Latest member of the RnR Swim Team

A couple days ago, I was reflecting about how in the first year of rowing there is so much new to learn, and when you start the second year, you worry that you will have forgotten everything. And then comes the the third year, and you find you're frustrated that you didn't pick up right where you left off.

As Charlie and I arrived at the dock this morning, Thomas and Stephanie were just returning from their row. I had reserved a Star, but after hearing that the swells were up, I decided to switch to the Echo that Stephanie already had on the dock.

Rigging the boat has become second nature to me, and as I stepped in and pushed off from the dock I prophetically commented to Charlie how easy it was to get in the Echos compared to the other boats.

At the entrance to Little Harbor the rollers were indeed coming in strong. I switched into power mode to push over them into the open water. As I pulled a power stroke through a swell, my port oar popped up and out of the lock while my starboard stroke pushed me over and out. It all happened incredibly quickly: I was out of the boat and back in faster than you can say "hypothermia".

I took a moment to get my bearings and take account of my errors (in reverse order of their occurrence). I was in such a hurry to get out of the water, I had remembered to put both oars in hand, but hadn't stopped to put my red oar back in the lock. This time, the Echo was forgiving enough that I was able to re-rig with careful balance on-board. Any other boat and I would likely have taken a second swim.

I was surprised to find that my dunking was not the result of an equipment failure - I know I had closed both gates before leaving the dock, and had checked that the locks were in the right direction. Yet, there was nothing to indicate a mechanical problem. This was clearly human error. In my overconfidence, I realized, I have been snugging, but not sufficiently tightening the gates. My stroke through the swell must have caused me to pull up enough to pop the oar out.

Weather conditions were ideal - the sun was out, the wind not too bad - so after considering the options I headed back to grab my fleece off the dock and we continued our row. I figured we could row around the point and if I felt chilled we could abandon the row. Fortunately, my sailing shorts and rock n row patagonia shirt (available at better clubs near you) dryed quickly, and before long I was too warm to wear the fleece.

Despite 15 minutes of paranoia which caused me to stop every dozen or so strokes to check that my gates were still tight enough, we ended up having a great row. We hugged Peach's and Fluen points, before rounding Naugus Head and going deep into Salem Harbor to round the #2 day beacon. By the time the Salem Ferry passed us on our return trip, I had already stopped thinking about my gates. Stopped thinking about them, that is, until next time I rig the boat.