🚣♂️ Sunday was WivGigs RACE DAY. We staged another intra-club race - for shit 'n' giggles, etc. It's actually a great way to get new club members race ready. We've welcomed many new crew members over recent months. It can be a challenge to throw them straight into a Harker's Yard race against other clubs. Our own internal effrots are a decent introduction.#
Except the weather on Sunday morning was the kind of conditions that can sink boats. Oh dear. I didn't think we would get the go ahead to race. A social row would have long since been cancelled with the heavy downpour ahead of the 9:30am meet up. I checked WhatsApp, again and again, waiting for the inevitable. Still We Race. WivgGigs are a hardy lot.#
The pre-race briefing was brief - the way it should be. Basically row your backside off. We had our two boats Audacity and Verucca Varuna out on the water. Four crews were in place, leading to a couple of sprints out into the estuary.#
I raced first in Audacity. Our tactic seemed to be to shout "HOLD WATER" at every available moment. This means that we have the lie of the land / water and you need to gtf outta the way. This all assumes that you take the lead at the start. We didn't, and we didn't get to shout "HOLD WATER" either.#
It was a tough row tbh. We were never really in, but still pushed hard. Our rival club looked on from the other side of the estuary in Defiance. See you next week in Brightlingsea, boys and girls.#
We tied up briefly on the Sailing Club pontoon. A couple of crazy swimmers drifted through. You know there's a reason why that water is so brown, right?#
I did a little boat hopping. I was down to double dip with a place in the Varuna crew for the second race. I was on lead stroke - the position in the boat that dictates the pace. It's hard work, but at least you get to choose a rhythm that works for you.#
We got off to a brilliant start and moved ahead of Audacity. It soon became clear that there was a situation developing in the other boat. It was a mild medical emergency, but thankfully it had a happy ending. It did mean that we were now time trialling rather than racing. We pressed on.#
The rain re-appeared for the return leg back towards the pontoon. This was our motivation to get a shifty on. A bonkers lone paddle boarder ploughed on downstream, passing us a little too close for comfort. The HONKING of the klaxon was the best sound I heard all morning.#
The end results showed that my Audacity crew finished third; our Varuna effort fared better in second place. A presentation and some drying off took place in the Sailing Club. I didn't hang around. I was cold and wet and in need of endless mugs of warm tea. My hands had also started to blister quite badly.#
🏐 I had afternoon plans to head up to the University to watch the volleyball. A new elite team has set up on campus. The University appears to be shifting away from a bastion of social science to something more like a US sporting college set up. The rain was hit and miss. I didn't fancy a second soaking of the day.#
☠️ I stayed in and watched the Southampton Vs Arsenal game, with Steve Earle's Copperhead Road as the soundtrack. I bought this on CD a few weeks ago. It's an album that I've only ever known through the medium of a glorious TDK D90 cassette. I'd forgotten that The Pogues are the house band on some of the tracks. The Devil's Right Hand is a great outsider track.#
🎵 I posted a shit load of cassettes for sale to the Facebook group. I'm not sure where I stand with cassettes right now. I've been unlucky with a run of faulty decks - which is a shame after spending most of Lockdown buying up the entire UK cassette collection. I'm spoilt for choice with CD's. Unlike cassettes, the prices remain competitive. I rarely pay more than £3 including postage for a CD. You can double that for a cassette. Plus the quality is guaranteed. Meanwhile there's a Record Fair in Ipswich next weekend...#
Album of the Day: John Martyn - Solid Air#
A very classy album that sounds complete. There's nothing missing here. Even the sparseness of the music doesn't sound awkward. There's space for the songs to breathe. I'm never sure if Solid Air is a summer or autumn record. Either way, it carries you through with a very warm feeling throughout. The bass sounds lovely through the analogue production. Martyn's voice could break down and cry at any moment. He just runs with the full spectre of emotions from the downbeat title track, and then straight into Over the Hill. May You Never is the complete F-IT song. Superb.#
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐#
