The so-called Bow Back River (see Routes) is a long-disused canal branch a couple of miles north of Limehouse, and officially it’s now out of bounds as it’s being ‘gentrified’ as part of the London 2012 Olympics development. But someone left the floating barrier to it open so last night we wandered in for a look. Not much has changed on the canal itself, but there are a few blocks of flats on its banks which weren’t there last time I looked, and they tell me some bars and restaurants will follow. And the disused locks leading further to the east are being opened up. A cormorant played with our impressive bow-wave but managed to elude my camera. How and why those two old boats found their way on shore is not recorded. And here’s some video of us rowing back down the Limehouse Cut.

Every two years (alternating with Seafair in Wales) the Gulf of Morbihan in southern Brittany is host to 1000 or more classic sailing and sail-and-oar craft from all over Europe and beyond, in an incredibly well-organised festival both afloat and ashore. I have participated before (in 2003) and it was an unforgettable experience. We will be there, if we can find five or six crew in all to share the cost of trailing the boat there and back, via the Portsmouth / St Malo ferry. Read the rest of this entry »

The annual highlight of waterborne activity in London is a race for traditional rowing craft from Richmond to Greenwich, a course of 22 miles, but with the outgoing tide’s considerable help so it’s a lot less through the water. Some 300 boats from the UK and overseas take part, and it’s both a spectacle and an experience to remember.

In Vancouver the course will take around 3.5 to 4.5 hours, depending on the strength of tide, wind — and crew. This is about double the normal duration of our evening rows on the canal, so nothing to be afraid of.  We need to identify our crew as soon as possible and make our entry so please let me know if you’re interested. We can then dedicate one of our current two nights per week to a more rigorous workout to get us all in shape. At stake is the ‘Fastest Montagu Whaler’ trophy - Vancouver won it last year (OK, she was the only MW in the race…) but most years we have some competition.

The rules state we must carry a passenger, and this is ideally someone of light build. There is a charge to enter the race of £35 per head, including cox and passenger, the funds going to charity, plus £5 towards the boat’s costs, making £40 per head in all. Individual crew members are free to raise sponsorship for their own favourite charity also. Read all about the race here and please contact me as soon as possible if you’d like to take part, so I can make our entry and payment to the organisers.

Vancouver was trailed down to Pembrokeshire last week to join the 70-strong sail-and-oar flotilla at the biennial Seafair week on Milford Haven, involving some 150 boats from square-riggers down to cockleshells. Weather varied to embrace dead calm, gales, sunshine and torrential rain. Despite best intentions we were too busy sailing to take many pictures, but here are a few snaps of what you missed. None yet of ourselves under sail of course, but as soon as we receive some they’ll appear here. We could have used a few rowers for the calm spells, but failed to press any into service.

Despite appearances, the Skipper was having fun . . . Read the rest of this entry »

… due to last-minute (ie normal) preparations for taking Vancouver to Seafair in Milford Haven this Wednesday; this is a week-long gathering of some 200 sailing and sail/oar vessels in possibly Britain’s best natural harbour. The full story when we get back.