There is a rich and glorious serenity that permeates this great loch.
Arriving early morning and gazing out across this magnificent body of water is both a meditative and mindblowing experience. Its quiet epic presence is a little daunting too, this 22 mile black silk stocking stretch of water. But before you have time to contemplate any further there’s work to be done as the loch comes to life teaming with rowers, like armies of ants, around the field at Fort Augustus busily preparing for the great Monster Row.
Kinghorn Coastal Rowing Club were asked by a club member who worked as a teacher at Inverkeithing High School whether we would be interested in working with some pupils for a programme of rowing sessions while Yolande was wintering at Kinghorn Loch.
The result of Covid on some pupils meant that the transition from primary to secondary school, or home to school was very difficult and had made accessing mainstream school almost impossible for some. Giving these pupils a chance to go out on the water and row as a team felt very in line with our remit as a community oriented club.
Ten club members volunteered and after a huge effort behind the scenes we managed to gain funding, PVGs, and the go ahead from Fife council and insurance companies.
We liaised with Pete, the Pupil Support Officer for the pupils, organised a time, bought hoodies, wind proof jackets and life jackets so that along with the donated gloves, hats, jackets, biscuits, and juice we were all set to welcome our young rowers.
The pupils were second years and came along looking quiet, polite and anxious. but they were reassured that they would be able to row.
Over the weeks these pupils carefully listened to instructions given by our coxes, learned to work together, learned water safety, and enjoyed taking in the wildlife at the loch.
They did so well that eventually four pupils were able to row together, take turns at coxing the boat, and competed with each other in races.
All volunteers were very proud of these young people and to see how they made friendships within their group, grew in confidence to initiate conversation and chat about their lives with adults and share photographs taken up at the loch. They looked forward to the hot rolls and drinks shared with the volunteers at the barn cafe.
Staff from the school who came along to see the pupils at the loch said they were surprised at how confident, relaxed and happy the group were compared to how they behaved in school.
We finished with a great celebration down at The Boat Shed. The RNLI were so kind in giving the pupils a tour of their building and a talk about the work they do.
This was followed by a presentation of medals, personal well-done cards and a photo album for each of the pupils.
A delicious cake and lunch at the community centre ended a wonderful ten session programme.
The pupils were asked if there was anything we could have done differently to make it a better experience and the reply was NO, and they had all had a really good time.
So all in all, it was a great experience for everyone involved and a big big thank you to our volunteers and organisers from the club.
When we were asked to do it again all ten volunteers quickly replied “Yes” so we begin again with another set of pupils in October.
This project was made possible with funding from Localgiving, Foundation Scotland, and The University of St Andrews Community Fund.
Tina West has written a wonderful account of this year’s expedition to Lewis, organised by An Eathar Rowing Club at the start of July, in our Shetland yoal Reevik.
There was certainly something extraordinary about this experience, something to do with connecting different rhythms climates and cultures, new senses collective strokes. A coming together… a living, listening, seeing, meeting, making, moving picture of friendship and community.
Our Shetland Yoal, Reevik, purchased by the club during 2021 has been undergoing refurbishment work in the boatshed over recent months by our team of dedicated club member volunteers. Following stripping out, work was suspended due to cold weather in January and February but resumed when temperatures rose adequately to allow repairs to some minor cracks in the hull, a new keel plate and gunnel patching, prior to a full repaint with some minor additions such as hanging rails, cleats, and new thwarts.
The new colour scheme was chosen by a majority vote of our members to be club colours reflecting that of our sister skiff, Yolande. Apart from some coughing and spluttering with some minor under-breath expletives during sanding down the old paint, she was expertly prepared, undercoated, and top-coated with love! See for yourself the transformation – looking fantastic and ready for her re-launch on Sunday, 5th June, 2022. The bonus was that some of us learned new skills in cleat making and intricate wood inlay repairs to such areas as the gunnel where age had taken its toll.
Members were bursting to see her on the water again and look forward to some more rows off Kinghorn. In early July she heads northwest with crew to engage with other clubs entering an open coastal event on the Isle of Lewis, a repeat of our successful expedition last year. She will thereafter return home to resume club duties for the enjoyment of club members and interested visitors during the summer season.
