A large portion of Echo Rowing recreational rowing
shells are being rowed by women. The ease of carrying, launching
and rowing of our Echo rowing shells add to their appeal. Women
can easily load, carry and launch the shell on their own, making it an
independent and peaceful sport, while providing a sense of confidence
and connection to nature.
We've received many stories from these women over
the years and we'd like to share a few with you. We'd also like to
ask you to submit your rowing stories, creative writings, poems, photos,
etc.
Rowing is a complete Body, Mind, Spirit experience, stimulating passion, empowering independence and enhancing health & fitness.
INSPIRING OUTDOOR ADVENTURE !
Wisdom, Power, Confidence, Health, Beauty:
More Women are Rowing Now then Ever Before
Women are getting out of the house, out of the gym and onto the water! What is it that’s capturing their attention and stirring their passion for health, fitness and overall wellbeing? It’s rowing.
Rowing meets the 4 key requirements that fuel women’s wisdom:
-
Health
-
Fitness
-
Energy
-
Confidence
Rowing is a full body aerobic exercise, working so many of the muscle groups in the body that it delivers a total body workout in less time
that it takes to go to the gym. Rowing works the muscles of the arms, legs, abdomen and torso as well as the heart and lungs, building endurance and strength- not to mention great shapely legs!
Moving out of the gym and onto the water, rowing offers an exciting change of pace and an easier, more desirable way to stay committed to health and fitness. Being in the open air, at one with nature and the serenity of the water, the peace and quiet nurtures the soul and provides a haven in the midst of a hectic lifestyle.
The energy that comes, not only from increased endurance and muscles strength, but from a deeper connection to their spirit and wellbeing, women are finding rowing to be an exercise in wholeness. Being one with the water, one with themselves and their surroundings, it is a peaceful meditation as well as a powerful exercise.
The confidence and empowerment that fills a woman’s soul is nourishing to her daily life and overflows into her relationships, activities and overall sense of wellness.
Women are reaching out to others and forming rowing groups, sharing their wellness experience with others in a form of group meditation and community. Women as young as their early teens to women well into their 60’s are turning to rowing as a vital part of their daily life. They are helping each other overcome their fears and build new confidence.
Rowing is quickly becoming the sport of choice for women in their middle years. “50 is the new 30,” is the phrase being coined by two of America’s top models: Christie Brinkley and Cheryl Tiegs. "Our generation, the baby-boomers, have always been the driving force," says Brinkley.
Baby boomers are a large majority of the population and these women want more from life. They want to be recognized, active and connected. What better food for the soul than rowing- a sport that meets all 4 key requirements for women’s wisdom?
© 2005 ~ J. Foster
Echo Rowing on Monterey Bay
"I
learned to row three years ago, just after being laid off from a
full-time job, and a few months before my 50th birthday. One of my ex-co-workers had been rowing on the
Monterey
Bay
, here in
Northern California
, for several years and offered to teach me. I was instantly addicted! Although I thought I’d enjoy the freedom and flexibility of rowing in a single, our rowing club’s sculls were not ideal for a novice on the Bay. I felt as if I was spending all my time balancing and staying dry, instead of moving gracefully through the water, enjoying the scenery and ocean life like I’d imagined.
Then, one cold and rainy day in February, the Echo rep visited our area to demo their boats–and I was in love! Not only were the Echos really pretty, but I felt comfortable and safe from the moment I took my first step into the boat. (Yes! You can step into this boat–not just make a calculated plop!) I noticed right away that I wasn’t tipping precariously, even though the current was strong at the docks and the wind was blowing. By then, it was also raining, but I was getting very enthused. I wasn’t willing to leave without a test drive, so I headed for the harbor mouth and out towards the Bay.
Our harbor mouth is a tricky place to row, especially during the winter when the current and waves can affect the boat’s movement as fast as one can compensate. That day would not have been appropriate for most rowing sculls, but I felt very secure in the Echo, so I headed straight out to the Bay. It handled the swell beautifully, just bobbing up and down. (I later discovered, under even more challenging conditions, that the Echos love to surf!) I’d finally found the boat that provided both the stability and comfort needed for our open waters, and a few weeks later I was the proud owner of an Islander.
Now, almost a year later, I’m just as happy with my boat as the day it arrived. There’s a stability factor in the Echo that makes it especially
comfortable for newer rowers, or those with less-than-perfect balance or skill, as well as for various open water conditions. I don’t think of myself as a risk-taker or wild-woman-rower, but I love having a boat that I know is going to stay under me all the time. It bounces along happily in wakes, and I stay much drier than I have in other sculls.
