HAPPY HOLLOWEEN FROM YOUR PIRATE FRIENDS AT ROCKNROW!!

The Birth of Twins

Now and again

Something special comes along

To complete a dream

Welcome a Maas Carbon Double to the

Rock n Row fleet

Spontaneous and synchronistic

She arrived last week

A first workout

On a warm fall breeze

A door to doubles rowing

Opened with Blackburn

And a borrowed boat.

Now…our best will row the best!

Written by Paul Mazonson.

Check out the video of Paul and Jay in action here:

THE FAB 4 AT THE CHARLES REGATTA

The following is a reprint from the news release we hope makes it into next weeks Marblehead Reporter.
"MARBLEHEAD ROWING ROCKS THE CHARLES"

The Marblehead Rowing CLub, also known as RocknRow, is now making a splash on the international rowing scene. This year, four the club's seasoned roweres entered a boat in the Head of the Charles Regatta last week, the world's largest single rowing competition, in which 9,000 athletes competed from over 50 countries. Rowing in a borrowed boat and with only a few days to practice together, the crew of Thomas Vogel in the stern, Stephannie Brocoum, Carmis Paris and Jay Paris came in 16th in their division. "They had stiff competition but we are proud to have them represented Marblehead in this prestigious regatta, "said Jack Tatelman, President and co-founder of RocknRow.
RocknRow has been well represented in many ocean races for the last few years but this is its first foray into head races, in which crews go off in staggered starts and seek the fastest time. Rowing in the rain and fall temperatures, the boat from Marblehead had a particularly good first half. "The slick rain eventually slowed us, "said Jay Paris, the Club's Vice President, "but the pageantry, the challenge and the competition made it a great race. Next year we plan to come back with a vengeance!"
for more information about the club go to: http://www.rocknrow.org/

Moonlighting

It must have been the anticipation of the upcoming Head of Charles race this weekend, a feeling of not having prepared enough for the race and seeing the sun while driving up north on 93 that caused a chemical reaction at 4pm on a beautiful fall day.

Initially, I was planning on adding a hot yoga session tonight but there was an energy that put only one thought into my mind: ROW. Thanks to smart-phones I was able to check wind and wave conditions as well as time of sunset while sitting in traffic. Not sure if I really would be able to make it I finally ended up at my house at 5pm before continuing to Little Harbor. There, the water looked perfectly and unusually calm. Realizing that the temperatures dropped quickly and the sun had less than 40 minutes before setting I quickly launched the Dolphin and off I went.

Since I did not know for sure how long I could row before darkness would catch up with me, I decided to turn right towards MHD Rock. I figured the twilight might be brighter slightly longer in the wide open compared to the shade of the land line. The water was peaceful and only one sailboat crossed my path to return into the harbor while the sun got ready to set.

After MHD Rock I turned east towards the red wind chiming bell buoy and then headed back north. Having rowed at a steady pace for 20 minutes I started with my 10 minute "hard and full out" training row. The incoming tide seemed to push me even faster than the thoughts of wanting to get back to Little Harbor before total darkness kicks in.

After finishing my "all-out" training sequence it turned out that the twilight still gave sufficient light to row even further. Yet, since this was my first experience in moonlight rowing I decided to go back to Little Harbor. The colors turned out to be spectacular and the surface of the water blended seamlessly with the sky. The calmness of the water made me aware of the cormorants diving and re-surfacing around me.

Compared to all my previous rows of the season this turned out to be the shortest one. Yet it was an awesome row that brought me closer to nature and our HOC race. It also showed me that even though the days are getting shorter the season is not over yet and there is still time for more beautiful rows.

SUSAN HANCKE AND JACK

Sometimes it's very cool to see what's above the ocean as opposed to seeing whats on top of it.

RNR ROCKS THE CHARLES

It's official--we're in. Right now it looks like Thomas stroking, Stephanie in 3, Carmi in 2 and I will steer from the bow. Clean those R & R yellow regatta shirts, stretch, sleep and peak for the Sunday afternoon give-'em-hell row. There are about 65 boats in our division, including some young international studs and studettes but we'll row our own race and beat our fair share. Paulie is cooking Saturday night for husbands, wives and bon vivants.

Allez, allez!

Jay Paris

Director Program Development and Services

Director if Youth Link

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APPLICATION RECEIVED:

Thank you for applying for the Head Of The Charles Regatta using RONIN Racing! Your application for the Directors' Challenge Boats has been received. Entries to the Directors' Challenge are accepted upon receipt of application and full payment. The Regatta office may contact you for additional information regarding the experience of your steersperson.

