September 2023

Last Saturday’s race really tested the patience as well as the skill of the fleet and it will probably win the award for ‘Most Frustrating Race of the Year’.

Mike Doherty relives the agony:

There are no bad days in a Scow on the Beaulieu River, but occasionally the enjoyment is mixed with some grinding of teeth.

Eleven boats launched into the last burst of flood tide as the promised breeze was fading. What there was came from the East, or in my case, whatever direction my bow was pointing. Many thanks to our officials Gina Gaynor and Frank McGinn who did their best with a figure of eight course to Pigs, North, Club and Withies.

Twenty minutes after the gun we were at least still over the line … but only just, clinging to the south bank and being swept back every time we tacked. I was at the back but doing well against a Topper, although they had abandoned the tiller in favour of a nap on the foredeck. (Don’t blame you Beattie, Ed.). One or two remembered they had urgent business back at home, (watching some paint dry?) and headed off.

Anchoring seemed a tad ostentatious, so we were all just nestling up on the mud to await developments when a gentle but steady breeze came up from the south east and we were off. Simon and Babar Shaw were quickest off the mark. I followed, with Jay Devonshire too close for comfort in third, and the remaining fleet all in touch as we rounded Pigs.

The officials took pity and shortened the course – round the next mark and home. Getting across the current to North was a challenge we handled with varying degrees of success. It was then a long float upstream on the tide home, slow motion but tense. Simon and Babar were well clear, Jay had got ahead to second, but Lizzie and Red Johnson seemed better at drifting aimlessly than me and were closing remorselessly, leading to an almost impossibly exciting finish. I held on, crossing just ahead of Lizzie, then Red, Nick BB and Sally Hutton soon after, with four retirements.

Those of us who were late for lunch then got the oars out. Thank you also to Elizabeth Gedge and Peter Betteridge for safety duties. Never was such a crack team so under-utilised.

1 Simon & Babar Shaw
2 Jay Devonshire
3 Mike Doherty
4 Lizzie Anders
5 Red & Cleo Johnson
6 Nick Bentley-Buckle & Sally Hutton

UP RIVER RACE   Saturday 23 September 1510 HT 1741

STARTING PLATFORM & RACE OFFICER June Kirkman & Ginna Gayner
SAFETY BOAT TEAMS Peter Bettridge, Vova Karavan, Keith Hutton   Ian Strathcarron, John Pemberton, Philip Lush SHORE SUPPORT Rupert Stratton

Our thanks to Vova who is very kindly moving the trollies for us.

Up River Race Celebratory Tea kindly hosted by Maria Stratton at Friar’s Oak
RSVP malystratton@hotmail.com

Very much look forward to seeing you on Saturday for the Up River Race, one of the highlights of our year.

Victoria Bonham Carter