The boats are loaded on the trailers. We have reservations for hotel rooms and for dinner at Mezzo Mare, a local Italian restaurant known for huge servings of carbo-loaded pasta. We each have been training for weeks and months on the Concept IIs and can’t wait to feel real water under our oars.
LCMM is getting its fleet of gigs ready for its trip to Hull, Massachusetts for the annual Snow Row, a 3 ½ mile rowing race in Boston Harbor. Traditionally held on the first weekend of March, this year the Snow Row was postponed due to the solid ice covering the harbor in Hull. As everyone has heard, Boston has suffered an unusually cold and snowy winter, nearing the all-time record for snowfall and leaving its harbor encased in ice.
LCMM will trailer six boats to Hull for the March 21 race. The teams will include rowers from Vergennes Union High School, Mount Abraham Union High School, Burlington High School as well as two LCMM adult teams.
This winter is still dragging on and on and doesn’t seem to want to give up. We have had a few days of thawing temperatures and sunny skies but are holding our collective breaths over what the skies and temperatures will be in Hull on the water. March 21 will be the first day of spring and I am hoping that mother nature does not trick us into more winter.
Our team will be Mary Hennessy, Uli Schygulla, Katie Lowrie and me, with Ben Mayock as our favorite cox. We will be rowing Blue Heron, a beautiful four seated gig that was donated to the museum last year.
At this point, I just want winter to be over, for the race to begin, and for spring to show itself in Vermont. I am really curious to see what Hull harbor looks like—the Boston skyline lies across the water and is usually a gorgeous sight—I am just hoping it will not be shrouded in snow and sleet or rain!!
So, off we go. Wish us luck!!
Have you seen Hull Lifesaving Museum’s Facebook page? I guess THIS is why they postponed the race!:
