From the GW Bridge to Nyack- The Hard Way

This morning at 8:40 AM, members of the Piermont Rowing Club, along with several other clubs, put their rowing shells into the Hudson River at Engelwood Cliffs, New Jersey, a little way above the GW. The finish line was off Nyack, twenty five kilometers (or for the metrically challenged, about eighteen miles) away. Our boat was an eight, which means that there were eight rowers, each with a single oar, or sweep, plus the cox, whose job it is to steer the boat and tell us to row faster. Nobody likes her very much. We watched as our club’s women’s four was pushed backwards towards the bridge by the current and wind. The had to row faster just to get to the starting line. Luckily, when our turn came, the wind and current had decreased, and off we went. Naturally, we had not bothered to have a practice row beforehand, so the first mile or so was devoted to getting us all to row in some semblance of order.

We were the “rabbit” boat, and after a head start, the two chase eights were started. They were faster because they were sculling eights, which means that each rower has two oars instead of one. They were also manned by young people, as opposed to our boat which included people of a certain age. Our sweeps were longer, but still. We were overtaken around Alpine, and left to bring up the rear. After going under the TZ Bridge, one of our rowers had to drop out because of an injury, and so we limped across the finish line off the Nyack launch ramp, having completed the course in two hours and forty five minutes.

I didn’t have to be lifted from the boat, but it was close. As I stumbled up the dock, I was heard to mumble “Never again!” However, after a hot shower and a couple of aspirin, I’m now thinking about next year.

Thano Schoppel Licensed Real Estate Salesperson