In the days leading up to Wednesday, there are tons of details to take care of. Today, we addressed the boats. As one club rower put it today, “Boats are the worst part of rowing. They are a hassle! And I mean that–a hassle!”
We began the work party at 9:30 and already it felt like 98 degrees without a cloud in the sky. The boats sat guts up and within minutes their black interiors could fry and egg. Unfortunately, it had to be done. Both 8’s had shot wheel bearings that could give at any moment. The Kaschper 4+ needed a new set of tracks and all the boats needed to affix their bow ball. The Rowed Warrior 4+ has serious bolt corrosion issues. That’s the problem with rowing in salt water without a dock: it really wears down the hardware and gear on the boats. The bow shoes in the Fin 8+ were just flaps of cloth.
By 11:30 everyone was retreating to escape the heat, meaning the quad and 2x were not touched. The 8’s and Kaschper 4+ took up so much time and attention with just replacing all the wheels we ran out of time.
We de-rigged the two 4+’s, which will be a great time saver for Tuesday when we take apart the shells for transport.
Local excitement is building, too. The Bradenton Herald interviewed me for an article that came out today, which can be read by clicking here.
I have two more practices on the books, my last 5:45 a.m. is tomorrow. The Coach for the composite rows with Sarasota Crew has been taking amazing evening row shots. The weather, while hotter than an oven in the Sahara Desert, has provided a gorgeous backdrop.
The manatees have been out in the Inter-coastal Waterway in full force. Wednesday we stopped our piece by an upswell of water and flapping tails. Some rowers thought it was stingrays and not manatees, resulting in a great debate where we learned that it’s a herd of manatees, but a fever of stingrays. On Friday morning our cox’n couldn’t keep a straight path. It was like manatee bumper cars! We stopped for a water break and watched them frolic for a bit.
I made a careful diet plan for the week, including increasing my carb intake Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. I can afford the extra weight it will bring since yesterday morning the scale said I was 141.5. The last time I saw a number that low was when I first met Alan. My Mom’s reaction was, “That’s not good!” Maybe not, but the homemade pretzels I made sure are delicious with a drizzle of hot melted butter. I don’t think I’ll see 141.5 the rest of the week.
Tomorrow I have two on the water practices and more small details to take care of, like the transport of racks. I scheduled a needed sports massage for Tuesday, and then Wednesday is “go” time.
