Celtic Challenge 2014 - Final Preparations

With just a week to go until the Celtic Challenge, final preparations and training were the order of the day.  On Saturday, Macsen and Elen were taken and launched from a point between Beaumaris and Penmon.  The waters were initially choppy under an onshore wind making the going difficult.  Once beyond Bangor Pier and into the more confined waters of the Menai Straits, the going became more pleasant and a short stop was made for refreshments at The Gazelle.  Thereafter it was a breeze home to Plas Menai save for the brief strong winds by Plas Newydd.

Holly, Pete, Trevor, Angie & Helen aboard Macsen en route for Britannia Bridge

  

Sea sickness is likely to be the team's greatest foe during the crossing of the Irish Sea so all are going armed with Kwells, Stugeron and the like as prophylaxis.  For those who do succumb, £50 buys you glasses that cure by providing a false horizon and thus steady the cochlea in the ears:

Gael Force Boarding Ring Anti-Motion Sickness Glasses - £49.99

  We've been experimenting and come up with cheaper versions of our own:

 Mk 1 homemade specs filled with (I kid you not) soap colouring and vodka!!

£0 - watch out Porthmadoc!  Hic!!

 5 minutes later we have.....Mk 2 - this is a fast 
moving technology!!

The progress of all longboats during the celtic Challenge can be followed using satellite tracking at the link below:

  

 http://yb.tl/cc2014

A Busy Weekend

We were out on the Menai Straits both Saturday and Sunday this weekend.  On Saturday, we had a useful session practising for the upcoming Celtic Challenge with our support boat Danny Jo and a RIB.  Danny Jo will be with us on the challenge and as our RIB is coming from Staffordshire, a RIB for this practise was kindly provided by Alan Price.  During the challenge, crews will have to rotate regularly and therefore we needed to practise transfers to and from Danny Jo using the RIB.

Holly and Pete on Danny as the RIB heads of to Elen to make a transfer

  

There was a decent swell for the practise which allowed all the learning points to come out such as how easy it would be to lose a finger if you got them trapped between longboat and RIB as they pitched up and down alongside eachother.  We also learnt how easy it is for the longboat to become unbalanced as crew transfer in and out.  All this will stand is in good stead come the event itself.  Thanks again to Mark and Alan for their time, patiuence and assistance.

Maggy and Martin coming alongside Danny Jo

 

Sunday saw a good turn out for rowing and both Elen and Macsen took to the water as well as one of our yoles.  Elen took off for Plas Newydd with Elin, Helen, Issy, Sally-Ann, Amanda, whilst Elen with Ian, Pete, Meg, Neil and Mike took it easier as they stayed close to Holly in the Yole to provide some support - the yole being more suseptible to capsizing.  Macsen made it to the sailing club in Port Dinorwic where they availed themselves of tea, coffe and biscuits.  En route they were buzzed by Sion in his dingy.  

Holly and Sion stalking Macsen

 

Castle to Castle Race - 5th April 2014

After London's Great River Race, our very own Castle to Castle (or C2C) Race is the highlight in our rowing calendar. The 20km course begins at Beaumaris and threads its way through the Menai Straits to finish on the Foryd shoreline in Caernarfon.  As this is a linear race, finishing in a different location to the start, much planning and organisation goes in beforehand to ensure all boats, rowers, safety boats and support teams are in the right place to start the race and also recover efficiently at the end.  This is in addition to the normal catering, registration, cox briefing, hosting activity that has to go on.

All hands to work to get the boats onto the beach at Beaumaris

In all, 21 Celtic Longboats, 2 Pembrokes, 1 Yole and a Skiff took part coming from as far afield as Port Seton in Scotland.  

 No doubting where they come from!

The field assembles

Conditions seemed reasonable for the start, cloudy but bright with a fresh breeze blowing.  Once on the water however and lining up for the start, things were different with a heavy chop and the wind making positioning and holding position into wind a real challenge.  Thankfully though we were away first time at 1245 and the field soon began to spread out.  The choppy conditions made hard going for all but especially the yole who relies on flat water for speed - it looked a lonely task for the rower.

As we entered the straits proper the water flattened somewhat allowing the yole to make up ground.  As timings intended, all negotiated the Swellies at slack water with no problem.  Water conditions varied throughout the course and on rougher sections, those in bow seats had to struggle to bite the water with their blades whilst being tossed about and receiving repeated soakings; those in stroke seats continued oblivious.

First boat in was Fleetwing of Porthmadoc in 2 hours 11 minutes with others following until the last at 2 hours 42 minutes.  

Fleetwing crossing the line at Caernarfon

With this our biggest field yet, the C2C was a resounding success despite some rough conditions and the odd soaking.  Thanks to all who travelled to take part and all those who work behind the scenes to bring it all together.

Full race results can be found at the link below:

C2C 2014 Results