Re: Instances of Sinking

Single 2 Multiple 1

I am surprised it is as few as that in 15 years, hey ho. Plenty of
partial swampings, though. Multiple was a pair at Oxford in my 2nd year
of rowing. We had gone through the lock (tricky in a pair, didn't feel
at all safe) for some rowing up at Godstow in preparation for a bash at
qualifying for the Goblets (sadly failed, 2nd fastest non-qualifier so
who knows how far away). Great outing, including the immortal line from
my partner "right, now don't look behind you for a bit, we both know
this river like the backs of our hands". 5 strokes later I take a look,
just slightly too late to prevent us cruising sedately to a halt in the
middle of a field - fortunately a nice sloping bank. No boat damage,
and cue more regular looking thereafter. Coming back through the lock a
couple of Spanish kids in one of the play rowing boats went over my oar
when we were stopped - nowhere to go but watch them drift towards us -
I actually recovered the blade and thought we had escaped, until I
turned around to see my partner sitting in their boat grinning.... he
thought we were over.... and obviously 2 secs later I was. In sympathy
he jumped into the (warm) water too, what a partnership!

One of the single flips was novice ineptitude, the other was nothing to
do with me, guvnor. Up near Barnes on the Thames, December 2002 (?),
gorgeous crisp freezing winter morning. I overtook an 8 - ok a novice
women's 8 rowing against the stream - only for it to turn into me and
row over one of my sculls!!! I saw it happening in slow motion, and my
shouts had no effect. I think it was a crew from Thames RC with some
white-bearded guy coxing, whatever, I was too busy trying to take
avoiding action. When I realised I was going in I steeled myself for
the shock, but even so it was very very cold. I had on mulitple
close-fitting layers and a hat so ideal clothing, luck really as I
usually overheat and get down to 1 layer only afer my warm-up. I
instinctively hauled myslef over the hull - I was just thinking "get
out of the water, get out of the water", but then realised self rescue
was the only option - no suitable bank nearby and the 8 was drifting
away by then. I got back into the water and tried to rescue my things -
water bottle, someone else's wellies, why I thought that mattered I
have no idea - righted the boat and tried to get back in. Harder than
it looks, and I am your average fit club rower and a strong swimmer.
Fortunately Chris George then came past in a launch and helped me back
in - he also gave me his dry fleece which was a life saver. He said
that the best thing was for me to row back to Hammersmith, which at the
time I agreed with, however as soon as I was on my own I regretted not
asking for a lift - I was seriously chilled and was struggling to hold
the blades or row at all. I made it back but it was a real struggle and
I was feeling pretty sorry for myself by the time I got back to the
club - not a fun experience. It gave me a far greater respect for cold
conditions and single sculling than I had previously.

I have had 2 amazing near misses, both in pairs. In the first we were
doing a racing start near Hammersmith Bridge, rating 40+, when my blade
popped out of the gate. My partner called easy oars, genius, like I was
going to carry on winding!? We just gradually slowed down with perfect
balance, and got the blade back in without tipping.

In the second my pair was trying to hold off our women's 8, again we
were racing flat out. We were with the stream but maybe cutting the
bend near Barnes slightly, and an AK coxless 4 coming the other way was
slightly wide, as it turned out. Low tide so it doesn't take much.
Anyway, neither crew saw the other and the first we knew about it was
when we clashed oars, very hard and very loudly. We stopped and
realised my spoon was no longer on the end of my oar. Ummm..... suffice
to say that it is nigh on impossible to manoeuvre without a spoon, just
staying upright is bad enough. Somehow got to the bank with a
combination of hand paddling and swearing, and then had to carry the
boat and blades back to Hammersmith - it is miles when you are carrying
a boat, believe me.........

And hey, let's be careful out there.

Stamps

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