"Jolly good boating weather"

A beautiful evening on the The River Tamar.

Muscle Power versus Wind Power in Plymouth Sound

Saltash Regatta - Music Makers

Here are just two of the very wide range of musicians
 who entertained appreciative crowds all afternoon long.

The Cornish Whistler

Still Rockin'

Saltash Regatta - Pilot Gigs

The gigs work non stop throughout the day.

Immediately a crew crosses the finishing line they make their way back to the pontoon,

 where their club's next crew is waiting to jump in and get to the start line for their race.

Loading complete, off they go to the start line.

Pilot Gigs are built to very strict specification, so performance is all down to the crew.

Regatta Day at Saltash on the River Tamar

Almost every summer weekend there is a rowing regatta, featuring the beautiful six oared Pilot Gigs, somewhere around the coasts and rivers of Devon and Cornwall. 

The host town last weekend was Saltash, on the Cornish bank of the Tamar.

The gruelling course goes from right to left, all the way up to left hand edge of the image

AND BACK AGAIN.

 On the start line.

There is a class for every age group, from junior to super vets, with mixed sex teams as well.

The racing is non stop, with heats starting from lunch time to finals in the early evening.

Hundreds of people of all ages and both sexes take part.

For spectators and supporters there is always plenty to keep them interested. 

There are bars, and many sorts of street food stalls, with musicians and dancers to make the day go with a swing.

Sunday morning scullers in Plymouth Sound.

Probably the best hangover cure ever.

The battle for the line.

There was some great racing at this year's Saltash Regatta,on the River Tamar on Saturday,

as two "Veteran" crews battle for first place in their heat.

These craft are the iconic Cornish Pilot Gigs.
Virtually every coastal town, village and hamlet in Cornwall and Devon,
 and many communities much farther afield, has a Gig Rowing Club.
Every weekend throughout the season, these boats are raced by crews of  Junior boys and girls,
Men and Women, Veterans and Super Veterans of both sexes, and mixed sex teams in all the age groups. A true community participation sport.

Ompah. Ompah.

The Saltash Town Band was one of the many groups

 providing fabulous music at the Saltash Regatta last weekend.

Early Saturday morning on the River Plym.

Young members of The Plymouth Amateur Rowing Club take advantage of a rare spell of calm water,

 before the next storm which is due to hit the city on Monday.