6. The Port of London Challenge Rowing Race, 29th July 2019

With Christopher Rodrigues,
Chairman of The Port of London Authority

I was at Crown Pier by 6.00pm to board The Salient to watch The Port of London Challenge Rowing Race.

This is a race from HQS Wellington to Chelsea Harbour Pier, a distance of 4.3 nautical miles – to be rowed in boats with no sliding seats – all upper body strength and arm muscle!

It was a beautiful evening for the race, warm but not too hot, and sunny with a gentle breeze ruffling the Thames.

The crews were organised in divisions – ladies boats, mixed boats and gentlemen’s boats. The Company’s boat,The Forget Me Not, was placed in the gentlemen’s division.

Alas however the evening’s promise was not fulfilled, as, although The Forget Me Not was observed to have finished first in the gentlemen’s division, we were adjudged to be disqualified because of an infringement of the Rules at the start of the race!

The Forget Me Not at full throttle

Notwithstanding this disappointment, the Crew of The Forget Me Not were warmly congratulated on their sterling effort, and any sorrows that there may have been were soon drowned in glasses of thirst quenching beer! We enjoyed a very convivial evening, and resolved that next year “normal service “ would resume!

My thanks once again to Johnny Dwan and our crew for all their hard work and skill in the Race.