Smarting shoulders, suffering backs, burning blisters in most unimaginable places. They give you a certificate at the finish, but any of these conditions provides real proof of participation in Ireland's largest and longest multi-craft rowing race.
Thanks to a fresh westerly which provided a delightful headwind, even the fitter oarspeople and paddlers in this weekend's first Ocean to City race found it arduous enough. Almost 130 currachs, naomhógs, skiffs, gigs, longboats, sea kayaks, dragon boats, yoles, cutters and more set out from Crosshaven on a 10.5-mile nautical course across Cork Harbour and up the Lee.
The Irish Times' participation was in a four-handed racing naomhóg owned by Meitheal Mara, the traditional boat-building organisation and organiser of the event.
Rowing with this reporter were all-round adventurer Ursula MacPherson, international oarswomen Gillian Carolan and Liz Byrne. Scéimh na Finne (Blonde Bombshells) could have done with a fifth recruit, or a rudder, however, as steering proved to be the most challenging dimension to the event.
Lifejackets were compulsory for competitors and there was one rescue boat for every three vessels. Due to weather conditions, the original 17-nautical mile course was shortened slightly to avoid the mouth of Cork Harbour, marked by the lighthouse at Roche's Point. Battling the first leg from Crosshaven to Spike Island, we were sustained by the prospect of calmer conditions from Cobh.
Alas, it was not to be. After a brief respite in Monkstown, exposed Lough Mahon proved to be more than gruelling, and wash from over-enthusiastic rigid inflatable boats elicited growls and grimaces from our stern. However, the Irish Coast Guard units were busy - a Thames racing skiff was swamped and its crew had to be rescued, along with one sea kayak. Several other boats had to be taken in tow, and conditions were very testing for the craft rowed by international oarsmen Gearóid Towey and Ciarán Lewis.
Writer and mountaineer Dermot Somers had described currach-rowing as similar to putting your hands in a mill wheel and, by the last leg - against tide up the Lee to Shandon Boat Club - we knew exactly what that meant. The first crew had crossed the line several hours before us - The Liberator seine boat, owned by Cahirciveen Rowing Club, in one hour 44 minutes.
The Kerry crew was disqualified for not wearing lifejackets - official first went to Fossa Rowing Club's Lelia, a Killarney lake boat. Bantry Rowing Club from Cork won the Irish Coastal Rowing Federation trophy; first currach was rowed by the O'Sullivans from Passage West, Cork; and Welsh Celtic longboat Green Machine won the women's event.
Pádraig Ó Duinnín of Meitheal Mara designed the event to match London's Great River Race. The concept was embraced by the Cork City of Culture festival and Meitheal Mara hopes to run it, weather permitting, every year.
