Orcas Island Rowing Pulling a 24 Hour Row This Weekend

— by Martin Taylor —

Kahana working HARD with encouragement from Ray in the 2014 24 hour row

Orcas Island Rowing (OIR) junior rowers are holding their annual “24 hour row” at Island Market grocery store this weekend. The crew team will be outside the Island Market continuously on a rowing machine (know as an erg). Each rower takes several 30 minute relay sessions and they keep the wheel spinning continuously for 24 hours. They will be trying to beat their past record of 332,207 meters (206.42 miles). The coaches and a few of the more enthusiastic parents help a little, but it’s mostly the junior crew members. The varsity kids typically do three sessions each while the novice rowers usually take two each. They will be rowing from 12 noon on Friday May 8th till Saturday May 9th at noon. The event is a traditional right of passage for the team as well as a low key fundraiser.  The entire team camps out in sleeping bags under the overhang in front of Island Market and around the corner near Susie’s Barbershop. For more info check out the web site : OrcasIslandRowing.org, email martin@OnOrcas.com or call 376-6935.

Orcas Island Rowing would like to invite the whole community to come out and support us at any time over the 24 hour period. They would of course appreciate any donations. Anything you can afford. But regardless of whether you can afford anything at all or not they would still like to see you there. There will be a spare rowing machine on hand so anybody can try their hand and or receive a little instruction on proper technique. Don’t be shy just come on down and ask.

OIR would like to thank Island Market for generously allowing us to use their space. They are great supporters of the Orcas community providing opportunities for many non profit and student activities.

Charlie receives a refreshing splash from his Dad in the 2014 24 hour row.