Last row

Stacked oars in the UQ Boathouse, with boats in the background

Our last row this morning. We had seven and we rowed seven and we all rowed most of the time. The only time all seven were not rowing was when we were manoevring to get in to the pontoon and when we were turning about. A. (our coach) stayed at the stern the entire time - I presume to make sure she knew precisely where we were headed.

It's an amazing world. There is a living all around the world for rowing coaches and A. is off to Inniskillen in the new year to take up a rowing coaching post, while most of us have had a pretty positive experience and intend to keep on next year, rowing fours not eights in the early new year. A far cry from when I was a girl growing up and such a sport was simply not offered.

But here, the college (perhaps 200 girls) field 5 fours, which is 25 girls with the coxes, and so do all the other nine colleges.