Ralph’s Day – Weekend of the 15th and 16th June 2019

Courtesy of Porthgain Gig Club

Ralph Bird made a huge contribution towards gig rowing, of which building the gigs was one aspect, another was his encouragement and passion for gig rowing. Ralph died ten years ago and it would be nice to mark that occasion with rowers and their families.

The Porthgain Rowing Club looks forward to welcoming everyone to Ralph’s day, which weather permitting will be a row around Ramsey Island followed by a Ceilidh.

Accommodation.

Everyone is welcome to camp at East Farm, Tretio, St. Davids Pembrokeshire. SA62 6DE. This is the home of Tom, Kath, Ben and Ella Sutton.

Our home telephone number is 01437 720 026. Tom’s mobile is 07836 725 260. Ella’s mobile number is 07596 462 529. Email suttontimber@aol.com

Our camping is in a field and there is no charge. We have ordered four portable toilets and there is access to a flushing toilets and showers.
We hope that people camping will arrive when they like, leave when they like and can “use” our house to cook and wash if they wish to.

There are other types of accommodation in the area if you would prefer not to camp. Please visit stdavidsinfo.org.uk or telephone them on 01437 720 392.

This website has taxi services and places to eat as well as a choice of places to stay.

Location.

The map below shows in red the best route to East Farm, Tretio, if towing a gig:-
Exit St. Davids on the Fishguard road (A487).
As you leave St Davids turn left, in front of the rugby club, onto the coast road, go through Rhodiad -Y – Brenin (1 mile) and past the Perennial nursery (2.5 miles).
Turn right onto a single track road sign posted TRETIO (3.1 miles) and follow the road up the hill and around the sharp right hand bend.
Follow the road down the hill and around the sharp left hand bend into the village (seven houses).
East Farm is the last entrance on the left before exiting the village (3.7 miles).

Ramsey Island.

Ramsey Island has numerous rocks and a fast flowing tide. It also has a narrow gap on the south end of the Island that once rowed through (with the tide) we cannot row back against.
This situation leads to an insurance difficulty; if I say it is okay to row and subsequently there is an accident I would be personably liable. As a consequence, visiting clubs are asked to row under their own Clubs insurance.

Porthgain Rowing Club will only row through the gap if they consider it safe for their crews. Our crews are of a mixed ability and will include novices.

Due to the tide our timing for the row is very specific:-

We will leave the beach at Whitesands Bay at 11.45 on Saturday the 15th June and return to same beach between 1500 and 1530.
The first and last section will be continuous rows of twenty minutes (with the tide on a light oar), the middle section will be short rows on a light oar.

Rowing Ramsey is hugely weather dependent for crews of mixed abilities; if we cannot row Ramsey we will aim to row a different section of the north Pembrokeshire coast.

Please can all gigs have a Vhf radio and I would recommend that a life jacket be in the boat for each person.
There will be two power boats in attendance, both of whom will have some space for non rowing visitors.
Unless the sea is calm I would not row with additional passengers in the gig.

Ceilidh.

The Ceilidh is held at East Farm and starts at 7pm. It is family friendly affair with Jules Rutter and company running a well established band.
During the evening Adam Vincent sells cooked food and runs a bar.
The Ceilidh is the Porthgain Rowing Club’s fund raising event and the wider Community are all invited.
We ask an entry fee of £5 per person for those over 16 years of age and the money goes toward the up keep of our gigs and equipment.

Sunday the 16th June.

If the weather is good we could consider rowing to Skomer Island, home to some ten thousand Puffins.
Depending on our numbers we could leave East Farm at 10am and leave Porth Clais harbour at 1100am.
St Brides Bay is rowed in three blocks of 30 minute, with the tide, on a light oar and with a short rest between each 30 minutes.

The landing fee on Skomer is £15 per person unless you are member of the Wildlife Trust.

We would aim to leave Skomer at approximately 1700 to row back to Porth Clais for 1830 – 1930hrs.
Once again a very weather dependent row.

Any question please get in touch,

Best wishes,

Tom Sutton.