Whilst Varuna was racing in home waters on Regatta Day, our gig Audacity was braving the Thames again in her third outing around Canvey Island. The race is part of the Nelson Cup series of summer races. If the weather allows, the race is a complete circuit from Benfleet Yacht Club, east along Hadleigh Ray out into the choppy water of the Thames.
Racers, in all sorts of rowing craft, then work their way along the front of the island before ducking under an oil pipeline into Holehaven. From there boats pass under East Haven Barrier, around the back of the island and under Benfleet Barrier to then sprint to the finish with whatever they have left to give.
At 14 miles it is one of the longer races we do. This year we were the fourth boat to launch from the friendly company of the Yacht Club straight into rowing against the tide, dodging mudbanks, into the wide-open Thames with no shelter from a persistent westerly wind that made keeping timing a challenge. Once in Holehaven, the wind almost stopped our progress until we crept under East Haven Barrier into the quiet, ever narrowing channel of the East Haven creek with barely enough water to get home.
We did it in 2 hours 55 minutes this year, a whole minute faster than last year, with a five-person crew. It was a real test of skill, persistence, fitness and team work for a crew and cox but, despite the fatigue etched clearly on their faces, the crew put in an amazing effort at the end with an impressive speed over the last couple of miles.
The determined crew included Adam Mason starting as cox, Kirsty Lee on stroke, Guy Cooper, with the three of us rotated to take turns coxing whilst, Lydia Paley and Matt Smith rowed the entire race with no break. Both performed impressively especially Lydia in her first time around the island tackling the uncertainties of wind and waves like a pro as we came third in our class just thirty seconds behind second place.