Too Cold To Row

Sad to say, it has become too cold to row. It is winter, after all. If I were still rowing at the club, it might be safe enough because there are people who would notice if I didn’t come back. But the water levels have dropped so far at that little lake that it is treacherous to row there and my boat has a 6 foot scratch to prove it. I have lost my skeg 3 times there … but did discover how much more I prefer to row without one and have stopped replacing it in favor of the maneuverability.

I have the cold weather gear, but truth be known, I have done only a small percentage of rowing over the years wearing more than a bikini. Even starting out in the low 40’s at the Marathon Rowing Championships every year but this year (water levels TOO LOW!), I have never worn sleeves. But now I have to contemplate the Boston way of getting out anyway and just breaking the ice if need be!

I’ll row in the cold, but prefer it be sunny. I’ll row in wind and chop, but prefer the water be warm enough to survive going over. I have never capsized in a single in all my years of rowing. But that has merely been my grace period and I’d rather that period end in South Florida. A remote uninhabited lake in the middle South in the winter is not the place to tempt fate. Nevertheless, I have just the right neoprene britches and booties and shirt with sleeves to wear when the day comes that there is sun, over 40 degrees and less than 10 mph wind. I figure that is a good standard to set for acceptable conditions.

I really should do the snow bird thing and just hoof it down to Sarasota to where the city CARES about rowing. ANOTHER 20 million they are putting into their rowing program there!!!! The city where I live doesn’t even know rowing exists. And it wouldn’t hurt to live in the part of the world where there are people who care about the planet and hastening our shift to renewable energy. Yes. I need to move. Maybe San Francisco? I am open to suggestions.