The Echo forgives my stroke imperfections by not throwing me into the cold waters of the
Monterey
Bay
, where surfers wear wetsuits all year long. It not only forgives, but also helps me improve my stroke by responding to subtle adjustments. The lack of skeg in the Echo design concerned me at first, though it’s certainly more convenient on landings.
However, as it turns out, rowing with the molded keel just requires a little practice, and it’s a definite asset in heavy swell conditions that tend to push a boat around. I also feel comfortable maneuvering in our tight harbor area where quick turns are needed.
The Echos are by far the perfect open water single for me! I never did go back to working full-time. Rowing has become a big part of my life, so I opted for part-time work that allows me to get out and row as often as I wish. I’m not a novice anymore–but my Echo continues to serve me well in all conditions, and its smart design always seems to catch the attention of other rowers in the harbor. With this boat, I really am moving gracefully through the water, enjoying nature and the company of many new friends!"
~ Judi Jensen
Santa Cruz
,
California
Rowing Helped Her Conquer Her
Fear of the Water
“I had a lot of fear of the
water. I almost drowned as a
child, “says Catherine
McLaughlin-Hill of Maine.
A few years back she was
courageous to take swimming
lessons at the YMCA and today
she’s out in her own rowing
shell.
When her husband, David came
home with 2 new Echo Rowing
shells two summers ago,
Catherine spent time learning to
row from Lorna Perry, one of the
Echo Rowing owners. “Lorna took
the time to teach me
personally. She’s the one that
really taught me to row!”
Owning land on the bank of the
Oyster River that has its own
dock, was the incentive behind
David’s purchase; that, and lots
of enthusiastic stories from a
co-worker who loved her rowing
shell and spoke so highly of the
stability and safety that these
recreational rowing shells are
renowned for. David
spontaneously took a ride to
Echo Rowing in Eliot, Maine and
drove home that afternoon with
one red and one yellow rowing
shell.
“I’ve only been rowing for 2
summers. I’m really new at it,”
says Catherine. “But one day I
was so confident about my
rowing abilities that I got in
my shell and was in the middle
of the river before I realized I
didn’t have my life jacket on!”
Catherine never left the dock
without her vest. She realized
that she was in the middle of
the river and she wasn’t
afraid. She knew she was
confident enough to get back to
the dock. “I was ok,” she said,
“I wasn’t even afraid!” Yelling
to her husband David, she told
him she had forgotten her life
jacket. “Well, I guess you
didn’t need it, “he replied.
Breaking
through her fears has had a huge
impact on Catherine’s life.
Rowing has met her spiritual
need to be in nature and her
need for time alone. Her
courage and determination is
evident in her independent
journeys to the water at the end
of the day.
“I can spontaneously, and in a
moments notice, decide for
myself that I am going to go out
on the water. I can go down to
the dock. I can put in the shell
by myself, it’s so easy to carry
and load. I can jump in and
go,” she says. At 42, Catherine
gets to experience an
independence that means a lot to
her.
“Every time I go out there, it
is definitely my spiritual
connection to nature,” states
Catherine. Years ago she would
have been too afraid to be on
the water. Having worked
through much of the fear, and
having acquired land on the
river with a dock, she really
has conquered her fear and met
several of her needs in doing
so.
Today, Catherine enjoys her spiritual connection, independence and tranquility on the water; something that used to terrify her now excites her. Her learning experiences with Lorna of Echo Rowing helped her to recognize that
she could be on the water and be safe. Rowing brings her more joy than she ever could have imagined!
©
J. Foster 2007
Thanks very much for the great Echo hat and t-shirt! I got back from a week of vacation, and they were waiting for me. What a nice surprise! It was certainly fun to see some other Echo enthusiasts at the Great Cross Sound Race. I'm proud to be a part of the Echo team!
We went sailing on our vacation in the South Sound, and we brought the Echo along. It fits nicely on the deck of our trimaran, and when the wind doesn't blow, we just go rowing. I had a lot of fun playing in the Echo, as did my husband and daughter. If there was no wind, one person would get in the Echo and row. The others would motor along behind on the trimaran. If you happen to love to row AND to sail, then whether the wind blows or not, it's still a great day. Next time, I'll row around and wear my cool new Echo hat!
Best wishes,
Samantha Ritchie
*
Samantha Ritchie, from Olympia WA, came in FIRST IN WOMENS at the Great Cross Sound Race with a 1:21:06 time, in her Echo.
Martha Ouellette of Kittery, Maine prepares for
her maiden voyage in her new teal Echo Rowing shell.
Kinley Gregg placed FIRST IN WOMENS in the
34th Annual Isle of Shoals Race in her Echo Rowing shell.
If you would like to see your story listed here
with photos, please submit them to us at
info@echorowing.com . We look
forward to hearing from you!
