Pirate Fashion Trends

LA, San Francisco, Barcelona, Venice, Paris, Cincinnati. Cincinnati? Yes, Cincinnati.

Since the beginning of rowing season I have logged close to 30,000 miles in the air, but zero on the water. I hope to change that this weekend.

Not that it has all been work related. And while I didn't have any success getting into the gondolieri's guild (never did learn that single oar sculling), I did uncover the latest in Italian Pirate fashion. Pity they didn't have them in my size.

So now the summer really begins. Time to hit the water. Get back in that rhythm. And maybe I'll find my way back to Venice someday. Maybe next time I should sign up to actually learn that sculling technique. And maybe get that straw hat, striped shirt, and some pirate shoes. Anyone know of any canals around here?

See you on the water.

14 IS NOT THE NEW 20

This chart doesn't do quite the justice to the route Eileen and I rowed this AM but it comes close. With the WNW freshening breezes and the incoing tide, we had some serious conditions to contend with for what I had thought and hoped to be a nice 14 miler. The downwind leg from MHD Rock to Bakers proved to be too much for our fragile Alden Stars. Between the weather helming which pushed it off course and the low profile cockpit which was totally swamped for the first 5 miles, I have concluded that the Echo reigns supreme when it comes to rough water. Outside Bakers around House Island (off Manchester) brought us calmer seas but now we had the wind to deal with all the way down to Beverly Harbor. Waves subsided but the wind on our nose made for one great slog up the coastline. We were welcomes to a short but enjoyable crossing from B-Harbor to S-Harbor and then met with a nice downwind leg back to the club house. It total we were in the seats for over three hours. Eileen wanted a taste of a long distance row. I'm pleased to say she got her fair share.

THIS SATURDAYS ROW NOT A COMPLETE WASHOUT

Though this mornings row could have been a total washout due to dreary skies, a sloppy bay, cold temps and a wind from the north. However it's saving grace was a nice full tide with protected lees behind Peaches Pt and Browns Island. There the Captn found himself along with Paulette a new potential club member along with Eileen, Sarah and yes Howard her husband (who by the way has the making of a good rower). Round the circuit we went enjoying the calm in the protected cove while at the same time improving our technique. Upon the return to the dock we encountered Pal who had teamed up with Coach Em to train two more club potentials along with Kimberly one of our Newbies of the 2011 season. In all I counted 10 rowers which is pretty impressive considering the washout of the day.

ROCKNROW FOUND IN FAR AWAY PLACES

We love to see our RocknRow logo travel the world along with our members. Here is board member Thomas Vogel showing off his credentials along the Great Wall of China. As he says,"There is no rowing in Bejing or Shanghai." That maybe true but the RnR spirit is now found on the Great Wall.

If any other members of the Motley Crew is traveling this summer by all means take some RnR gear along with you and send us back a picture. We love receiving them.

"FOUND" ON THE FOUNDERS ROW

Paulie and I have not been able to spend too much time on the water together this year. He's retired so very early morning rows are just not in his schedule at the moment. So when we decided to make it happen this morning at 6:30 (which was sort of a compromise) it was a real treat to spread the word to others of the Motley Crew to see who would show up to row with the club founders. From left to right are Vivien, Sarah, Bobby, Thomas (our newest member on vacation from Germany) Paulie and Chris.
High tides and very flat water made for a sticky but pleasurable cruise around Tinkers. 7 on the bay. Not too shabby for a Founders Row

Father's Day Row

An awesome turnout: I lost track of how many rowers were out this Sunday. Must have been 10 if not more: Jack took out a guest rower, Thomas (also from Germany, but not Vogel); Sheila, Stan, Loretta, Frank headed towards Salem I believe. Sarah, Vivienne, Eileen and I wanted a longer row and headed northeast to Misery. The winds started at 5 - 10 knots, from the northwest, making the row out slow and quite bouncy. All of us were taking water over the port rail. As we came within 1 mile of Misery, the winds stiffened, and I thought of heading our group back for home, but it was too tempting to make the beach on Greater Misery. A good thing, as we all enjoyed the rest from fighting the chop!

