A Gig Of A Different Nature!

Ten years ago, the renowned vocal group ‘Blake’ were touring across the South West, performing their ‘Movies and Musicals’ tour. When they it was suggested that the group have a go in gig, they jumped at the chance. Blake group member Stephen Bowman told us,

“As a band we always loved taking on new challenges and sharing our experiences with those who followed our music and lives online. We’d raced motorbikes together at Silverstone, went sports fishing in Barbados, even jumped out of planes, so we figured, let’s give gig rowing a try too!

None of us had ever been gig rowing, and our rowing experience was little more than going round in circles on the Serpentine in Hyde Park in the tourist boats.

The first time I saw a gig I was about to get in one, they’re not a common sight on the canals in Bath where I grew up as a kid. They’re beautifully constructed, so solid and traditional, it’s wonderful to see craftsmanship like that still continuing today.

My grandfather on my mothers side was a carpenter, so ever since I was very young I was around the woodwork, varnishing and tools of his craft. Looking at the gigs brought back memories of the time, love and effort that he put into all his pieces.”

Photo credit: Anne Curnow Care

In the April of 2014, on accepting the challenge, the members of Blake spent a short time on the River Fowey with members of the gig rowing community including Roger Ryman, Steve Kent, Jeremy Crapp, Shane Sullivan and Norma Edwards, The group learnt the basics of gig rowing and even raced against each other. Stephen Bowman found it a most memorable experience:

“The really unusual thing was the hand and arm positioning you needed to use on the huge oars. One hand over, one beneath, and that very particular motion. Combining that with keeping in sync with the rowers around you was certainly a test of our coordination (or lack of in my case!).

I’m not sure if we helped or hindered our respective team mates, given our newly learnt technique of holding the oars correctly and our general lack of the muscles/stamina needed for the fast paced return trip out into the swelly sea and back. The adrenalin pumping soon made us forget about tiring arms too, it was certainly thrilling!

We were truthfully exhausted by the end, but upon seeing a big pasty and pint of Tribute awaiting us, we soon cheered up. We definitely had some aches and pains over the coming days, but those quickly subsided, leaving us with great memories of another challenge completed.”