Berwick Regatta.
Billed as a “Regatta Lite”, the usual course around Craigleith was replaced with a straight 850m race across the East Bay which leant itself to more spectator friendly viewing.
For obvious reasons invitations this year were limited to local clubs, but the racing was no less competitive with a number of races resulting in the podium positions being separated by the closest of margins.
This year saw the inclusion of an U19 category for the first time and it was great to see all the hard work put in by junior coaches and crews across a number of clubs pay off with a thrilling race.
The regatta was topped and tailed by the arrival on Saturday from Port Seton and departure on Sunday to Dunbar of the Row Around Scotland baton, a relay race involving all St Ayles Skiff clubs in Scotland to celebrate 10 years of the Scottish Coastal Rowing Association.
Thanks must go to all the people that made the regatta such a success on the day, both on and off the water.
We are already looking forward to next year and hopefully will also be able to welcome back our friends at other clubs who weren’t able to be involved this time.
Regatta 2021 28th August
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Our annual regatta is returning this year. It will be in a slightly different format and will be a "Regatta Lite". Although there are a series of races the emphasis is on having fun and rejoicing at being back on the water with our skiffie friends. Instead of rowing round the Craig races will start in the east bay with a finish line at the point of the Platcock Rocks and will cover a distance of approximately 1km. We will be joined by skiffs from Dunbar, Eskmuthe, Port Seton, Row Porty, Eastern and South Queensferry.
The day will start with the Row Around Scotland baton arriving with a crew from Port Seton. Information about the baton's journey can be found here. We will be rowing the baton on the next leg of its journey to Dunbar on Sunday.
The races start at 11.00 and the last race will be at 15.00. If you are not rowing do come down at some point during the day and soak up the atmosphere. The best place to watch the whole course will be from the walkway above our store at the north end of the dinghy park.
Junior Muster June 2021
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Achieving the impressive task of mustering twenty six teenagers on the beach by 10.00am on a Sunday morning was just the start of a fantastic day which marked a welcome return to inter-club rowing.
Eastern Amateur Rowing Club and South Queensferry travelled to our beautiful coastal waters in North Berwick to venture round the island of Craigleith in Enid Blyton style and take part in mini sprints round the bay.
The row in company saw five boats disappear round the harbour wall, the most skiffs seen together in North Berwick for over a year. Lizzie Cowan, from NBRC, who coxed a mixed club crew of girls thought she might need to fill in some awkward gaps in the conversation but her worries were unfounded when the girls readily chatted across a diverse set of topics including mascara, kittens and algebra during their row.
On returning to shore the junior rowers took on some refreshments, generously provided by the NBRC's club mates, and studied the crew lists for the sprint course set up by North Berwick’s Robbie Wightman and Dave Davidson.
The girls went out first and Eastern's crew showed their power and rowing style which gave them the advantage for a win against a North Berwick/South Queensferry mix. North Berwick’s older boys came out with the fastest time of the day in the next set of races with all three crews discovering how buoy turns work for the first time. The final races of the day saw NBRC younger boys coxed by Jacque Turner take the win over a South Queensferry/Eastern mixed crew that included some of the youngest rowers to take part.
The effort and determination of every crew was a delight to see and they were rewarded with a burst of sunshine during further refreshments and presentation of the beautiful medals made by the very creative Cowan family. Taking home your first coastal rowing medal is a memory to cherish.
Everyone agreed it was a delight to be back mixing with other clubs and seeing so many young people, the future of our clubs, leading the way.
This is our normal.
Claire Simpson
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