Len White, President of Appledore Pilot Gig Club, and a former CPGA representative, passed away last week.
His daughter, Julie says: “Len had a passion for rowing spanning back to his teenage years as a sliding seat rower with the local Bideford clubs. His dream to see pilot gig rowing back at Appledore was achieved 14 years ago and he was delighted to see the sport thrive and grow in North Devon. These past few years he was able to teach his granddaughter Caitlin and the club’s new generation of juniors to row pilot gigs. A proper Appledore boy, his heart will always be on the water.”
Photo courtesy of Andrew Hobbs Photography
Poem by Kevin Pyne for Len
Neat long and strong
When we lose us a rower
The skies they’ll turn
Dull and gray
While the water that you
And they rowed on feels
Different in some way
And yet you kind of get
The feeling
That they are watching
Over you
As they go to meet up
And make up with their old
Mates for all of time
Other now invisible crews
But don’t you go thinking
Just because you cant see
Them they are forever
Now gone
Because they now row
With the great pilot where
The water is calm and clear
And catch drive and stoke
Is perfect and never anything
Save neat long and strong
So sorry to hear of your loss, what a lovely poem,and how lovely that he has passed the rowing down through his family and shared it with the juniors. I will be rowing with Rame gig club at your regatta and will be thinking of you all.x