Row Paddle Row, Where Did the Weekend Go? By Angela

Row Paddle Row, Where Did the Weekend Go?


By Angela April 19, 2010

This weekend was the Long Beach Junior Crew Invitational Regatta so it was busy around the boathouse. We only had a few rowers so we used the indoor rowing machines, dock boxes and used our training pair for the first time. John, the Cal State Long Beach crew coach lent a hand and gave the kids some instruction on the dock boxes before I took them on the water in the boat. A pair is different than a double. A double is sculling or each person having 2 oars a right /port or starboard/left. A pair is sweep rowing with one person having one oar and being a port and the other has one oar and is a starboard. The two together make a pair. It is the most difficult boat to row. Our pair trainer is larger and more stable than a racing pair. I also use our large size outriggers on the boat making it extremely stable and easy to teach. After they learn sweep rowing in the pair they will be able to row in a four or an eight. Our national adaptive team has a 4+ and the San Diego Crew Classic is only the larger crews of 8+ The + plus sign in rowing means that the boat has a coxswain. The coxswain steers the boat and instructs the rowers. San Diego Crew Classic will have some adaptive entries next year so I thought I had better start teaching some of our kids to row sweep. Crew fours and eights are only sweep.

Saturday Terri came with her student Elliot, Stan came with Parker and Ian came with his dad. I had printed out a training manual with some of the terminology and commands and e-mailed the file To Ian to study. Ian was the first to go in the pairs boat with me and he did pretty well. He has a natural ability he seems to have inherited from his mom who also rowed crew in college. Then it was Elliot’s turn. Both did pretty well for first time. I am sure the lessons on the dock boxes were extremely helpful. John seemed to be a natural teacher and was good with the kids. We got all of our equipment washed and put away and then watched some of the races. Our kids are excited about participating in some races. We were invited to participate in these races but we are not ready. I have to prepare them for racing and they are all so new. They will get there!

I am a surfer and Terri a surfer and stand up paddle boarder. Terri brings her SUP board to rowing occasionally. Terri invited me to a paddle out for surfer, shaper and stand up paddle surfer Steven Adler that was happening today. Debs and I got up early, I loaded up my Infinity wave ski and we went to the event. We paddled out with carnations, made a big circle did a count off and said a prayer for Steven and his family. There were 332 surfers in the circle. Short boarders, Long Boarders, Paddleboarders, stand up paddlers and me on my wave ski. I suppose you could call it a SDP sit down paddle. I didn’t stay out and surf since Deb had to go to work. I just took first wave in. The waves were pretty good and the water felt great. I got all my surf stuff washed and put away, ready for the next one. Not much time remaining till I leave for England and still working to repair some boats and trying to find some volunteers for the rowing program before I leave. There is so much to do. Debs is going to take care of the house. I decided to do some things while I am away like the exterminator and I am finally going to use my Veterans housing grant to make my house more wheelchair accessible so hopefully all the construction can be completed before I get back. That’s the plan anyway. I have spent the rest of the day catching up on e-mail working on boat kit list and sending out sponsorship documents to businesses. Where did the weekend go? I can’t believe it is over already.