Kwoorabup River Festival

Denmark Rowers organised a fun day of aquatic events and Indigenous cultural heritage walks on 21 September 2024 in Berridge Park, Denmark. The day began with an informative Welcome to Country by Menang men, Larry Blight and Ryan Guilfoyle. Ryan led the crowd in a ceremony to let the river spirit “Mardjit” know you are about to enter the water. Larry and Ryan, Menang Elder, Aunty Vernice Gillies, and the Denmark Bird Group later led a large group on a walk along the river pointing out the plants and birds and their significance to the Menang people.

Understory choir led by Wren Bethen and Ash Schipp had us all singing along to river focused songs. This was all being shared to the community by Denmark FM’s first outside broadcast.

The first event revitalised an old rivalry between the Denmark and Albany Dragon Boat clubs. The noise and excitement of the start was a great spectacle. The boats were soon out of sight as they went down the river to finish at the Rail Trail Bridge. Albany were the stronger crew on the day.

Six racing fit kayakers turned out for the 5km paddle to a buoy set 1km out in the choppy inlet. All made it back safely and Bruce Sharp led the pack home.

A fun 300m stand up paddle board race around the buoys in front of Berridge Park was an entertaining event for all ages and it was great to have family rivalry going on. Chad Wardell-Jonson led all the way but as he was the only participant on a long racing board he should really have been handicapped with a sea anchor.

Nine hardy swimmers entered the water for a the 1.2km swim to the Rail Trail Bridge supported by the Denmark Surf Lifesaving Club. Surviving the head numbing cold water and dodging logs displaced by the high water level, all nine, including our Local State MP, Jane Kelsbie, completed the course. The athletic Bruce Sharp again claiming first place but the winners were all the participants.

Denmark’s two St Ayles skiffs were joined by the East Fremantle skiff. Denmark Rowers provided the coxes and 18 locals got to have a go at rowing and racing. Keen starters were the Diamonds from the Denmark Soccer club and the Oarkward 4 stroked by the unstoppable Karis Aplin from the Denmark Rec Centre. Both these teams had only one previous practice. They were thrown into competition with the lads from the surf club and a crew of bystanders. Every crew had a couple of pursuit races and there was much hilarity as rowers tried to win their races.

The races were pursuit races with skiffs starting with the cox position on the line and the boats facing opposite directions. Both teams had to round the two marks one set upstream 75 m and the other downstream 125m from the line. Port rounding and sticking to the starboard side of the river. It was a great spectacle for the onlookers and a lot of fun for the rookie rowers and experienced coxes.

The final event of the day was the Kwoorabup Cordless Drill Boat Challenge. Six craft entered the event. Zac Launay had made a huge effort with a craft made from two surfboards and a chair but unfortunately it didn’t make it to the start line. All five starters set off well but within 100m the stress on the cordless drill drive shafts took its toll with one lost propeller, one dropped drill (quickly retrieved) and one burn out of the drill. Peter Kovesi in Tea Cup sprinted home first to win the trophy.

Thanks to all the participants it was a day well spent on the beautiful Kwoorabup River, bringing the community and its clubs together, and enriching our knowledge of Indigenous cultural heritage and environment.

Albany Maritime Festival Weekend

Denmark Rowers took Nullaki to Albany to join in the festivities of the Albany Maritime Festival and launch of the building of St Ayles Skiffs by the Albany Maritime Foundation.

Albany town beach, Nullaki with skiffs from Augusta YC, South of Perth YC and Royal Freshwater Bay YC

Kalgan River home of the hosts Albany Rowing Club

The Australian 5

Denmark Rowers again took part in the Australian 5.

This is an opportunity for all the St Ayles Skiff rowers in Australia to row together, but apart, a dispersed event that can overcome the huge distances we experience between clubs, the costs of getting together and the time this travel takes.

The Australian 5, St Ayles Skiff race is run over a distance of 5 km: 2.5 km out, a turn and 2.5 km back along the same line to the starting point. Three Denmark crews competed on a lovely morning on Sunday, 21st April 2024. The aim is to achieve the average time for your gender group and we came close.

Race recording for the Danish Pace Trees

Denmark Rowers rowed 110km in the “Steamers Run”

In Late February 2024 a crew of 11 Denmark Rowers travelled to Sale in Victoria, to take part in the “Steamers Run” across the Gippsland Lakes. We borrowed “Cariad” from SASSCRA President, Jim Barr, which was the second skiff built in Australia, in Williamstown. The raid started early in Sale and headed down the Thompson River to Lake Wellington where we turned north in the choppy conditions for our first campsite at the Lake Wellington Yacht Club. The next morning was perfectly still and with 32 degrees forecast we set off early again rowing towards the horizon and the rising sun as we crossed the 15km lake.

