Cool and peaceful early row

Posted on by Jacq Barnard

Wednesday 21st July 2021
When we launched at 8.30 am all was cool and peaceful on the river. Simon took us down to the Tips and by then we were very glad of the shade provided for our coffee break. Caro brought us back upriver to the DYC slipway which by then was surrounded by noisy teenagers enjoying swimming in the Deben.  It was heartening to see them all move away as soon as we approached… two lads brought our trailer down to us and a group of girls offered to help with getting the skiff loaded. The welcome was as warm as the day had become! And for once Julian was able to row for the complete trip!

Monday 14th June 2021
A hot day for rowing down to the Hams. We were all glad of Fiona’s encouragement to take our swimming gear so we could cool off in the river before drying out on the shore as we enjoyed a well earned tea break. For some of us it was our first ever swim in our river – Fiona does it daily!
Unfortunately, we have no photos to verify this but John did take a beautiful shot of Julian retrieving our anchor. How fortunate we are to have our skiff and our river.

Postponed summer outing

Posted on by Jacq Barnard

June 19th 2021

Although we planned a lovely summer evening row on Friday 18th, the weather didn’t play ball so we avoided the wind and rain in favour of much nicer conditions on Saturday evening and took a trip beyond Wilford Bridge. As ever we scared the tourists on the far side when yodelling as loud as we could to get the echo to resonate and expand.

Rather than make crumbs in the boat we went to the kayak and paddle boarders beech on the Sutton Hoo bank to eat our lemon drizzle cake and leave messages in the sand to show that we can get to the beach too!

We didn’t have enough stones to spell ‘skiff’ so we settled with ‘gig’.

  • Bridge in sight
  • Rehearsed photo split…
  • The ‘under the bridge’ shot
  • Eating Mathilda’s Lemon Drizzle cake on the beach
  • All sitting on the one little patch of grass
  • Cloud watching
  • ‘All look this way’
  • David hanging onto Whisstock for us!
  • Ok, so we didn’t have enough stones to spell ‘skiff’
  • Time to go home

Talk about luck!

Posted on by Jacq Barnard

We spent a lovely evening on the water, spotting seals and eating chips and brownies – all the time being chased by the next black cloud but never being rained on. It’s unbelievable that we got away with it because it was always raining in the distance.

It was a hard pull against the tide in both directions so we agreed that the sugar indulgence was well justified.

Wind, rain and a flood tide

Posted on by Jacq Barnard

Wind, rain and a flood tide to battle against on the way there then lunch in the sun.

It was a good row and in terms of the need for a serious adventure every year. But the crew decided it should suffice as the adventure of the month.

The photos below evidence of the sunny beach as promised by the outward cox whilst the crew were battling the less desirable elements!

Is that a bubble, bobble or a buoy?

Posted on by Jacq Barnard

Great Sunday morning spent going to Waldrigfield and then back to the Wilford Bridge and home.

The first outing for our ‘Bubble’ post lockdown and the first outing for the coxes new ‘Bobble’ hat that seriously weighed us down but had been kindly knitted in the club colours.

We were joined by Alec Newland for his first outing in Whisstock and a welcome member of the club.

Brownie cookings were enjoyed by the crew at Methersgate who need to seriously start planning what they do once Tilly takes her baking skills back to Uni!

Perils of a ley shore

Posted on by Jacq Barnard

A few pictures from yesterday’s bubble outing. It was the first time that new member Simon has joined in and the first time for John as cox. We experienced a big contrast in the two sides of the river but had a lovely Coffee at Waldringfield.

A lee shore found us stuck at the Maybush pub for a while but lunch on the beach at the Tips was nothing but tranquil.

First post lockdown (3) row!

Posted on by Jacq Barnard

The weather was perfect but the launch slightly delayed following a comment on how easily the boat moved following inflation of the tyres and greasing the axels. Fortunately the clip that was retaining the wheel before it fell off was readily found and a wheel running on a mixture of dirt and grease still rolls quite well.


Nothing too adventurous for the first row just a trip up to Bromeswell Common for lunch. Following an enforced period of mostly solitary activity just being together on our lovely river was enough and made it a memorable trip. Looking forward to many more.

Spooky Halloween Outing

Posted on by Jacq Barnard

This is by far the roughest conditions our ‘Bubble’ have been out in. The waves lapped the bow and somewhat interfered with our Halloween cupcakes but it was good experience to work with the wind and tide.

Despite the difficult conditions we managed to launch and retrieve Whissock with relative ease and had a really good time. No stopping at the pub this time but we did have a nice time in Martlesham Creek where the water was much more sheltered.

We are looking forward to be going back on the water after lockdown, who knows what Christmas treats Tilly might cook for us!

Happy Halloween!

When the chips are down!

Posted on by Jacq Barnard

I bet Whisstock never thought that its most important piece of safety kit would be a bottle of anti-bac!

Rowing in these complicated covid times has its challenges but it was nice to spend most of Saturday 17th October on the water away from all the news bulletins and extreme signage.

Our bubble (Lyn, Kate, Andy, David, Tilly & Jacq) rowed down to Ramsholt against wind and tide where we tied up on a convenient buoy to refuel (thank you Tilly for the homemade brownies). We then took advantage of the ever rising tide to make way to Waldringfield where we had a quick loo stop and grabbed six boxes of chips before losing the beach, which we ate tied up to another buoy with a Waldringfield Sailing Club race going on around us. There appeared to be more concern over missing ketchup sachets than the rapidly approaching sailing dinghies helmed by what looked like 7 year olds!!

It might take a bit more thought and time to get out on the water these days but it is a lovely way to get away from it all.

September jaunt to the Wilford Bridge

Posted on by Jacq Barnard

Covid has been difficult and restricting but at last British Rowing have allowed coastal rowing to resume providing that the crews stay together in a bubble.

So here is our ‘Bubble’ enjoying a late afternoon row to the Wilford Bridge on the 9th September. Not exactly coastal conditions for Steve Smith’s inaugural row but it was lovely to enjoy the clam of the Deben once again.

  • Lyn, Steve, Andy and Jacq
  • Andy, Steve, Lyn and David