🚣♂️ Sunday was WivGigs RACE DAY. We staged another intra-club race - for shit 'n' giggles, etc. It's actually a great way to get new club members race ready. We've welcomed many new crew members over recent months. It can be a challenge to throw them straight into a Harker's Yard race against other clubs. Our own internal effrots are a decent introduction.#
Except the weather on Sunday morning was the kind of conditions that can sink boats. Oh dear. I didn't think we would get the go ahead to race. A social row would have long since been cancelled with the heavy downpour ahead of the 9:30am meet up. I checked WhatsApp, again and again, waiting for the inevitable. Still We Race. WivgGigs are a hardy lot.#
The pre-race briefing was brief - the way it should be. Basically row your backside off. We had our two boats Audacity and Verucca Varuna out on the water. Four crews were in place, leading to a couple of sprints out into the estuary.#
I raced first in Audacity. Our tactic seemed to be to shout "HOLD WATER" at every available moment. This means that we have the lie of the land / water and you need to gtf outta the way. This all assumes that you take the lead at the start. We didn't, and we didn't get to shout "HOLD WATER" either.#
It was a tough row tbh. We were never really in, but still pushed hard. Our rival club looked on from the other side of the estuary in Defiance. See you next week in Brightlingsea, boys and girls.#
We tied up briefly on the Sailing Club pontoon. A couple of crazy swimmers drifted through. You know there's a reason why that water is so brown, right?#
I did a little boat hopping. I was down to double dip with a place in the Varuna crew for the second race. I was on lead stroke - the position in the boat that dictates the pace. It's hard work, but at least you get to choose a rhythm that works for you.#
We got off to a brilliant start and moved ahead of Audacity. It soon became clear that there was a situation developing in the other boat. It was a mild medical emergency, but thankfully it had a happy ending. It did mean that we were now time trialling rather than racing. We pressed on.#
The rain re-appeared for the return leg back towards the pontoon. This was our motivation to get a shifty on. A bonkers lone paddle boarder ploughed on downstream, passing us a little too close for comfort. The HONKING of the klaxon was the best sound I heard all morning.#
The end results showed that my Audacity crew finished third; our Varuna effort fared better in second place. A presentation and some drying off took place in the Sailing Club. I didn't hang around. I was cold and wet and in need of endless mugs of warm tea. My hands had also started to blister quite badly.#
🏐 I had afternoon plans to head up to the University to watch the volleyball. A new elite team has set up on campus. The University appears to be shifting away from a bastion of social science to something more like a US sporting college set up. The rain was hit and miss. I didn't fancy a second soaking of the day.#
☠️ I stayed in and watched the Southampton Vs Arsenal game, with Steve Earle's Copperhead Road as the soundtrack. I bought this on CD a few weeks ago. It's an album that I've only ever known through the medium of a glorious TDK D90 cassette. I'd forgotten that The Pogues are the house band on some of the tracks. The Devil's Right Hand is a great outsider track.#
🎵 I posted a shit load of cassettes for sale to the Facebook group. I'm not sure where I stand with cassettes right now. I've been unlucky with a run of faulty decks - which is a shame after spending most of Lockdown buying up the entire UK cassette collection. I'm spoilt for choice with CD's. Unlike cassettes, the prices remain competitive. I rarely pay more than £3 including postage for a CD. You can double that for a cassette. Plus the quality is guaranteed. Meanwhile there's a Record Fair in Ipswich next weekend...#
Album of the Day: John Martyn - Solid Air#
A very classy album that sounds complete. There's nothing missing here. Even the sparseness of the music doesn't sound awkward. There's space for the songs to breathe. I'm never sure if Solid Air is a summer or autumn record. Either way, it carries you through with a very warm feeling throughout. The bass sounds lovely through the analogue production. Martyn's voice could break down and cry at any moment. He just runs with the full spectre of emotions from the downbeat title track, and then straight into Over the Hill. May You Never is the complete F-IT song. Superb.#
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐#
