After a 4-month, moving-related hiatus from rowing (longer than I've ever gone since first dipping a blade in Coal Harbour, about seven years ago), I'm getting back in the saddle ... er, the sliding seat. This Sunday I'll be joining my beloved Rec Program peeps at the Vancouver Rowing Club and hoping at least one of them will be up for sculling (or even sweeping) with rusty me. I'd like to return to weekday morning rows at Burnaby Lake as well (the flat water! the bird life! the zen!), though I might wait for a teensy bit more light on that lonely 6:30 a.m. bike/skytrain ride.
Anyway, on to this morning's walk, which has a rowing connection ...
Not this. This guy is not rowing.
When I first started the sport, I discovered how often people hear "rowing" and picture kayaking or dragon-boating or canoeing or paddle-boarding, etc. I discovered that if I say, "No, the thing they do at the Olympics, in eights or quads or singles etc.," then most people know what I mean ... though, of course, I have to qualify my comparison and point out that those people are four hundred times faster, sleeker, more powerful, less likely to capsize than I am.
Definitely not rowing.
(I did once manage to stand up in a quad — on a dare.)
A glimpse of mountain
(Anyone know if dogs are permitted on any of the Cypress Mtn. nordic trails?)
Here we are at the rowing connection! In the time since I last rowed at VRC, "belt pack" PFDs have become fashionable (and required) — a good thing. We used to go out with ancient, crappy life vests (leftovers from the Titanic) stuffed under the seats, where they were of no use to anyone in an emergency. I'm happy to wear a belt pack; I just needed to get one.
Gear!
Most of the individual items here are of no interest to me, but the whole collection — sort of like all the widgets and doo-hickies at Home Hardware — is weirdly appealing. Re. the one item I was interested in, I managed to snag the last belt pack PFD in stock, marked down from $179 to $129. Woo hoo!
I'm not sure why Steveston Marine has a Zellers shopping cart, and I'm not sure what the thing Freddie is posing in front of is — a boat furnace? A periscope base? Freddie doesn't care; he just wants to go to the beach.
Top Way
Telescopic View
Filigreed Sky
Eye-catching
Wishing you smooth waters this weekend!
Steveston remains such a cool place. And, since a life jacket under a seat in a boat might as well be left on the shore when the going gets rough, I am very relieved that you got your PFD!
ReplyDeleteHeather, your VRC Rec peeps welcome you back with open arms (and blades!). See you Sunday.
ReplyDeleteTerri