Irish Rowers Find Rhythm

Shane Boyle of the Annapolis Irish Rowing Club (AIRC) says there are about 27 different techniques to consider when learning how to row a currach, which is traditional Irish fishing and work boat. The AIRC, started in 1982, is open to anyone interested in Irish rowing and practicing on the waters of downtown Annapolis. When I told my friends I was going to try rowing with the club, their first question was: "Is there beer involved?"

That question is answered on the club's Web site under the heading, "What you'll need." The must-have list includes gloves, water and beer money. Personally, I was more concerned about making a fool out of myself the first time in the boat.

When I arrived, Shane and three others — Egan Nerich, Dave Holmes and Craig, a recent addition to AIRC — invited me to ride along with them. I sat in the back of the boat in front of Shane, who was in charge of changing directions on the water.

Egan, who sat in the very front of the boat, navigated by looking over his shoulder to find a path and then finding a point in front of Shane to use for direction. He shouted, "St. Mary's or blue awning or 36," giving Shane directional cues. Watching the four rowers navigate through sailboats and buoys, I found myself becoming almost hypnotized by the sound coming from the oars.

When rowing correctly, every rower is in rhythm. Unlike crewing, there is no shout or drum to keep the beat. Each rider in the currach picks up the rhythm from the rower in the front of the boat. Eventually, they all fall into a hypnotic rhythm I found myself enjoying. Sitting there, soaking in the beautiful night on the water, my first impression was that this was going to be a piece of cake.

After the members treated me to their seamless display of rowing, they made their way back to shore where we picked up two new rowers. We lowered another boat into the water and divided the new rowers among the members. In my boat, members Dave and Shane guided me and my fellow new rower Eric through the basic technique. Each boat has four fixed-position seats. Each seat has a set of fixed-position oars. It sounds simple enough. I quickly found out I was wrong — there is nothing easy about rowing.

After only 5 minutes, I thanked God for letting me remember my gloves and for letting Dave have an even temper as I pounded him repeatedly in the back. Shane shouted, "Down and pull, down and pull." Logically, this made sense. I got it. I understood. Try as I might, however, I just couldn't do it. It didn't help that Eric, the new rower directly behind me, was having the same problems. So, when I was not crossing oars with Dave and pounding him in the back, Eric was crossing oars with me and pounding me in the back.

Once we were into the water a little way, Shane suggested that Eric and I take turns in finding the rhythm. I listened to the sound as Eric took one, two and then three strokes before finding his rhythm. When I heard it happen, my heart took a little leap. I sat patiently listening to the other three rowers, waiting for my turn.

We don't need to talk about how many strokes I took before I found my rhythm but I finally did. Suddenly, I understood how banging my knuckles and scraping my legs with the oars could lead to the Zen-like experience I'd heard others describe.

Finding that rhythm was like nothing I have ever experienced in sports. In running and cycling, I am alone with the road. I don't have to worry about the other athletes around me. It was different on the boat, it was still exercise but it was the closest I have ever come to feeling a team spirit.

Not to disappoint those who were wondering — yes, there is beer. After about an hour of rowing, we met up with the other boat and Dave graciously bought the evening's beer. We sat with our boats side by side, drank, and talked until the sun went down. Then, it was time to make our way back to the shore.

If you're looking for a new fitness challenge or you'd like to compete against other clubs, stop by to check out the team. AIRC row on Saturday mornings from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and on Tuesday and Thursday from 5:30 p.m. until dusk. Check online for more details and directions to get to the boats.

Ann is on a mission. After hearing from readers and friends alike that running was just not for them, she is looking for a sport for everybody. As she finds a new sport, she will give it a go and then tell you about the experience. She is hoping her experiences will lead people to a more fit and active life.