Several rowing groups in Scotland have been invited to take part in the Queens Jubilee Pageant on the River Thames in London on 3 June. For those who do not know of the Pageant, Her Majesty is going to travel down London’s River on a royal barge, accompanied by a flotilla of 1000 small craft from all over the commonwealth. The accompanying boats will travel 10 miles downriver from Putney to Docklands.
From Scotland, the Monarch’s Lord Lieutenants have been asked to identify craft to represent their counties and some of those Lord Lieutenants have looked to members of Scottish Coastal Rowing Association to do the honours.
Berwickshire will be represented by one of the County’s St Ayles skiffs, with a crew hopefully made up of members from both Eyemouth and St Abbs. Ross is to be represented by a crew from Ullapool rowing club in Ulla. Stornoway Rowing Club are going to be representing the Western Isles, with their crew to include local youngsters being recognised for their sporting success. All three of these SCRA member clubs have a fair amount of training, fundraising and organising to do, and we wish them luck with that.
The Moray Gig leaving Portsoy Old Harbour
In addition Aberdeen Boat Club have had their application to take part in the Pageant accepted. The Club intend to use a St Ayles skiff for the event. The Moray Gig is also going to be taking part, representing the County of Moray. http://www.moraygig.com/ At 38′ this sailing and rowing gig, rowed by 10 rowers with a total crew of 13, will dwarf the St Ayles skiffs. She was built in Findhorn where she was launched in 2001, and where she is still based.
The Glasgow Humane Society will also have a rowing boat, “George” taking part in the event and the Sheltand Isles will be sending down Dim Riv, a half size replica of a viking long boat.
More information on the pageant on their website: http://www.thamesdiamondjubileepageant.org/