Drawing towards the end of the summer rowing season, Tenby Men's Celtic Longboat Rowing Team travelled to Dale to compete in the Dale Three Forts race - an eight mile endurance competition. True to form, there was again a very impressive turnout of boats, making the foreshore at Dale a hive of activity. Also, there was the welcome sight of a new team travelling from Barry Rowing Club to compete in one of their first races. With the flooding tide filling Dale Flats came an accompanying number of yachts to take advantage of the sheltered anchorage. A large crowd gathered outside the local pub, The Griffin, where a live band played and a pig roast was available all evening. The race started from the beach in Dale rowing around Dale Fort, Thorn Island and Stack Fort, finishing back at Dale beach. The start of the race saw Porthgain gig 'Ella Rose' take an early lead, with Dale men second and Tenby men third, with Fishguard chasing. Once the boats had pulled clear of Dale Point, the three lead boats opened up an impressive gap on the chasing boats. Once in the main channel, the crews felt the full force of the westerly wind catching the boats broadside on making rowing very difficult. On rounding Thorn West buoy, Tenby overtook Dale and they managed to pull a boat length ahead, only for Dale to retake their position catching Tenby in the channel between Thorn Island and Thorn Point, seeming to find the elusive calm water and friendly current. The boats then pulled northerly towards Stack Fort where Tenby's cox, Tim Deere-Jones, made an excellent turn, catching and overtaking the gig 'Ella Rose'. Once the boats pulled clear of Stack Fort, they turned to face the full force of the westerly wind head on. Indeed, it seemed as if some of the boats almost came to a stop as they came head to wind! The final leg of the race saw Dale, Tenby and Fishguard battle hard, pulling a good one-and-a- half mile ahead of the chasing boats. At the final buoy turn off, Dale Flats, the crowds on the shoreline saw an exciting finish with the three Celtic longboats putting in their last effort racing for the finish line. Tenby's men's team of Martin McDonald, Colin 'Ginger' Beynon, Gary James, Chris Terry and cox Tim Deere-Jones, rowing their boat 'Oarsome' crossed the line in third place, only 25 seconds behind the winning boat of Dale, in a time of one hour and 19 minutes. Tenby Sea Rowing Club will shortly be travelling to London in September to compete in the Great River Race, rowing 24 miles down the River Thames for charity. Last year saw 300 boats take part, with this year the total expected to reach 500!
