How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Ultimate flat water rowing

Ultimate flat water napping

(notice the dragonfly along for the ride?)

To all the specialists out there

During my last row I was able to get my heart to beat consistently under 130, but the speed was far from Thomas’ sustained 6 miles per hour for 70 minutes. My speed was more in the 4.5 miles/hr range. Now if I use a lot more power (160BPM) I only get another mile per hour in speed. I have been thinking a lot about this lately and I think it’s fair to say:

A) I am in better shape now than 3 months ago (OK, it should not come as a surprise)and my heart beat is dropping.
B) I am lacking lots in technique because I have to increase the effort a lot for just a small increment in speed.

Let me be more specific about point B. I have read about rowing faster, I have been watching YouTube about rowing, and I have been listing to people about rowing, and it has become very clear, but to no surprise, that it is difficult to row fast. I am not talking about competitive fast or big muscles fast, but efficient fast. I can only compare this with cross country skiing, where I could outrun most people while smoking a pack of Marlboro’s. I was fast not because I was in good shape, but because I could ski very efficiently. I had and have a good cross country technique. So short of jumping on a plane to Florida spending thousands of dollars in rowing camps, how can I achieve my goal of becoming a more efficient rower and therefore a faster rower? Does anybody of you long time rowers dare to step forward with your opinion?

Diary of an "unplugged" rower.

Last week, my family and I spent a week in a little cottage on Pemaquid River in New Harbor, ME, near Johns Bay and Pemaquid Lighthouse, and across South Bristol. This has been our fourth year and I consider it my “electronic detox - week”, since I am totally “unplugged” for a whole week. My MacBook stays at home and ATT offers no bars. One can only dream of a G3 internet connection.

It’s been the perfect place for kayaking, reading, family time, games, and fresh lobster from the local and oldest Lobster Coop’s. Yet, this year was different, since I traded our two sea kayaks (a single and a double) for an Echo and a Dolphin (to the chagrin of my family).

We arrived on August 22^nd, when hurricane Bill was still roaring. On Sunday we watched 15ft waves off Pemaquid Lighthouse around noon before heading back to our river cottage. At the cottage we had water access only during high tide. Therefore we (I) needed to coordinate every row with the time of high tide. I waited until around 3pm and gave it a try with the Echo. I ventured just a bit into Johns Bay but realized quickly that “Bill” still showed some force even in the bay. I decided on going back into the protected cove and rowing up Pemaquid River for a leisurely row. The river was calm and the weather was perfect. Smooth flat water rowing.

Monday was a Dolphin’s day. The bay had calmed down significantly and only a light breeze created a bit of a choppy surface. It was fun switching into the faster boat. My only obstacles were countless lobster buoys up and down Johns River. After my solo row I ended up turning into a new breed of powerboat pulling Alexandra in her raft (see enclosed video).

Tuesday turned out to be an Echo day. Initially, I dreamt of rowing in Johns Bay towards the Territorial Seas (the open ocean), around Pemaquid Point to Pemaquid Lighthouse. Yet, 2.5 miles into my row the rolling 2.5-3ft swells made me uncomfortable even in the stable Echo. Every so often there would be a 3-4ft wave pushing my heartbeat wayyyyyy above 109 (180 to be exact). I waited for the right moment to turn around in between two waves and went back home.

Wednesday turned back into a Dolphin day. First, I rowed with Ilene, who gave the Echo a try and liked it. Then, I took off by myself and crossed the busy Johns Bay over to South Bristol, where one of the narrowest bridges must be opened before boats can continue into the Damariscotta River. The span of my sculls barely made it through the narrow pathway and bystanders and boaters were watching and probably wondering what a rower was doing in this sacred turf of Maine Lobster fishermen. The row up north and back home was exceptional. Light breeze and wonderful water conditions made a great Dolphin row. At one point I even passed a sailboat. In the end, it was a 10 mile plus.

Thursday was father – daughter - time on the water with my youngest daughter Alexandra (age almost 12). She was in the Echo, which unfortunately was rigged way too high for her (as one can see in the enclosed video). We rowed about ninety minutes and a total of 3+ miles up and down the protected area of Pemaquid River. In the end, Alexandra enjoyed the whole experience and even accepted her first painful blisters. Afterwards, I ended up going out for another solo row in the Dolphin into Johns Bay and up north along Johns River.

