Keith writes: As well as having a great time at tomorrow night’s QRC ceilidh, there is a chance to help fundraising for our club. Rory and I are organising a Pound and Bottle game of skill during the food break. For this to be a success can I implore you to remember to bring as many pound coins as you might want to use to get the chance to win a fine bottle of fizz or (yes, two chances) a good bottle of single malt whisky. I will organise a float of £1 coins which can be exchanged for paper money, but if you could bring pound coins that would be great.
It’s a pound a shot, as many shots as you like. Nearest coin to the bottle wins. A good shot can knock the nearest coin away so that you are nearest. Underhand rolling or sliding are the only permissible ways to play.
There will be a line on the floor so no-one can creep forward. As, like me,
some of you are older I will provide a mat on which you can kneel. Only one person at a time can play, so that we can identify the leading coin.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO BRING CASH!
The social subgroup adds: Remember – tickets include food at half time, and it’s BYOB, so get your ‘carry-oot’ organised! It would also help if you could bring your own glasses, and take home any recycling (otherwise we have to take it home!).
The QRC Nifty Knotters will have a wee stand, so please have a look at their fabulous, handcrafted monkey fist products, which all are for sale.
We will have a small number of tickets for sale at the door on the night (in addition to those of you who have already contacted the team). Doors open at 19:00, Ewan Galloway and his band are looking to playing for us, and we hope you have a great night!
Dónal writes: Well this last weekend was interesting, not a lot of rowing but a congratulations to all our newly qualified coxes (Alan D, Stephanie, Jon and Tracey), great additions to the club.
Looking at this week, it is going to be another windy one, with the exception of Thursday. Next Sunday’s forecast is showing gales of 50+ mph so we will keep an eye on that and make a decision later in the week
Monday 10th February
0907— 0.9m L. 1542 — 6.0 m H. 2147 – 0.4 m L.
Tuesday 11th February
0949 — 0.8m L 1628 — 6.1 m H 2226 — 0.3 m L.
Wednesday 12th February
1025 — 0.8 m L 1715 — 6.1 m H. 2256 — 0.3m L.
Thursday 13th February
1100 — 0.9 m L 1803 — 5.9 m H. 2326 — 0.6 m L
Friday 14th February
0628 — 5.7 m H. 1137 — 1.1 m L. 1851 — 5.7 m H.
Saturday 15th February
0718— 5.4 m H. 1221 — 1.4 m L. 1942 — 5.4 m H.
Sunday 16th February
0811 – 5.1 m H. 1318 — 1.8 m L. 2039 — 5.1 m H.
Trainee coxes returning from a challenging man overboard exercise on Saturday. Photo by John Howell
Dónal writes: As you may be aware, Storm Ciara is heading our way over the weekend. With this in mind we have decided to CANCEL Sunday’s social session, as the gusts are going to be high. On Saturday we will play it by ear so come down on the 8th and socialise in the Shed.
Assistant chef Keith adds: Chef Peter will be in the classroom taking the course for those moving up the ladder of qualifications, and I have undertaken to step/hobble up to take his place so there will be bacon rolls (if you prefer egg then by all means bring some). And if the weather is worse than at present forecast we can have a learning session on parts of the boat and if anyone is feeling brave they can have a session on knots. Look forward to seeing you on Saturday, 9am as usual.
Club captain Anne P writes: As you may know, the Scottish Coastal Rowing Association is embarking upon a one-off event to celebrate its tenth anniversary and the launch of the St Ayles Skiff. This event, RowAround Scotland 2020, involves rowing around Scotland in a relay type format, involving as many coastal rowing clubs as possible.
The event is split into 13 sections, starting in Gretna in April and completing at the Freshwater Sprints at Loch Tummel in October. The event is designed to be collaborative, showcasing Scottish Coastal Rowing and involving local communities along the way with a range of celebratory events. In addition to the main RowAround, side expeditions are being organised, eg Loch Lomond and Loch Katrine.
RowAround Sections
Each section has a coordinator from a local club and the Forth section of the RowAround, from Anstruther to North Berwick, is being coordinated by Queensferry. Our section is due to be completed between the 17th and 29th August 2020.
