IRENE MADE LANDFALL AT THE LANDING RESTAURANT

Hurricane... What Hurricane? Well when the members of the Motley Crew can't find a way to do a Sunday Club row b/c the weather then they are only left to "rock".
An impromptu call to arms brought the following cast members to the Landing to sample the soon to be famous RnR Burger along with some Ipswich Ale the official beer of RocknRow:
Seth, Jigger, Paul, Stephan (Practically a member), Stephanie, Bobbie, Roy, Chris, Terrie, Henry, Jack, Scott, Erik, Michael (soon to be a member in 2012), Heather along with some family tribe representatives from the Leakes and the Oakley's. Did I miss anyone? The Captn' was into his 3rd Ipswich Harvest before I started counting the group. We all had a great time "weathering the storm"

Last night's row and the traveling shirt

Well last night was certainly exciting. Four of us headed out; Sheila, Brain, Ed and myself. When we arrived at the dock they were busy lifting 2 boats out of the water, but we had plenty of room to launch. We also had plenty of wind and waves! We headed out of the harbor and onto the ocean. The waves were forcing us into the rocks and the wind all over the place. At one point Sheila went into a wave trough and just plain disappeared! However, no one went over and we manged to navigate our way back into the harbor. We started towards Salem, but cooler heads prevailed, namely Sheila and Brain, and we headed back into the harbor, after circumnavigating Brown island, and spent the next hr or so rowing much calmer conditions. It was still a lot of fun and the practice proved quite useful for everyone.

The traveling Shirt made it to Hawaii. Attached our two photos: Kapoho tide pools, Lower Puna Hawaii and after our out rigger row (note; the extra person is "Uncle Jesse" our coach, guide, navigator and historian) the other 4 crew members are not pictured. But what a hoot is was! We rowed about 1-3 miles all told.

JIGGER JOINS THE RANK AND FILE

Looking for someone to test your rowing skills or bring out the best in you? Please welcome Jigger Herman 2nd place winner of the 2011 Blackburn Challenge Mens Touring Division. He is the newest member of the Motley Crew but brings to the club over 20 years of rowing experience. I thought I was going to put him through the paces... Ha That's a laugh. He has that graceful rowing style that puts my guerrilla tactics to shame. A class act of a guy. (Always the gentleman as he was beating my ass). We did a nice 7.5 miler down to the "nest". I think he could have lapped me at any moment but was kind to the Captn'. Call him up and go for a row. You won't regret it...

Rowing in Greensboro, Vermont

Hello from the Northeast Kingdom where it was 40 degrees at 6:30 this morning.

Had to wait for the fog to lift at 6:45 but the lake was so beautiful and quiet. Lonely and lovely -- not even the fisherman were out. Just me and the 7 loons. At the North end of the lake, I spied a fellow sculler about half a mile away and that was it.

The Double Dipper

For those of you who haven't enjoyed our Mass Double, here is encouragement. It is a fast boat and in reasonable conditions serves as its own kind of teaching tool to measure things like length, the way in which you put power on the blade, the elegance of your finish and ratio (that pesky difference between the time it takes to get out over your knees and then down the slide that creates rythm and glide). I've had the pleasure of rowing with Em, Dave, Jim, Paul, Thomas, Carmi and Seth in Double Dip. Each row revealed good things to me about our strengths and weaknesses togther and part, but all have helped me to row better. It has also been a reminder that rowing perfection can come in unlikely ways at unlikley moments. For example, Paulie and I were out in bad water and yet we found a rythm that got us through it at more speed than made sense. Seth and I were in smooth water and his great sense of rythm (hey, how many times do you get to row with a nationally renowned drummer?) helped create as beautiful a glide as a rower could want. Dave and I have been able to pull really hard together for long stretches without it feeling like it was toil, and I could go on and on. Can't explain these things but if variety is indeed a spice of life, then add the double experience to your rowing gastronmy.

DRAMAMINE DAY

From Heather Cairns
Hi Jack-

Wanted to Blog after our row today but I must not be worthy...or can't figure out how to add a post.

It looked like hella rain was fore casted this morning but weather came early (5am) and cleared in time for us luxury 7am rowers. Karen P. showed up to row with me and Viv. I knew by the sound behind my house it was a big swell day. It was a Dramamine day.

Just outside the harbor, the heads, bodies and boats of Karen and Vivien disappeared in troughs. Karen is bad ass but she's also a newbie and this was her first big swell day. She's a trouper. I pulled a Frank and donned my stylish PFD because this was a rare and special occasion. Heading back from Mhead Rock was a quick surf and way too much fun...when I wasn't fearing for my life.

Karen really cut her teeth today. I hope she forgives us and comes with us again.

I'm grabbing the correct water craft for today: the surfboard. See you around low tide.