On Friday I decided to get up at 5:30am and row during the end of the night/morning high tide. I was greeted by a beautiful sunrise and calm waters. On my way out into the bay a seal greeted me and sent some good morning smiles. This made my day. I then continued into Johns Bay and towards Pemaquid Point knowing that I did not have much time since the morning tide was more than a foot lower than the afternoon high tide. My goal was still seeing the Pemaquid Lighthouse. The seas were smooth and only a few lobstermen shared with me the calmness of the morning. Seeing a second seal on my way back, I returned home fulfilled with a week of daily rows.

In the end, I had enjoyed more than 50 miles of beautiful rowing in the river and open waters of Maine. Next year, we are planning on spending two weeks “unplugged”.

A Regatta coming to a city near you

Yes indeedy. Today's Salem News reports that Endicott College is hosting a six-college rowing regatta on.......Halloween!

http://www.salemnews.com/punews/local_story_244000804.html

Start time is 8 a.m. at Porter River in Danvers. Course is 5K, down Danvers River, under Kernwood Bridge, ending on North River by MBTA station in Salem. (Don't have my Eldredge's at hand to confirm that this will be high tide!)

Sounds like they'll be rowing eights; participants will wear costumes. Maybe they need some RnR pirates to liven things up?

(The scary part will be loading boats and driving back through the Halloween traffic......me, I'm planning on reading about this.)

The Facts and nothing but the Facts

Left the Clubhouse float at 3:27:39 PM
Route: Clubhouse - Tinkers - Children's Island - Clubhouse
Distance: 7.4335687 Miles
Time: 1:38:07:97
Average Speed 4.57648 Mph
Average Heart Rate: 138.4756 BPM
Max Heart Rate 165.6574 BPM
Conditions: Clear sky, 1 76/100-2 3/89 foot waves, temp 76 7/64

Do I dare write some more? No! It might come back and hunt me :)

DAY DREAMIN' IN SOUTH CAROLINA

So here I am in South Carolina, more specifically on the beach in front of the home my daughter spent her summer located in the town of Isle Of Palms. Behind me is the mid-atlantic warm as toast on my feet. To the left and right is beautiful hard packed sands strengthing almost as far as the eye can see.
It's the closest I can get to the RnR experience without my rowing scull.
I'm here this week with wife Debbie and daughter Jennifer to collect her things before driving to her college around 3.5 hours Northwest of Charleston.
So the best thing I can do is dream of rowing and sharing vacariously through the blogs of my fellow RnR Comrades. Not to be just loafing through my duties, I also just sent along the Sept newsletter which includes the Alden Demo Day on the 19th and the year end party on the 26th. (You can never message enough). I return this Friday but not in time to row. Sat and Sun AM will find me on the water weather permitting. I look forward to anyone who wishes to join me. Blessings to all Capt'n

Did someone flip a switch?

Went out for a 6:30am row this morning. The weather was just perfect and the water looked fairly calm. The forecast said "Light winds with a slight chop. Small short period wind waves. Winds: NNE 7 to 10 knots, Seas: S 2 feet at 7 sec.

At the dock, the water appeared relatively calm at approx. 1ft swells plus some wind chops caused by the NNE. I figured perfect conditions for taking out the Dolphin and heading towards the ocean. Yet, I was surprised finding myself in the midst of heavy Echo territory once I had passed MHD Rock. The ocean got rougher and the waves crashed over both riggers. The busy traffic from various Lobster boats and the Salem Ferry made me head towards Children's Island and back into the calmer waters of Salem sound.

I enjoyed rowing against the wind towards Beverly Lighthouse. For a few minutes I was accompanied by a seagull flying against the wind and keeping my speed before taking a turn towards a lobster boat. The water became much calmer and I enjoyed the speed of a faster boat. I passed Coney Island, Great Haste and Green Buoy #15 before turning around and heading back.

The current and wind brought me back in what seemed little to no time. It was a great morning row. A good seven miles in 70 minutes. Yet, something felt different compared to recent weeks. The air was cooler, the winds harder and the water rougher. Thomas, the manager at the MHD Trading Co. boat yard, mentioned "it's September 1st and someone must have flipped a switch".

There is no doubt: Fall is on its way. I am planning on making it out as often as possible during the next few weeks of our remaining RnR season.