We have made contact with each of the thirteen clubs that line the route and invited each club to coordinate a ‘mini-section’ with its neighbours. These mini-sections will then be shared with all Forth clubs with the hope that as many clubs as wish to can take part in the mini-sections. Once passage plans for each section have been shared, we can gauge interest from our own members in joining other sections and devise a fair way to involve as many people as possible.
The start and finish of each section where the baton is handed over – in our case, Anstruther and North Berwick – will be marked by an event. This may be a regatta or some other form of community engagement. As Queensferry lies at the mid-point of the Forth Section, we have scheduled our regatta for this date as part of the celebration of the RowAround. There may also be other events planned along the route to allow clubs to come together in a range of ways. Kinghorn are planning a ‘Miners Tribute’ event, commemorating the rowing and racing history and tradition of mining communities in Fife.
Website and Merchandise
You can keep up to date with RowAround information at rowaround.scot. RowAround is also producing a range of merchandise to commemorate the event. If you would be able to coordinate this for the club, please get in touch with Lorna at secretary@queensferryrowing.org or myself at captain@queensferryrowing.org
Queensferry Regatta – your club needs you!
We have decided that our regatta this year will take a different format to previous regattas, celebrating our Queensferry heritage, landmarks and coastline. In the first instance, we have invited Forth clubs to build upon the community aspect of the RowAround. This will be opened further if space permits.
So far, a broad discussion has taken place about the format of our regatta this year, with some competitive and some collaborative, fun elements incorporated into the event.
We have discussed the possibility of a three bridges race in some format, either single course or relay; a pick and mix Andy race of course; and a ‘tour’ which could be a type of treasure hunt or orienteering on the Forth, cryptic clue, quiz based.
We have a rich heritage here in Queensferry and could share and explore many different themes as part of our event/ activities such as racing, fishing, history, nature, landmarks/ names, for example:
Queensferry’s history as a herring port
Old photographs on our club website show racing in wooden boats is part of the history of the town – who raced them and where?
Historic Environment Scotland – Blackness and Incholm (side expeditions?)
The Maid and the Lass arrive on Inchcolm, 2018
Inchgarvie
World Heritage Site – Forth Bridge, Briggers
Three bridges
The three bridges – and two happy crews
We also have a great wealth of knowledge in the club, with members being part of the Heritage group, the Briggers, the Yacht Club and Boat Club, and a wealth of general knowledge about the natural history, industrial history, landmarks and features of our section of the Forth.
The committee would like to invite members to come forward to contribute to the development of our regatta. Because of the different format of our event, please don’t be put off if you’ve never been involved in regatta organisation before. We are looking for creative, imaginative ideas coupled with knowledge of our area which will allow us to put together an interesting, entertaining day for our visitors, alongside a competitive element for those who enjoy that aspect of rowing.
In order to make this a success we need a broad range of knowledge and skills to add to these initial ideas.
If you think you can make a contribution, no matter how small, please get in touch at captain@queensferryrowing.org.
Dónal writes: This week is a mixed bag of tides. We will need to get a pontoon for Saturday, but would need to have the boat out at the pontoon by Friday evening if we are to get a training row on Saturday morning.
Monday 3rd February
0912 —4.5m H. 1348 — 2.4 m L. 2134 – 4.5 m H.
Tuesday 4th February
1016 — 4.5m H 1641 — 2.3 m L 2243 — 4.6 m H.
Wednesday 5th February
1124 — 4.7 m H 1734 — 2.0 m L. 2352 — 4.8m H.
Thursday 6th February
0603 — 1.9 m L 1226 — 4.9 m H. 1823 — 1.6 m L
Friday 7th February
0648 — 1.6 m L. 1320 — 5.3 m H. 1914 — 1.3 m L.
Saturday 8th February
0734— 1.3 m L. 1409 — 5.6 m H. 2008 — 0.9 m L. Pontoon needed
Sunday 9th February
0822 – 1.1 m L. 1456 — 5.8 m H. 2100 — 0.6 m L.
The joys of a social row in early February – all wrapped up against the chill
