The trials and tribulations of gig rowing

To be honest our introduction to the Scilly World Championships has been an initiation by fire!

Here is our Ladies Vet Team leaving the harbour in St Mary’s for their race from the Cow and Calf off St Agnes back to St Mary’s – so around 2.5 miles and 2.5 miles back!

Just around the habour wall the wind was gusting to 30mph and the swell was around 1.5m – conditions none of us from Exmouth Gig Club had really experienced before. Our Ladies successfully managed to complete the race but it had taken them a lot longer than expected.

The Men’s Vet Race started once the Ladies had finished but we couldn’t leave until the ladies were back – we tried to get out to the start at St Agnes but unfortunately only got 2/3 of the way across before we were told that the race would have to start without us …… On the positive side – at least we had a good row in some pretty lumpy conditions. Let’s hope day 2 goes a little better.

Here are a few shots from earlier in the day.

Gigs on the beach

Keith Owen (Sidmouth boat) and the Rodney Bey

This is the Amuda a new Dutch gig which was only named at 3pm yesterday – the man in red at the front is the Vicar who blessed the boat