Roz Wilcox, AmeriCorps Service Member, LCMM
With a high of 15 degrees, it was going to be a cold one. But that’s what everybody had come out for. When we first arrived on the scene, it was still blowing a gale. ‘Are we crazy?’ was a question in everyone’s mind, but the forecast told us the wind would die down before the race, and our faith and sweaters saw us through.
Sure enough, the wind did die down. It was blowing 20-25 knots with gusts up to 35. ‘Choppy’ was a bit of an understatement, but putting our trust in the Hull Lifesaving Museum’s judgement and legacy, we started off as per tradition. The Snow Row features a Le Mans-style start, meaning that the race really begins on land. At the cannon’s boom participants must sprint from the high-tide line on the beach to their boats and launch at speed, before turning around and making a line for Sheep Island. From there, it’s a line to the Peddocks Island day marker, before returning to the Windmill Point boathouse.
We had five teams in the race, including many alumni of the youth programs! One of our fours was crewed by Mt. Abe high school students, and another four was Mt. Abe students and alumni! In addition, we had a pilot gig full of Vergennes Union High School alumni. We had two more gigs, one a mix of Vermont adult rowers, and youth from Station, Maine, and one a team of museum staff and volunteers.
It was a rough day out there, but under the skill of our coxswains and strong backs of our rowers, all five LCMM teams returned safe to the Windmill Point boathouse for hot soup and celebration!