LeAn Holds It Up

When you're on the river and your boat is on a collision course with some obstacle, your coach or cox or bowman may say "Hold it up." or in an emergency, "Hold it hard!" Everyone in the boat will put their oars vertically into the water to stop the boat's progress. If the boat is moving very fast, it actually takes some strength to hold the oar in this position of highest resistance.

Today was my second week testing the waters at a new club and circumstances dictated that it would also be my first week trying to single scull. While bigger boats are typically steered with a rudder by a cox who sits at the front or back of the boat, single scullers have to steer for themselves by looking over their shoulders then changing trajectory by their rowing. At some point during the morning, I looked over my shoulder and saw my life in terms of rivers, currents, over-steering and oncoming yachts, and I decided to hold it up literally and figuratively.

I'm working ridiculous hours right now. I was in Jersey, Channel Islands all last week and will be going to Scotland again soon. I'm trying to get my driver's license. There's still a leak in my flat. Something has to go before what remains of my sanity goes, and right now, the most obvious thing seems to be the rowing. (I've just reached the end of my club membership year, so won't renew.)

Rowing has been fun, and I hope I'll be able to pick it up again if/when work calms down. I've had some wonderful quiet sunny mornings on the river, admiring the expensive houses and laughing (internally) at the curious looks the boat receives from ducks and cygnets. But there are seasons for everything; this autumn and winter as the Thames gets rougher and dangerous for the unskilled rower, I have to focus all my energy on keeping my life on an even course and out of overhanging willow trees.

And when the spring comes, perhaps I'll take up oar again and master the single scull.