CHARLIE'S SUNDAY BIRTHDAY ROW

This passed Sunday brought out some of the best of the Motley Crew as they celebrated Chas' "The Czar of Weekend Rowing" 60th Birthday. Featured from left to right is Paulie, Ed, Chris Charlie (The birthday boy), Terre, Loretta, Frank and Jack. 8 boats rowed that bay that morning covering anywhere from 6-8 miles. Champange Mimosa, Jean's Fab brownies and a nosh of bagels with creamcheese met us at the dock upon our return

CHAS REPORTS ON THE MAINE ADVENTURE ROW

Hadn't heard much about this adventure or seen any pictures since the return of the Motley Crew.Did catch this e-mail exchanged between Charlie and Dave and thought it was worth repeating.
Charlie Harak reports that...The rowing was AWESOME. We rowed the Sommes Sound, a glacial fiord with deep water and 1,000 foot mountains flanking the narrow waist of this 4-mile long sound. Overall, a 14 or 15 mile row. Very beautiful. Very challenging on the return as the wind picked up and we the mountains funneled strong winds against us. Second day, we rowed due south from Northeast Harbor (where we launched each day), to a small island past the Cranberry Islands. We beached our boats on a low sand spit between the larger and smaller hummocks of this few-acre island. The tide was coming up...you guessed it! Chris's boat floated away when we weren't looking. Fortunately, it floated right at the Leake's Rib, which was anchored about 100 yards off shore. Maybe a ten mile row. Day 3, we followed the coast of Mt. Desert Island around to the east, and ended up near Bar Harbor, at the well-populated sandy beach. The seat on the Alden I was using had broken about 3 miles earlier, so I was on the Rib. When we beached for lunch on the way back, Paulie got in the Rib and I rowed the rest of the way back in his boat. Total distance was 17 miles that day; I rowed maybe 12 as I was on the Rib for some of it.

We had some great meals. On Day 2, we stopped at Islesford, on Little Cranberry for lunch. It was cool: beaching our boats right next to this cool restaurant, eating lobster rolls, and heading back to Northeast Harbor after lunch. That night, all of us (including Kathy M. and Scott's wife and kids) took the Rib for dinner at Islesford. We also took the Rib, all 10 of us, the first night around to Southwest Harbor for dinner on the dock there.

While rain was predicted every day, we saw none while rowing. Cool temps, fairly flat water a lot of the time (although some interesting swells now and again, and fighting strong wind on Day 1 in the Sommes Sound).

Awesome!
________________________________________

BRIAN C JOINS THE RANKS OF THE FAITHFUL

Brian one of our " intro" rower members who after a few lessons with Coach Em became a full fledge member of the " Motley Crew" got his first real taste of RnR when he teamed up w/the Captn' this AM . It was a perfect day for some long distance rowing. Out going tide, flat water in the bay and a nice Southwesterly for our home coming return trip. We headed out across the bay with a few turns along the way. Touched down on the private beach in Beverly Farms. (Which BTW how come their sand is so much nicer than ours?). Took a quick stretch on the shore, hence this great shot of the " Newbie". Introduced him to "GU". (He actaly asked me how it tasted Ha Ha). Climbed back into our shells and with 210 as our heading made it back to our basin in short time. An honest 6.5 miles. The longest and according to Brian, the best row of the season. Looking for a good rowing partner? Give this guy a call. He's just getting his feet wet so to speak, but I think he's now part of the converted.

Beautiful Flat Water Mornings

The weather Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings this week has been so calm -- the water has been completely flat in the Salem/Beverly Harbor area. The sunrises beautiful, the humidity a bit too high, and great rowing. Interestingly, the water to the south starting at Children's and the Rock has been very choppy. We saw the Capt'n out fishing Wednesday and Thursday but he came out for fun today. It was good to see Sarah's husband, Howard, out there. He went all the way to Beverly Light House!!

"LIKE US" ON FACE BOOK

It's interesting to note who among our 40+ club members are active on different social media outlets. I am specifically referring to Facebook. Do you know that among the 37 people who have "Liked" our page (Marblehead Rowing Club) only 12 are club members. The other 25 are... Well I'm not really sure who they are but they seem to have an active interest in the club, rowing or both. While I realize that our google groups e-mail drive most of our active communication among club members, it's the digital media outlets such as the blog I'm now writing and Facebook Page that provides the fabric of our stories and experience. We love to hear from our members stories. They are rich in content and humor whether it's about rowing or life in general. I urge all of us to take a moment to write a short blog entry or better yet "LIKE US" on Facebook and share with us your RocknRow experience, comments good or bad

Beautiful Morning Row

This morning was lovely. Temperature was in the mid 60's, a ribbon of bright sunrise on the horizon, and interesting mix of water conditions. Jim and Eileen rowed 11 miles this morning -- they said the back side of Baker's was wild with rollers and waves. Jim did the whole distance in the Aero!! Bobby, Sarah, and I went around Children's. Backside of that had some really fun rollers and waves. Great news -- Bobby did the whole route really well on Star #6!!

It's hard to wake up but once out there, it is the BEST. Come out and join us, Crew.

MARBLEHEAD GREAT RACE TO RETURN IN 2011

On September 10th, 2011 the Marblehead Rotary is planning to host a 7.5 mile race departing and returning to Deveroux Beach. Marblehead Rowing Club is looking to get an "All Club" turn out to this event. I'm talking about every piece of equipment on the water. If you registered yet do so soon and you can receive a special gift from the event. 3 Echo's and 4 Stars are still available to reserve from the club. Come on you Motley Crew let's scuttle some competition! Go to www.rotarygreatrace.com for more info

Sunrise Gang caught in action

I caught these Fab Four in action this morning just past 6:00 AM heading out to Childrens. First thought was: Wow look how color coordinated the group looks. The RnR hats were purchased serendiptiously over a few seasons (evidently they all like red) but the shirts were the brain child of Ms Sarah and a visit to Target.
The rest they say is history. By the way gals. You all look Fabulous!