A small, but perfectly formed, band of multi-national Royalies (Sandra, Colin, Bernice, Ruslan, Tony 

and Ian) raced at the Head of the Dart on 1st April. With Paddlesports fielding 4 OC6 boats (they 

generously made them all mixed to give us an even playing field) it was a great mini OC6 event 

within a race that covered a wide range of rowing and coastal rowing boats. Starting at Totnes the 

winding 15k estuary course meanders through a picturesque landscape, and we soon discovered  

meandering was to be quite a feature of this race.  

We started 5th of the 5 outriggers in nice flat water with a decent flow under us. Colin and Bernice 

were soon thumping out a strong, steady rhythm and Tony was steering well in an unfamiliar boat on 

a new course and Sandra’s change calls were precise and heard by all. We quickly caught and passed 

the other Mirage in the race, and began to close on the next Paddlesports boat which, we soon 

discovered, must have fitted  “meandering radar”  that picks up crews that might get past and steers 

in front of them. Battle ensued for some 40 minutes like this  with Royal losing round then regaining 

it only to be thwarted by our oppo’s steerer  who clearly had a picture of the last time he was on the 

slopes carving turns across a glistening piste in his head. Even our placid, good natured smiling kiwi 

started a few grumblings……but then the door opened and with a few choice words of 

encouragement from your truly we started to move through. In all the excitement the command “ 

Bury the bleep bleep bleep” was heard by Bernice as bury the blade so down the blade went to the 

bottom of the estuary to reshape the lower part of the riverbed. But we were through and paddled 

strongly to the finish, being slightly delayed as we waited for the ferry that crossed just as we 

approached the finish line in Dartmouth. 

The whole town of Dartmouth came out to find out what all the noise was about  after the finish line 

as Ruslan encouraged all those coming towards it  with  a spirited set of whoops that would not have 

gone amiss on those films where the Indians circle the wagons of the cowboys.  

As we paddled in to take the boat out the “meandering paddler” in the shape of our own Joce “ cut 

me in half and I am the colour of Royal blue” was sitting sheepishly in one of the Paddlesports boats 

as the steerer….she mumbled some apology for sporting green but we accepted none of it….well 

actually it was great and a display of the true spirit of the outrigger world in helping others out. 

We were 3rd out of the 5 outriggers and took just over an hour for the course , some 1min 28sec 

behind the winners. A great race, a great weekend ( most stayed down for a paddle the next day and 

certainly one for the future with the organisers delighted to see us. 

 

Ian McNuff