But the winds only grew stronger as we rested, and shifted westward. The first 1/2 mile was close to scary. Vivienne capsized, but made a quick recovery. No need for her to do flip clinic this year! A little past Eagle Bar, we found ourselves in the middle of a race course, and one of the boats came within 20 yards of me, a bit too close for comfort.

Back at the dock, Jack had laid out a feast of Pirate's Punch, juice, bagels and cream cheese. Thank you, Cap'n Jack!

Moondance

La luna = the moon. Lunatics = 5 RnR-ers heading out under last Wednesday's full moon. Sarah, Pal, Paul, Stephanie and I departed the dock around 7:30, with the sun disappearing into a low cloud bank in the western sky. A cool and beautifully calm night, the rowing near effortless. Out by Eagle Island, we all started looking for the rising moon....and there it was! A burnt orange orb, rising over Halfway Rock. Our hearts raced at the sight of it!

Sarah and Pal decided to head back to shore; Paul, Steph and I couldn't resist the siren call of our nearest planetary neighbor. Just off the southern flank of Children's, the moon filled the gap between the larger island and Cormorant Rock, like an egg nestled in an egg cup. The simple wooden structures on Children's low cliffs were spectral in the still-dim moonlight, and the clanging of the flashing red buoy 2/3 of a mile further south provided musical accompaniment. As we rowed towards the buoy, the swells grew larger; we sang and talked and laughed as the ocean gently rocked us.

It was a magical night, one that we RnR-ers should repeat. No need to wait for a full moon! A waxing 3/4 or fuller moon rises earlier in the day and still would provided plenty of light.

THE CAPTN'S ROUTE

Left the dock at 5:30 AM. Passed MHD Rock on the portside. Outside Childrens, outside Eagle, around the Miseries brought me to the leeside of the bay. Down to Beverly Harbor across to Salem Harbor and home. An honest 12 miles and 101 miles in the seat since I started my training for the BBC. RocknRow Baby!!

ROCK N ROW BURGER

You knew it was coming,,,our very own extra special very secret recipe burger now available for your sustenance at THE LANDING!

Not on the menu, will never be on the menu and ya need a bit o pirate sass to git it, that's pirate sass, don't believe pirate's ass will win the wait staff over.

When ya'll see Robert...Thank 'im! He da man!

ALL IN

You are confirmed for:

2011 Blackburn Challenge

Registration Number: 34035989
Name: Paul Mazonson

It's Hard Restarting

Haven't rowed since last Tuesday and my body pretty much told me so this morning when I tried to (re) kick start my training. Departed the dock a little past 6:00 with the thoughts of a quick 7 miler. After all I have already put a good deal of time in the seat since Memorial Day. How hard could it be? Overcast skies, full tide with some major size post storm rollers made what I thought for some nice rowing conditions. The only condition that was lacking my own body. I guess the last 4 days of golf, eating and drinking are a condition of another sort. But my buddy Grizz returns to Austin on Tuesday and I hope to restart my training

Hello my friend hello....

Halfway Rock has always had a special place in my heart. I can still remember my first row there. Located almost 2 miles off-shore from Children's you were no longer in the safety of Salem Bay. Man...you're out there in the big stuff where any thing can happen. This morning of course was the perfect time to revisit my old friend. We hadn't spoken since last September where I made it my last row of 2010. Today she greeted me with gentle swells and calm winds. The joy of the morning pushed me passed her for almost another mile before I realize that I had to turn back. Make it your goal to visit her at least once this year. Tell her the Captn' says hello!

Triptych Redux

Triptych: my Echo's name, because when she was born, she had 3 parents - me, Dee Johnson and Scott Olson. Triptych, because we take trips in her.