Picking up Reevik for the first timeOn our 2021 expedition to LewisFlipped and ready for sandingBob in his happy placeAlmost ready for the inside refitJim applying some finishing touchesReevik was built in Vidlin on ShetlandProudly sporting her new coloursPreparing to relaunchAlongside Yolande and club members at the relaunch
With Yolande up at the Loch for the winter, sea rows have been few and far between. But our Shetland Yoal, Reevik has been on a few outings in the Forth in between maintenance sessions. The most recent was a night time row on the solstice, December 21st.
It was a remarkably clear and still evening. Lit by a 360º lantern of bike lights mounted on a pole and donning head torches, the crew ventured out past Pettycur and circumnavigated the Black Rocks. With carol singing, jelly babies, and the lights of the Burgh spurring them on, they returned from the club’s first night time exercise. As an added bonus, Wee Eck performed its tractorly duty to perfection, towing Reevik back to the shed in one smooth balletic manoeuvre.
A great success for the log book and a fine precedent for future winter rows.
Chair Hannah Macniven writes up the club’s representation at the 2021 SCRA AGM and Freshwater Sprints, held at Loch Tummel yesterday.
It felt rather celebratory to be heading off to Loch Tummel for the Freshwater Sprints, on a dark and rainy morning, with Judith C. Only 2 attendees were allowed per club, so we knew things were not going to be the same as usual, but this was our first Regatta in ages, so we were going to make the most of it.
It was lovely to see so many clubs here at the race briefing when we were quickly organised into teams. There were 3 boats, Ferry Sonnet from North Queensferry, Arthur Nicol from Broughty Ferry and Chippy McNeish from Royal West, so races needed 12 rowers to participate. Things nearly came unstuck at the beginning when only 7 men owned up to being under 50. The race was then opened up to under 55’s, and then to under 60’s… But crews were formed, enough for a good selection of races to go ahead.
Racing was competitive and after watching the men’s race, Judith and I were ready to go, Jude in Chippy McNeish and me in Arthur Nicol. We introduced ourselves to the rest of our teams, started to come up with some kind of plan and BANG we were off!
The race was a blur of hurting legs, arms and lungs. I remember thinking “nearly at the buoy and I can stop rowing and hold water, whilst the other 2 row us round.” We were the first crew around the Buoy and we picked up the stroke andwere back at it, enthusiastically encouraged by our cox, Liz from Broughty Ferry. The finish was close and it was with great relief that we heard the hooter, Parp … Parp … … Parp! With wobbly legs and now-cleared lungs we disembarked to find out who won, and it was our crew in Arthur Nicol! Commiserations Jude, who’s team came a close second!
We could then enjoy the beautiful scenery and watch the rest of the races, before we headed to the AGM. As the weather started to improve and the sun tried to come out, Marie, Christine and Kathleen appeared too, to watch the races with us. It was lovely to catch up with old friends and make some new ones!
There was also a race for the SCRA shield, a mixed crew race with crews from 3 regions, North, South-East and South-West. This was won by our region, South-East in Arthur Nichol, with Liz as cox—well done guys! Here are the final results should anyone be interested, but all in all, I’m going to end with a cliché, it really wasn’t about the winning but the taking part!
Coxes: Judith, Chris & Tahra. Crew: Liz, Mandy & Joel.
What exactly is Monster the Loch ? Well in their words it’s to “Be the fastest Human-Powered boat on Loch Ness. In the first mass participation marathon (21 miles) Boat Race!”
So boats of all shapes and sizes from kayaks to OC6s, paddleboards to Shetland Yoals (yes there had been a pedallo the previous year), as long as it was seaworthy with no sail or motor it was allowed.
With not a lot in the way of meet-ups and regattas this year, the chance to try a long distance race on Loch Ness was quite appealing; when the Loch Awe adventure was postponed due to Covid for a second time, I joined up.
We didn’t have a lot of time to get much long-distance training before the big day; a couple of trips eastwards along the coast to Wemyss in the sunshine would have to do, and anyway, nice though they were, we wouldn’t stop for jam donuts on race day. Also, Judith and Chris had previously rowed in Castle to Crane with a crew of six. It was agreed that the best way for crew changes was to make them in their respective fore and aft bubbles so no-one was moving the length of Yolande and that we would attempt to keep moving while doing so – no problem !!
