Club captain David writes: Following the nominations and election of office bearers and committee members at last nights AGM, I am pleased to announce the following:
Officer Bearers:
David James – Captain Mags Baillie – Vice Captain Anne Purcell – Treasurer Marianne Sandison – Secretary
Committee Members:
Beth Curtin, Steph Durning, Ewan Garden, Elina Gigourtakis, John Howell, Richard Pearson, Angie Rayner.
Thank you to all those involved and also for your support over the past year!
A question at the AGM was “how many times have the boats been on the water since the last AGM”. The answer was 525, so it just shows what an active club we are. Thanks to the RPs and so many rowers for turning up on a regular basis.
Just a quick reminder that nominations for club officers and committee members ahead of this year’s AGM close next week, on Tuesday the 8th of October.
The nomination sheets are pinned to the notice board in the Shed.
The AGM will be held on Thursday the 24th of October at 7.30pm in the Club House of the Port Edgar Yacht Club.
Yes, the sun has set on evening rowing sessions for 2024. Photo by Rory
Val writes: We had a glorious couple of days in Ullapool, memories of the torrential weather and lightning of the previous year fondly recounted and reminisced over by scores of skiffies from the Queensferries and beyond as the weather this year just got better and better during the weekend set up on the shelving shingle beach of Costa De Lapooll.
Go the Ferries! Racers assemble on the Costa De Lapooll. Photo by Val
No medals but great company, fantastic variable conditions on the water throughout the weekend with just enough chop and swell at the Lomo buoys to really give the crew and coxes something to think about. Both Richard (thank you so much for towing and all the kit organising!) and I undertook our first ever race coxing.
Skiffs line up on Loch Broom. Photo by Val
It’s a super set up at Ullapool, SEVENTEEN lanes!! As I set off in the Maid with my steady crew, I popped past the hand buoy that the coxes pick up to achieve one of the most organised race start lines anywhere I have ever seen. I confidently tapped it, felt how I would grab it again and released so we could practice a start and a turn before lining up again.
Well, it took me three attempts to pick it up for real after several inelegant million point turns onto it. But, not daunted, with cheerful crew that was it, we were lined up. Just a little bit of medieval torture maintaining the hold on the buoy with out dislocating my right shoulder, left hand on rudder and the radio crackled into life
… Attention..
All skiffs!…
Row!.. Or maybe Go! (I’m not sure!!)
But we were off! A great start, a strong crew, an inexperienced race Cox and a flipping long sprint. Chop at the run into the Lomos … “Watch the oars, catch the water” and I found the first of Rachel’s phrases emitting from my mouth to encourage the crew… “This is Scottish Coastal Rowing, We LOVE IT!”
The crew were giving their all but I saw four little smiles crinkled in response to that. St Andrews crossed our bow on their way back down the course as we approached for the turn, serendipitously gaining at least two boat lengths on a competitor many lanes away. We raced back into the more gentle water in a gaggle of four skiffs, our own race unfolding in a wave just a minute behind the eventual winners. We came a brave second out of that four. Another of Rachel’s techniques unfolded as we gave Ten for Allan, Ten for Sarah, Ten for Lesley and Ten for Richard as we attempted to just nudge past that leading Skiff!! There’s always something to play for at a regatta!
Rachel enjoyed what she’s said will be her last race, and what a venue, regatta and weekend of weather for that to have happened.
Rachel says this will be her last race – the end of a great career. Photo by Val
We really enjoyed having our friends from North Queensferry with us, and thoughts definitely started to drift towards “The Worlds” next summer. Óndrej and Filip held up the side for the youths and as well as rowing with Queensferry were poached by a couple of other clubs giving them exciting afternoons on Saturday!
Juniors give their all. Photo by Lynn
Ullapool, as ever is a fantastic venue, It was my first ever regatta that I attended a few years ago, my first ever race, and now my first ever race coxing and so will always be special.
Brave souls take a dip in Loch Broom. Picture by Lynn
There’s accommodation suiting all budgets and ranging from canvas, to campervan, youth hostel to plush hotel. From fish and chips to curry, langoustine, lobster, or wood-fired Pizza and with a decent Tesco at the back of the village for self caterers, it really does have everything. We were treated again to a Saturday night Ceilidh in the Ferry Terminal, there’s something just so magical about that and a good crowd of us rounded off Saturday evening with a wee burl to Auld Lang Syne… (Or so we thought…., until we reunited on the beach slightly later to reinstate the gazebo after it had been caught by the wind and become, shall we say, rather friendly with RowPorty’s skiff!…. ) No skiffs or gazebos were hurt in the process!
Langoustine on the menu. Photo by Val
The nice thing about Ullapool is it really is so special. If the usual pattern unfolds, it will be a local Highland regatta next year in their preparation for the Worlds, so mark up your July 2026 calendar!
I haven’t really given the breakdown of the results, but actually, it really is the taking part that counts.
Yes, spring has sprung, the clocks have gone forward, and it’s time once again for evening rowing on Tuesdays and Thursdays – tides and weather permitting, as ever.
This week we shall have rowing from 18:00 until 19:00 this evening, the 9th (only one hour because of the tides), and on Thursday the 11th from 18:00 to 20:00. Both sessions will be on a turn-up-and-row basis. The more the merrier! We have two skippers available for each evening, so we could possibly get both boats out.
You know you want to! Photo by Eleni
On Saturday the 13th, we shall have a bookable row in Ferry Maid from 09:00 and turn up and row rowing in Ferry Lass from 09:00 till 10:00 (tides restrict the end time). On Sunday the 14th, both boats will be away at North Berwick to take part in a row in company around the Bass Rock, so there will be no social rowing session.
Happy New Year everyone! With the Lass off the water for her makeover, it was just the Maid who attended this year’s Dook – along with St Margaret’s Hope and Ferry Sonnet from North Queensferry. It was a special row for one club member, George, who was celebrating his 85th birthday. Many happy returns George!
George in the bow
Also at the Dook was Richard, paddling his kayak. A couple of onlookers on shore were overheard musing about why the kayaker was shadowing the skiffs. “He must be the rescue boat,” the chap said. “Oh yes, gosh that’s good of him, isn’t it!” Well done Richard – we’re sure you’d have managed to pack all six crew into your kayak in the event of a capsize!
Plenty of room… Photo by Richard
On shore, braving the Dook, was Lorna.
That’s Lorna next to the meep-meep manGood weather made for a big crowdPhoto by Cheryl
After the Dook, the Maid visited the old harbour to wave to Sheena and Ranald.
