Members attended two events in Queensferry over last weekend. On Saturday we competed in the Queensferry CRC Regatta under the Forth Road Bridge, on Sunday we joined the Flotilla on the Forth to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Bridge itself.
11 members made the trip over the weekend. Amongst that number six roughing it in tents at Port Edgar Marina and one enjoying the comforts of the Albert Hotel in North Queensferry. The rest came through for the day on Saturday. Although the Club did not make it into the top three in any of the seven races Chippy McNish, coxed by Adam Graham, did get third place with a mixed crew from Portobello, North Berwick and Queensferry.
Sunday was a relatively lazy start after another night sleeping under the very busy existing bridge and listening to the works progress, not far away, on the new bridge. The Flotilla included all kinds of craft from a jet ski up to an oil support vessel complete with helicoptor. There were even two steam powered launches normally operated on Loch Katrine.
The Flotilla made its way up river from Port Edgar to a point just West of Rosyth Naval Dockyard, against the wind and tide. Conditions were at the limit of the boat and crew’s capabilities in amongst the confused water caused by not only the tidal and weather conditions, but also the motor boats and yacht wakes. In the spirit of the Royal West all aboard got on with the job and at the turn were well placed amongst the lead group of seven skiffs, immediately behind HMS Archer, at the head of the procession.
The tide and wind now with us meant we could enjoy the trip back with relative ease. There was friendly banter with the other rowing crews and some of the yacht crews we know from the East Coast. The sight of all the boats following us and the rapidly approaching bridges was spectacular. Never to be forgotten.
Returning to the slipway at Port Edgar Marina all the rowing clubs mucked in to get boats off the water and ready for the journey home for most. Queensferry CRC put the kettle on and we all had time together off the water to review the weekend’s high points.
Our thanks go to both North Queensferry CRC and Queensferry CRC for thier organisation of the weekend and great hospitality.
An extensive set of photos of the weekend can be found on the photo tab or by clicking on the link below.
https://www.rwsabc.co.uk/photo-galleries/?album=6&gallery=31