Finding the McLennan River mouth was tricky for the leaders. We landed for a well earned rest before continuing down this connecting river and out into Lake Victoria for another 12km row to Loch Sport. We had covered 35km, the longest row of the event. We had a great evening meal at the hospitable Loch Sport Boating Club and were provide with breakfast and pack lunches for the next day’s row to Paynesville. After a teams photo session we had a very pleasant row east along Lake Victoria with a stop for lunch on a beach at Emu Bight before arriving in Paynesville.

Teams (front to back) from Williamstown, Franklin Tasmania, Mordialac, Denmark and Marlo/Geelong

In Paynesville the crew house was on a very smart canal development and showers and washing machine were put to good use. The next day we rowed on to Metung for lunch and presentations in the pub on the foreshore there. The most arduous part of the row followed that lunch: a 10km slog against wind and tide (which had been predicted to be going with us) on a full stomach! It was the most picturesque part of the journey though and when it was over we pulled the boats out and drove back to Paynesville. We had covered approximately 110km in 4 days and we couldn’t quite believe it. Apart from a few blisters everyone was healthier than when they set out and had very much enjoyed the experience and the camaraderie.

Blue Line is the course we took to Paynesville

On Saturday we were rowing again as part of the procession that opened the Paynesville Classic Boat Show. Unfortunately it was too windy to take novices rowing for a planned try rowing event as part of the show. The show itself was really laid back and enjoyable with over 200 beautiful craft of all shapes and sizes taking part. Paynesville has a well preserved fleet of historic fishing boats and well worth a visit.

Denmark Rowers triumphed at the Augusta Picnic Regatta

A year ago Denmark Rowers had launched their second St Ayles Skiff the day before the Augusta Picnic Regatta and went into the races knowing nothing about racing. This year, thanks to coaching from Sally Ward from Nairn’s skiff club in Scotland, the rowers took out the coveted “Marg’s Mug”. This was an unimagined feat as Denmark’s mixed crew of Sally Ward, Ann and Ted Kirkbride, Peter Kovesi and cox David Cliff beat the all male crews from Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club and Augusta Rowers. Denmark Rowers crews also won the mens race, came 3rd in the veterans race, 3rd in the mixed crew race and 5th in the ladies race.

The weather was miraculously calm on Saturday 27th January, after weeks of strong easterlies. The day started at 8am with a gruelling 3.5km race against the tide from Turner Street jetty to the Augusta Yacht Club in which Denmark came 4th. The short course races of 250m out to a turning buoy and 250m back to the finish were run in front of the crowd at the Augusta Yacht Club. The morning finished with a picnic lunch under the paperbark trees followed by prize giving and shanty singing.

A record 9 skiffs competed out of the 11 built so far in Western Australia and 29 in all of Australia.

The next event on the Denmark Rowers calendar is the Steamers Run. A marathon row in company through the Gippsland Lakes in Victoria, from Sale to Lakes Entrance, a distance of 100km to be tackled in 4 days. A team of 10 members and partners are going to borrow a Victorian skiff to take part.

Start of the men’s race. Denmark’s winning team in the second lane.

Denmark Rowers, Dave Cliff, Ted Kirkbride, Sally Ward, Clem Williams, Paul Wilson, Shelagh Pepper, Sandy Ward, Peter Kovesi, Lesley Murphy, Ann Kirkbride, Veronica Miller and Barney.

Ted Kirkbride and Sally Ward receive prizes

Denmark Community Rowing Association or Denmark Rowers was incorporated in June 2021 to establish community rowing in the coastal town of Denmark, Western Australia. We have launched our two St Ayles Skiffs. We are now rowing our Skiffs on the beautiful Denmark River and Wilson Inlet. We have, as of 25th January 2023, canceled our incorporation and amalgamated with the Denmark Riverside Club where the boats are housed. This wonderful shared community facility in the centre of Denmark is a great place to row from.

Nullaki and St John on the Wilson Inlet.

St Ayles Skiffs are 6.7m long, four oar and coxswain, coastal rowing boats.

Designed for community volunteers to build from a plywood kit they are based on Scottish rowing boats. Over 400 of them have been built since 2010 spreading around the world from Scotland.

The projects build community spirit and provide an enjoyable form of exercise with physical and mental health benefits.

Upcoming Events

The Albany “All at Sea” Maritime Festival and Albany Skiff Build Launch

On Saturday 29th June Denmark Rowers will be displaying our St Ayles Skiffs at the Albany Maritime Foundation Shed and taking people for try rowing excursions around the Albany Town Mariner.

We will also be there to support the Albany Maritime Foundation launch of their St Ayles Skiff boat building project and we expect other skiffs from around WA to be there too. So watch this space for other activities in company with them around Albany.

Rowing Sessions

You are welcome to come and give community rowing a go on either Wednesday or Sunday mornings. Just contact Dave Cliff at denmarkrowers@iinet.net.au to organise your chance to experience the beauty of the Denmark river while quietly rowing with friends.

News

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Acknowledgement

We acknowledge the Noongar Nations of Bibbulmen (Pibbleman) and Menang (Merningar) and recognise that they have a history of thousands of years of custodianship and culture.

We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and support the Ulluru Statement of the Heart.

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