Today -- on what could turn out to be the most perfect rowing day of the summer, with a gentle breeze, flat water, robin's egg blue skies and cool, dry air --- Bobbie was rowing my Triptych, and I was in the Maas Aero. But there was still a marvelous Triptych of Seth Pappas, Eileen Perry and me. We are well-matched in rowing speed and style, so we could row close together and occasionally talk and laugh as we floated on the surface of the sea. Threading the way between M-head rock and the Neck; out to the near side of Tinker's, where two young guys were doing that weird sport of paddling upright on a surf-board (paddle boarding?); over the VERY shallow shallows at Tinker's southern point, the rocks on the bottom as clear as the gravel in a fish tank; around past a fishing boat just on the windward side; out to Children's, where a scuba diver was hoping for some scallops for dinner; out past Eagle's Bar at low tide, dodging the rocks; and a simply beautiful run two-mile run back to shore, where "Bagels mitt schmear" and mimosas awaited.

What a perfect day! What great people to row with!

My only regret

My only regret is that I didn't have a camera on board. An incredible morning- crisp & calm with visibility for...ever. The sun beckoned us out around Misery, to the stunning low tide cliffs of Bakers, past Coney ledge and round Childrens. The crisp contrast of rock & ocean & sky made me dizzy. The final leg back we ratcheted down the pace, because who would want to go home with all this out here?



- Stephanie

Location:MHD

Rock n Ride

At the mouth of Little Harbor, with a 20 knot NW wind gaining momentum, a wave of uncharacteristic prudence swept over us. 'I have an idea' Paulie shouted out, and I smugly returned his smile, sure that our pretired brains were totally aligned. 'Breakfast!' he yelled, just as I shouted 'bikeride!' Well, maybe not perfectly aligned.
The need to soar won out, and by 10 am we were bumping along West Shore drive and soon shooting out of Marblehead on our way to Boxford, the land where goats belong.
Our trek took us 45 miles, through Danvers, Topsfield, Boxford, and finally back to heavenly Marblehead where Goerge Shubie's capable crew resuscitated us. By land and by sea, Blackburn training has begun. Rock n Ride, baby.

Photo caption: Paulie demonstrates the appropriate technical apparel for eating Raspberry Linzers at Shubies.

Location:MHD

Saturday survival row?

It didn't start out that way, survival row I mean. I departed the dock at around 6:15 this AM with thoughts of a Misery Island loop. The idea of Paulie's 10 miler was tempting but 7:30 was a late start and I really wasn't up for the challenge. Not sure when the wind began to freshen from the NW. I was tucked pretty good inside the lee shore of Beverly Farms running my way northeast to Misery. I first noticed a change when I broke into the channel that runs into Manchester Harbor. Chop was churning but doable. Wind on the port front quarter. Things changed very quickly on my downwind leg from House Island. Whitecaps formed on the rising wind gusts, occasionally being sheared off. With my bow burying in the troughs between the waves, I was quickly swamped in the small cockpit and water continued to wash over the boat. I was wallowing in the waves and, unable to feel forward motion, felt quite vunerable. My downwind compass heading would have pushed me past the neck so I felt the only thing I could do was turn back to the northwest and slog my way back to the lee side of Beverly. Believe me it was some hard rowing but finally the wind eased as I approached the shore. Scooted down to the lighthouse of Beverly harbor and enjoyed a roller coaster downwind ride back to the dock. 12 miles total. My learnings is that this wonderful ocean of ours can turn nasty without too much warning and one should always be prepared with an alternative. There was a moment when my scull felt too small for the conditions, especially when I got swamped and had no forward motion.

Post Tornado Row

Hard to believe that we had some outrageous weather last night when you look at the picture on my left. Blue skies, unlimited views and a refreshing wind from the WSW were my only companions as I set out for my morning workout routine around 6:00AM. Leaving my dock I headed towards Salem Harbor. It was a toss up between running out of water or get a major soaking from the chop in the bay. I choose the former. A minus low tide made for some weaving around some interesting rock formations, but I was able to get in an honest 6 miles without burying myself at the far end of the Lead Mills. A fine day to be alive and on the water