Four St Ayles skiffs will be heading down from Scotland to take part in the Great River Race on the Thames this weekend, three blue ones and one in white with green.  The race, which involves 22 miles of rowing upstream from London Docklands to Ham in Surrey features over 300 fixed seat rowing boats.  Each is expected to carry a flag, which can be of their club, their nation or their town. They all must carry a passenger as well as a cox, so each St Ayles will have six on board. Each boat is fitted with a tracker, so it is possible to follow progress on the Great River Race website.

Row Porty make their first trip down to the Thames. Coigach are also rounding off a successful season with a trip down to the big smoke.  Coigach lass took part last year for the first time.  Coigach are sending down a mixed team. Here is last years team beside a landmark:

The two other St Ayles skiffs taking part are St Baldred and Skiff John B, both from North Berwick.  This is Skiff John B’s third visit to the City.

One of the North Berwick crews will be made up of six ladies in their sixties, raising money for Marie Curie.  The crew will make quite a sight in their rather dashing swinging sixties garb.   The second NB crew is a mixed crew.

These are not the first St Ayles skiffs to be rowed on the Thames this year.  In June Unity (Eyemouth) and Ulla (Ullapool) took part in the Diamond Jubilee Pagaent.  Hope the weather is better this time!  There will almost certainly be some Shetland boats down there too, so if you see them give them a shout.