Weymouth Lifeboat 150th Anniversary Row

This year Weymouth Lifeboat week celebrated the 150th Anniversary of the Weymouth lifeboat station. Events started with a celebratory parade of boats including, the current Weymouth lifeboats, other operational and historic lifeboats, a replica of HMS Pickle (a topsail schooner), sail craft, cruisers and Cornish Pilot Gigs, including three Portland Gig Rowing Club gigs.

Our three gigs left Portland Marina with twenty two members on board at 9am into a stiff North Westerly wind, rowing the 4.25 miles to the gathering point off Weymouth Old Pier. At 11am the Nothe Fort guns fired and the procession, led by the Weymouth lifeboats, entered Weymouth Harbour. So many vessels took part that the procession took 1.5 hours to parade up the harbour saluting dignitaries on Custom House Quay as they passed. After leaving the harbour our gigs headed home on a hard row into the stiff wind which was now Westerly. One hour later, at 2pm our gigs were back home. Our members spent 5 hours on the water, rowing a total of 11 miles with only a single break (10 minute courtesy stop just before exiting Weymouth Harbour).

Well done to all those that took part and enjoyed the experience and long hard row.