This is a tale of a row on the Glenelg. It’s not open water rowing but it was a great row none-the-less and I think worthy of a blog! Indeed, this was a gathering of Whitehalls – a glamour of Whitehalls! Three Open Water Whitehalls,  two clinker Whitehalls and a whale boat – the “Sir Fletcher Jones” from Port Fairy – participated.

The Glenelg river is pretty agreeable if, like its name, a little palindromic – much the same at either end!! It’s a flooded river valley and has some specky limestone gorges. It is flanked by the Glenelg National Park for the first 50 or so km so has dense native vegetation to the waters edge but the Parks Authority have created lots of camp sites with landings for canoes and boats, some with toilets and water tanks, some with vehicle access and boat ramps others accessible only by water. Only a short bend of the river lies in SA – the bit just before it enters the sea back in Victoria. We launched there – a little spot called Donovans – and by doing so, avoided the feared fruit police; for they seem incapable of practising their fruit confiscation via boat!

Six vessels departed Donovans and rowed to a spot called Sandy Waterholes where we all stopped for a very civilised picnic lunch and mingle. After lunch the three Open Water Whitehalls continued up river and the rest went back down but with a plan to rendezvous again the following day. At Georges Rest, after 24 kms rowing, we were welcomed by three couples who were there in three cabin boats and with a campfire, cookers and shower set up. They insisted we join them and it was a nice reward for the extra effort!

Next day we rowed about 9km to Pritchards where we pulled the boats out then drove back to Sapling Creek to meet the group we had started with for a final BBQ lunch.

Far from home and in a river  but a nice adventure and a proactive approach to marketing the Open Water Whitehalls!