The Puddles We Row On

Ah rowing - the sport where you're surrounded by nature, gliding across gorgeous water, where birds fly by and fish are caught splashing about sometimes. It's so beautiful. When racing, athletes travel to new areas of beauty - many times to parks or water surrounded by protected green space. A chance to see sunrises and sunsets reflected in the the water and where there are fewer trees and buildings obscuring the view because of being on the water. 

Yes, that is what we tell people. That is what it sometimes feels like and what we remind ourselves, and if you're lucky, what it actually is like. However, many waterways are just plain disgusting. It's best to just not think about it, but this post is all about thinking about it...

They are really just large gutter puddles. Like this one:

(Pic from here)

They are filled of water run off from everywhere. Rain washes away gross stuff from the streets and grass and puts it in the river/lake/pond. Rivers that run through the heart of cities are the worst. Litter from land inevitably gets washed down to the river. Then if it rains too much, most places have sewage overflow into nearby waters. Thank God for groups like Allegheny CleanWays and programs like their Tireless Project and similar organizations around the country that are constantly working to clean up the rivers. 

Coxswains and bows I've been in boats with or coached have had to dodge things like tires, refrigerators, dead animals (only occasionally humans). Just a couple of weeks ago a dead body was found on the Allegheny just about 1k from the boathouse. Rowers have a preference if there are dead birds, dead fish or dead snakes around - I personally think dead snakes are the worst in terms of stink. 

Those lovely birds that are by the water poop on our docks, and nip at our oars. The joys of stepping on frozen poop in the spring and even worse, non-frozen. It gets everywhere. Not to mention that some birds are evil - swans are the worst. I used to have nightmares in college of oversized swans breaking my legs and arms with their bills. We would try to chase them away with oars and always ended up running in the opposite direction. This is why I really don't mind that my dog eats goslings when she gets the chance. 

The bridges that birds and bats live in sometimes poop on us as we row underneath. And under those bridges is really our only chance for shade in the hot summer sun. Most recently I was rowing in Hamilton OH and got pooped on. Just lovely. The fish bring fisherman who leave fishing line all over the place that can get caught on oars,  skegs and launch motors.  In New Orleans there are alligators they have to deal with on the canal where they have been rowing. I heard about a dog that was sitting on the dock that got eaten whole by a gator. Talk about a place where the 60 seconds on the dock rule would really apply!

If a crew flips and you know there is a CSO (Combined Sewage Overflow alert), it's not always a good idea to tell them - it just makes the situation worse. Just encourage them to bath and check in with them later in the week. The biggest issue is with open wounds, namely hand blisters and cuts. DON'T TOUCH THE WATER! Gotta make sure everyone washes those thoroughly and keep an eye on them. Even if no one flips, there is usually some splashing from rowing, or dripping from carrying the boat that happens. This is also why when people have small surgeries and doctors say "don't let it get wet" this doesn't just mean no swimming - it means no rowing.

I've been on some great, amazing and pretty clean waters and some amazingly bad ones. And one that was infested with jelly fish - everywhere! This trip has been so fun to explore different waters. The reservoir and lagoons are pretty nice usually, although can be kinda short in terms of getting a workout. I rowed on a pond in Lincoln that was great water with tons of algae. My white boat looked a little seasick/green after the row. Then there are some waters that have seaweed issues that make it feel like you're rowing with a bungee around the bow - so heavy, and sometimes an oar gets stuck.

Then there was the "bubbly creek" in Chicago where the Chicago Training Center and a few other programs practice. This was probably the grossest water I've ever been on. Absolutely revolting. This creek is an arm off of the Chicago River. Apparently, there were slaughterhouses all around it about 80 years ago and they would throw the animal carcasses in the water. They threw so many of them in the river that they just piled up in various states of decomposition. So many of them that they couldn't decompose properly. Over the last 80 years they have been slowly decomposing as noticed by the continuous bubbling of methane that happens all over the creek. The river level goes up and down also and there's a water treatment facility nearby. When I was there the water level was a little lower and you could see toilet paper and litter in all the brown tree leaves and limbs that were by the water's edge. The smell was also not particularly appetizing. 

There is some pride that happens with all of this though. No matter how gross the water is, that won't stop rowers!! We row in wind, rain, sleet, snow and on whatever water is available! We are intense, we row anytime, anywhere. It only gives us more street cred rowing on gross water. Imagine being a high school kid and getting to say they row on bubbly creek every day! That would be awesome :) 

The body of water doesn't really matter. What matters is that rowing exists, and that there is water to row on. After all, the goal of rowing is to stay in the boat! I am definitely enjoying experiencing various water, and the boat and I are pretty washable, so can handle a little dirt. It's good for our immune systems, right?