Sports
A leisurely row down the Thames
Recently a group of Masters rowers, including Grafton Rowing Club member Earl Cruickshank, set out on a rowing adventure to row 210 kilometres from Oxford to Greenwich on the River Thames in England.
Earl had previously rowed the Thames eight years ago, with a few other rowing adventures to Italy and France in between.
The team included a core group of seven Australians from various parts of the country, plus two Englishmen, with a further three Aussies joining in to row sections as needed.
The plan was to row from Oxford to Greenwich in seven days, the last two days to coincide with early morning low six metre tides and avoid the heavy river traffic.
They navigated a winding river, willow trees, floating gin palaces, narrow boats, fishermen, and swans and at times surprised other unsuspecting rowers. There were stately homes and the odd palace along the way.
The group left the Oxford City Rowing Club with their destination Poplar Blackwell Rowing Club, East London opposite the Cutty Shark, with stops and rests at various rowing clubs along the way where without exception, they were shown great hospitality.
Rowing all morning, and then inspecting by land the area that they had just passed, they found this a great way to sight see.
Marion White