In less than a year Harbour Rowing Club has gone from bright idea to buoyant success story – with community spirit, generous support and only the occasional amount of organised chaos.
If you had wandered down to the harbour less than a year ago and announced that a brand-new gig rowing club would soon become one of the liveliest outfits in the area you might have been met with a raised eyebrow, a puzzled look and possibly an offer of a nice sit down. Yet here we are. Harbour Gig Rowing Club is still in its infancy but what a noisy, cheerful, hard-working infancy it has been.
From the very beginning the club has been powered not just by oars but by people. One of our proudest achievements has been the way the club has connected with the local community. What started as a handful of enthusiasts with enthusiasm slightly larger than their boat budget has quickly become a proper community effort, with local people cheering us on, joining in, lending a hand, and proving once again that this part of the world knows exactly how to rally round a good cause.
The fundraising support has been nothing short of extraordinary. Local businesses have backed us with generosity, goodwill and the sort of practical help that deserves a medal and a cream tea. Local residents have supported us magnificently, whether through donations, events, encouragement, or simply pretending not to notice how often we have been talking about rowing lately. Every bit of support has helped turn ambitious plans into very real progress.
That progress can be measured in numbers as well as smiles. In under a year the club has grown to nearly 100 members – a remarkable achievement for any new organisation let alone one involving early mornings, teamwork and the very real possibility of getting splashed. Even better we now have increased our successful and vibrant junior section, which is wonderful news for the future of the club and mildly alarming for the adults, who are already beginning to suspect the youngsters may soon be faster than them.
Then there is the fleet. We are now the proud owners of four boats ‘Locky’, ‘Harbour Spirit’, ‘Rascal’ and our brand-new training gig ‘Pendragon’. This feels wonderfully official particularly after our blessing ceremony for both our new boats by our also new vicar Simon earlier this month. That event saw a huge turnout of a couple of hundred people, sea Shantys from the Cobweb Crew and of course retiring to the Cobweb afterwards. There is something deeply satisfying about saying “our boats” instead of “the boats we are borrowing, admiring or nervously hoping someone else will lend us.” Owning four boats is a major milestone for such a young club and says a great deal about the determination, commitment and generosity behind the scenes.
As if all that were not enough to keep the celebration committee busy, the club has also been accepted into the Cornish Pilot Gig Association, the governing body for the sport. That is a significant moment for Harbour Gig Rowing Club and a proud sign that, although we may be young, we are very much heading in the right direction.
So, less than a year in, Harbour Gig Rowing Club has already built something rather special: a thriving membership, a flourishing junior section, a growing fleet, and strong ties with the community that helped make it all possible. Not bad for a club that has barely had time to get its sea legs. If the first year is anything to go by the future looks bright, busy, and quite possibly slightly damp.
Oh and if you would like to support us do come along and watch, join in, have a go and or support and if you really fancy a challenge come along to our latest fundraiser which will end with a pasty and a pint (see the attached poster).
Paul
HRC