The day before the event, the weather had made the decision that the race would run from Fort Augustus to Dores. With five assorted vans and cars between the six of us and eleventy-billion WhatsApp messages, the logistics were accomplished for Yolande to be in Fort Augustus and a car in Dores, so we would be able to get Chris back down to pick up his van and the road trailer after the race (fingers crossed) and we all made it to Drumnadrochit for food.
Saturday morning was bright and fresh, the views over the Loch driving to Fort Augustus were gorgeous and calm. We got down to the launch site before the queues started in earnest for the loos. The bay was awash with boats, crews, photographers, drones and a piper. The main start was due for 9.30 with slower vessels starting an hour earlier.
By chance we ended up being one of the first to launch which meant we had time for a warm-up as well as a cool down as the organisers tried to get 70-odd vessels in a vague starting line-up. Finally the piper played, the horn sounded, the drones buzzed overhead and we were off – twenty one miles with no donuts to go.
A long distance row is just like any other really, just don’t think about how long you are actually going to be rowing for …. We had estimated around 4 hours 30 with crew swaps every 30 minutes or so. The morning got brighter and the sun came out and we rowed and rowed, swapped and rowed. Making sure we could still see some craft ahead and still had a few behind us we rowed and rowed, swapped and rowed! There were a couple of squally rain showers which cooled everyone down and made the most amazing rainbows. Joel discovered that there was a signal in the middle of the Loch and went ‘live” on his FB. We rowed and rowed, swapped and rowed. Then the white walls of the pub at Dores were on the horizon and the end was in sight. We went a bit harder determined to gain another place from the pesky kayaker on the port side and then it was done.
Twenty one miles in 4:30:05. Getting the boat up the pebbly beach was probably just as hard as the last few miles rowing. No Nessie spotted but luckily we had taken our own. T-shirts and medals were collected and we congratulated ourselves that we had achieved all three of our aims:
Not to be last.
Not to be the last St Ayles.
To enjoy ourselves!
So we set the club record with it being the first time KCRC had competed – who’s up for it next time?
PS The winners this year was a Fine8+ in 2:31:23, The Fastest St Ayles was Coigach & Ullapool in 3:42:16 and extra brownie points to Orkney who also took one of the Row Around Scotland batons for a hurl up the Loch.
Mandy Abbot writes about the club’s adventures in June/July 2021:
When I agreed to row round Lewis, I’d never actually rowed on the sea. A bit late to the party, I was reminded to and so duly signed the agreement which said, “…accepts there may be 2m swells and challenging conditions”. I swallowed hard. This was followed by an email on the two types of heaven – dry clothes if it’s cold and wet (another gulp); or a sun-hat and mosquito repellent if equally hot, sunny and midgy. “Bring all the strength and resilience you have”, it said. At this point I put in a request to the weather gods: “blue skies and sunshine please, light breezes, no midges. Oh, and flat calm seas”. I packed with a mixture of trepidation and excitement – this was definitely always going to be an adventure.
The assembled crew, skippered by the capable Chris Mitchell, alongside Hannah Macniven, Lesley Smith (from North Queensferry Coastal Rowing Club), Jude Crawford, Susan Murray, Joel Mason and myself, set to practicing and firmly bonded over a bag of chips, which we rowed to Newhaven to get. And boy, it was welcome. What a great bunch of people. I was feeling truly blessed to have secured a place in Reevik, the club’s newly acquired boat, or Shetland Yoal to be precise.
With our luggage allowance of 15kg per person – including tent, food cooker, clothes, plus a day bag – we were set to row and wild camp in what we were to discover were heavenly spots. Ingenious variations of dehydrated food became the order of the day and the odd piece of fruit was delightful. The company of the other clubs (seven boats) in the evenings as we set camp and gathered in groups to sing or walk was joyous. The weather gods were so gracious and fulfilled all our requests. The locals said they had never seen the Minch so calm.
We were so blessed with the weather and the company. A truly magical, never to be forgotten, once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I can’t wait to go back. The club would like to extend their thanks to the Kinghorn Community Council and their Common Good fund support which allowed the purchase of Reevik, expanding the club’s activities to include this expedition.
This story first appeared in the Kinghorn Chronicle, Issue 26, September 2021
Welcome to Kinghorn Coastal Rowing Club’s new website. We aim to post stories and photos of club activities, outings, regattas, etc. here for a wider audience that might not be on social media. We’ll also keep information about the club here, for current and future members.
