Update 25 October 2003
Past President Alistair Johnston
and International Chairman Bill Best met up with Mark Cook OBE and his wife
Caroline at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast. They were in Belfast to address the
Soroptomists Conference. We presented them with our cheque for £3,000, the
proceeds of this fund raising event.
SPONSORED
ROW AND CYCLE BY ROTARIANS
In
August 1998 the members of Donaghadee
Rotary
Club rowed some
21 miles across the
Irish
Sea
from Donaghadee
Co. Down to Portpatrick in
Scotland
and raised £7500
for local charities. It is now 2003 and the club members are older and wiser(?)
and so decided to row approx half the distance and cycle 25 miles back to
Donaghadee.
On
Saturday 24th May 03 members of Donaghadee
Rotary
Club braved the elements and ventured forth on their sponsored row
and cycle of the Ards Peninsula in aid of Hope and Homes for
Children.
The
original plan was that the rowers would depart from Whiterock and row to
Strangford where they would meet the cyclists who would then cycle from
Strangford via Portaferry (making use of the Ferry) to Donaghadee. However at
their weekly meeting the previous Thursday evening after some liquid refreshment
and as a result of their logistical and planning prowess in failing to make
arrangements to have their cycles transported to Portaferry, it was agreed that
it would be “easier” to cycle to and from Portaferry.( 50 miles instead of
25)
 After a “light breakfast” consisting
of an ”Ulster Fry” (heart attack on a plate) at Whiterock the rowers set out
with the wind and the sun at their back. Around the same time after some
technical problems encountered in blowing up their tyres the cyclists left
Donaghadee. The first crew in the boat made steady progress despite their
handicap of one oarsman having his worst hangover in 20 years –did he get any
allowance - none this is the Donaghadee Club! A non eventful crew change took
place in sheltered water at
Castle
Island
- our previous crew changes mid
Irish Sea
in ’98 were
much more exciting. the only mishap in the second crew was a cox error known as
a “cox up” when Long Rock, instead of being left to port, was rowed straight
over- we now know how much water exactly we need to float in!
When
the cyclists neared Portaferry they sighted the rowing flotilla, which consisted
of the rowing boat, a mother ship and the Portaferry inshore lifeboat “Blue
Peter V”. As it neared Strangford, they were surprised at the speed of the
rowers. This speed was accounted for by one of the rowers who later explained
that someone had suggested having a pint in Strangford.
After
a light fluid lunch in The Cuan ( a local church hall, or at least a room people
worship) in Strangford the cyclists left the rowers recovering and set off for
Donaghadee via Portaferry Portavogie Ballywalter and Millisle. The cyclists
remained in formation until they approached the Commons at Donaghadee when their
formation and navigational skills broke down and they went in two directions
when someone said their route home was the shortest way to Pier 36.
After
some stern words from master cyclist
Tim Johnston
the group soon
reformed and cycled past President Alistair Johnston who took the salute as they
entered Donaghadee.
Whilst
the Rotarians and friends were enjoying some refreshments in Pier 36, Miles
Geddis confessed that the surprisingly fast pace he set was due to the fact that
he had to get to Donaghadee quickly before his cycle broke down.
The
Rotarians would like to thank all those people who assisted them with this
charity venture and all those who have generously sponsored their efforts. This
enabled the club to present Hope and Homes for Children with a cheque for £3,000.
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