I was walking along the waterfront in Venice and came upon this guy on an ancient Concept 2 model A ergometer, cranking away in the May sunshine as the world went by in front of him. He was rowing outside of a Venetian rowing club — a big cavernous boathouse filled with rough water wherries and quads. Not racing stuff, but boats for a few people to have some fun pulling down the Grand Canal. I watched as a quad tried to make a go of it during the Venetian equivalent of rush hour — vaporettos, water ambulances, water taxies, freight lighters and garbage barges all chaotically skittering from bank to bank — but they weren’t getting much run out of the shell and seemed to be perpetually backing it down to avoid lunching their bow on something bigger.
David:
Have enjoyed your blog for years – especially the Cape Cod and rowing stuff.
Turns out my daughter started rowing this year at Loyola Academy (high school) in Chicago and her Freshman 8 made it to the Scholastic Nationals in Saratoga Springs NY a couple of weeks ago.
As a crew parent I have a whole new respect – if not complete understanding – for the sport – what a great thing it has been for the girls. Training, discipline, responsibility, focus and teamwork are all required for success.
Tom O’Brien
@tomob
Sweet photos! I haven’t seen that many wooden oars for long time.