It was very much a case of ‘long time, no see!’ when former Fishguard Sea Cadets Huw Lewis and Gareth Rees were reunited at the launch of a Moby Dick exhibition at Theatr Gwaun.

For the two men were members of a five-man rowing crew who famously beat rival boats manned by Hollywood actors and stuntmen during the filming of Moby Dick in Fishguard in 1954.

And a highlight of Tuesday’s event was when Huw and Gareth – both now in their late eight-ies – had an emotional reunion for the first time in 70 years!

Huw was stroke of the boat which powered to a shock victory in the 1.5-mile race in Sep-tember 1954, while Gareth was second stroke.

Elstree Film Productions had agreed to the challenge in the belief that a win for the boat coxed by Gregory Peck (Captain Ahab) would be great publicity for John Huston’s movie.

But the Hollywood A-lister and his crew were left trailing as Huw and Gareth and fellow oarsmen Gordon Lewis, Gordon Brooks and Ben Masey triumphed against the odds.

“I remember it like it was yesterday,” said Huw, a retired civil engineer and builder. “Hun-dreds of people had turned out to watch and there was a lot of betting on the outcome.

“The boats used were 27-ft long ‘whalers’ – the ones in the film. We rowed one and the Pequod crew had two – so it was a three-boat race.”

The exhibition – which runs until October 13 – was the curtain-raiser for a string of events planned by Ar Ymyl y Tir/On Land’s Edge Festival to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the cinematic release of John Huston’s classic movie filmed off Fishguard.

Guests included Margaret Andrews, of Haverfordwest, who – as a teenage make-up girl – worked with the cast at their headquarters at the Fishguard Bay Hotel.

“It has been fascinating to collate the stories about that unique period when Tinsel Town came to the Twin Towns,” chairman Patrick Thomas told the audience.

“We’ve been so lucky to trace so many people who were involved – the community’s mem-ories are at the heart of this project and will now be preserved for posterity.”

Fishguard and Goodwick town mayor Cllr Steve Hughes described the filming as ‘one of those stand-out moments in the history of the Twin Towns’.

“This festival is not only focused on the communities of Fishguard and Goodwick, but also involves those communities,” he added.

The festival will kick off with a lantern parade through Fishguard headed by a giant model of Moby Dick on Friday, September 25.

Smart phone users will be able to see an augmented reality version of Herman Melville’s great white whale projected onto Fishguard Bay.

Other attractions include musical and literary events over the weekend, including a screen-ing of the 1956 movie at Theatr Gwaun on the Saturday afternoon.

Literature Sunday, involving authors and discussion at Peppers Art Gallery and Simffoni Mara at Theatr Gwaun that evening will bring the festival to a close.

See onlandsedge.co.uk for further info.