After a brief health and safety talk we were given instruction upon the correct use of the Concept2 rowing machines. We were then set off erging in unison while the coaches walked around correcting posture and technique where needed. We were on the ergs for about ten minutes but it felt like half an hour. A tour of the boathouse followed after which we were split into groups and taken out onto the water.
I was put in seat 5 in an eight, rowing on the bow side of the boat. Seat six was occupied by another novice and seats 7 and stroke were taken by a couple of experienced rowers to help provide some stability and manoeuvrability for the boat. We rowed mainly as either bow four or middle four and got a good feel for the boat. We rowed with arms only and kept the blades square. Sliding the seat and feathering the blades will follow later.
For a few strokes we got a nice rhythm going. I followed 6 like a shadow but suddenly he stopped rowing. "What's he messing about at?" I thought. The coach then announced from the motor launch that 6 had caught a crab. "How embarrassing for him. What a silly novice mistake to make" I thought. A few minutes later we were rowing along nicely again and picking up a bit of speed when suddenly, as I went to tap down at the catch, I felt the handle of my oar dig into my chest and it pinned me to my seat. The more I tried to free myself the more the force of the water held the blade handle against me. I was surprised at the force of the crab to say that we were going so slow. Eventually I managed to get the spoon out of the water and into the air and recover my position. I don't know how I would have done this if we had been going at a high speed.
We returned to the boathouse upright and dry. Result!
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