Cal Maritime Crew

Head of the Charles - 22-23 Oct 05

The Cal Maritime crew team returned from Boston after having competed in the Head of the Charles, the world’s largest two-day rowing competition, with over 7,000 competitors.  The race, as well as the rest of the trip, was a great experience for the rowers, giving them a better perspective into the world of rowing in a part of the country known for its rowing tradition.  The team was assisted by Massachusetts Maritime Academy, who generously offered the use of one of its racing shells and oars.  The two groups of rowers got along well, trading rowing and cruise stories.  The Keelhaulers competed in the men’s club eight, rowing against fifty other teams from across the country, as well as the Netherlands, Great Britain, and Ireland.  The course was a 3-mile route along the Charles River, and included six bridges and several turns to negotiate.  The crew of Emily Ramos (coxswain), Tommy Stillwachs, Jake DeMello, Tyler Burns, Jacob Benz, Jon Daniel, Grant Hager, Ken Christie, and Matt Mossinger, finished the race in a time of eighteen minutes and fourteen seconds.  The boat finished well behind the winning team from the Netherlands, but the team learned a great deal from the experience and hopes to improve upon its standings in the future. 

Off the water, the team toured through several parts of the Boston-Cambridge area, visiting historic landmarks such as the U.S.S. Constitution, Bunker Hill, and the Old North Church.  In fact, the team stayed in historic North End, at Mariners House, an inn reserved for seafarers and their families.  Overall, the trip was a great experience, and the rowers are looking forward to making a return visit sometime in the future. 

Head of the Port - 16 Oct 05