Accepted boat(s) will be posted here: HOCR Competitors Draw (http://www.hocr.org/competitors/ScheduleDraw10.asp).

APPLICATION CONFIRMATION NUMBER: 21348671295.

Please save this confirmation number as you can use it to check, edit or review your registration through the My RONIN area of our website (https://www.roninregistration.com/rowing/secure/myronin/account.asp?p=hocr&p

t=rowing).

EVENT INFORMATION:

Event Name: Head of the Charles Regatta Directors' Challenge Boats Event Dates: October 23 & 24, 2010 Closing/Cancellation Dates: 8/1/2010 for Singles; 9/1/2010 for Doubles & Crews; 10/13/2010 for Directors Challenge Boats Entry Fee: $240.00 for Quads and $170 for Doubles

Donation: $760.00 for Quads and $330 for Doubles Regatta Contact Info: Elizabeth Diamond

Phone: (617) 868-6200

Email: regatta@hocr.org

Website: www.hocr.org

RULEBOOK:

The Head Of The Charles Official Rules are available here (http://www.hocr.org/competitors/rules_apps.asp). Please be sure all coaches, coxswains, and competitors are familiar with the

irector Program Development and Services Director of Youth Link

R& R Preparing for Head of the Charles Regatta

Offical training for the Head of the Charles got underway last weekend when Carmi and I did a workout in a racing double in Stamford, CT. It went well. We have a quad on loan and are pretty excited to get in it with Stepahnie Brocum and Thomas Vogel. Paul and Kathie M. have offered to host a training meal--a kind of rower's Last Supper -- at their house the night before our race. There are a lot of boats in our division and many fast ones but we ain't afraid of nobody.

Columbus Day

Thomas, Paulie and I decided to celebrate Columbus Day doing what was appropriate to commemorate an explorer of the sea, even a controversial one. We rowed to lighthouses.

Going down, the breeze was stiff and the waves washed into our cockpits. Hitting our lower spines, it reminded us that it's October. But by the time we started back from Beverly, the conditions had improved, which we took as an encouraging omen. If there is a lesson to be learned from salt water rowing, it's that nothing ever stays the same and that conditions off Brown's Island can be radically different from conditions in front of Jack's house, which can be radically different from conditions off Children's. Most of us consider the ocean a friend but when the sky is half gray and half sunny, and the water dark yet very beautiful, it's easy to remember that we are mostly guests out there. Still, great row, great company.

IS THIS THE SECRET WEAPON FOR OFF SEASON TRAINING?

Scouting in Haiti

I was in Haiti last week to see my daughter who is a UN photographer living on the island. There still is a great deal of suffering in Port-au-Prince, where the devestation is real and sometimes surreal. But when we left the city for the hinterlands, I found a different Haiti, one that was chock full of smiling, kind and hard working people. Up country I tried to give five Rock N Row hats away until I learned that Haitians don't wear baseball hats. Ever. Covering the head like that is a submission to the Vodou spirit. It isn't allowed.

In this second photo I'm on a beach, failing at my first hat give-away effort. But even here all was not lost. Turns out this boy's uncle owned the two cobalt blue fishing boats in the village. We rowed them out past the reefs to catch small tuna with nets. The boat weighed a lot more than an Echo. Still, it was as singularly joyful and fun. Anyone for a late winter adventure row up the southern Haitian coast?

AN AL(DEN) STAR CAST

When Jon and I decided to row this past Sunday morning, I knew we would be in for an interesting time. Winds were stiff from the Northeast 12+ knots. That along with a fallen tide made for major sets of chop and rollers. Even the fetch from across the bay made departing from the dock off Anchorage Lane a trapeze act of major proportion. Both of our cockpits were totally submerged before the first stroke of the oars. Soaked from spray and waves did little to suppress our sheer feeling of excitement from being out on the bay for a late Autumn row. Our first leg took us down towards Winter Island off Salem Harbor thinking that from there we could do a little better from the soaking of the Northeast rollers. From there it was a quick pull to Beverly Harbor where we tucked ourselves into the lee side of the bay making our way eastward. Flat water greeted us along the way where we discovered 2 other rowers Thomas and Stephanie in Echos. (see picture). Determining that Misery Island would make a great "go-around", we slogged our way up and down rollers till we cleared the islands. Turning down of the wind and wave, survival instinct took over. Jon and I did everything we could to handle the Stars as they bottomed out at the troughs or sluiced left and/or right surfing down the top of the wave. It was some incredible downhill rowing that lasted almost the 2 miles back to the dock. 9.8 miles overall. Soaked, happy and alive, Jon and I both agree that it was the best row of the season. (but hopefully not our last)