skiffs in tow
On 12th/13th August 12 rowers (Dave, Emma, Gillian, Corinna, Sarah, Matt, Cil, Steve, Rory, Ronnie, Stuart, Fritzi) and their 2 supporters Alastair and Malcolm spent a wonderful, exciting and challenging weekend on Cumbrae. A big thank you to Alastair for taking the whole bunch of us, including our two skiffs in tow, over to Cumbrae on the Arran Rose, for his hospitality on board and for reinforcing the safety boat fleet.
Alan Cawly, Stone Cold Photography took lots of wonderful photos which you can admire on his Facebook page. They have also been shared on the Arran Coastal Rowing Club and the Cumbrae Coastal Rowing Club FB page. So have a look to get an impression what an outstanding weekend you have missed or to refresh your memories.
As the Cumbrae Coastal Rowing Club have already published a very well written summary about the weekend on their FB page. I will just copy the content:
“What a fantastic weekend we had for our Cumbrae Circumnavigations. Arran, Cumbrae, Carrick and Firth of Clyde skiffs were out with additional rowers from Govan and Girvan clubs. Great Cumbrae was encircled starting from the Newton Beach on Saturday in glorious sunshine, but a fairly fresh north westerly wind which caught up with us on rounding the north end of the island at Tomont End. A stiff hard row down the west coast to Fintry Bay had everyone sweating and the last third back round to Millport Bay was not much easier even with the wind more behind us. All made it safely to the beach, however, and cakes and pies and some refreshment revived everyone prior to a tasty buffet and musical entertainment in the Newton Bar later in the evening, which saw some hardy souls through to well past midnight.
Sunday dawned very fair with almost flat calm seas and with a very optimistic forecast claiming light breezes throughout the day, we all foregathered on the beach again and headed out towards the Wee Cumbrae for what we all thought would be an “easy-peasy” row. At the lighthouse we had a short stop over, but with gathering dark clouds and a suddenly brisk wind blowing up, the skiffs were launched out into the increasingly heavy southerly swell and we headed on south into bouncy seas through which the skiffs struggled valiantly onwards, finally rounding the southern tip of the island in what seemed, at the time, to be an eternity. With the wind and waves pushing us homeward, the sun reemerging, and the excitement of an exceedingly strenuous row behind us, we all made it safely back to Millport to celebrate.
CCRC would like to express enormous gratitude to all who participated, especially Arran who had a bouncy sail out and back across the seas, Arran Rose towing their two skiffs. The event would not have succeeded without the support and assistance of the Sail and Oar Festival, CCDC Garrison House, CalMac, Lesley and Robert at the Newton, our safety boats, Andy, Scott, Steven, Stevie and the Arran Rose, bakers, Nicky, Ailsa and Dana and Maclachlan’s Family Butchers for pies.”
The Arran Coastal Rowers would also like to express their heartfelt thanks to everybody involved in the weekend. We all thoroughly enjoyed it and are looking forward to next year’s weekend 🙂
More photos
As usual Dave Ingham provided a good number of his amazing photos – also from the area around the old lighthouse. It’s definitely worth having a look. You can find the pics if you click the following link: https://goo.gl/photos/eBfXWTWndGaSm5js9
Alastair and Malcolm on board of the Arran Rose also took some photos: https://goo.gl/photos/hm9fSVqUgXixyiMHA
And you can find Corinna’s Facebook posting and pics here
A glorious fun weekend on Cumbrae
And a couple of videos from the row around Wee Cumbrae from the Arran Rose
