Update - March 2010

At our meeting last October, John Cugley (Peele A 1964-73) volunteered to become our permanent Chairman. He was acclaimed by the gathering, especially as he was in full highland dress. Our long-standing treasurer, The Revd Ian Atkinson (Staff 1970-85), retired from the post and was succeeded by Ian Torkington (Staff 1972-2007). We paid respect to our previous year’s speaker Rob Gauntlett, who had died in the Alps in January. Our speaker for 2009 was Sam Noel-Paton (Pe A 1984-91) supported by his family and colleagues, who, in recovering from a major brain operation, had organised and completed a sponsored walk of the West Highland Way. This had led to a permanent hiking club of friends, Old Blues, and retired staff. For our Founder’s Day lunch in 2010 we have moved our date to a week later than usual to coincide with the end of the school half-term: This will enable the Head Master, John Franklin, to join us as our speaker.
For details contact the Secretary john@shippen.org.uk

Founder’s Day Lunch Saturday 21st October 2006

This year’s Lunch was another great success.

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Activities Summer 2006

I Can’t Believe It’s Not Goddard! Young Old Blues at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

I Can’t Believe It’s Not Goddard! – a fantastic new comedy written by Andrew Barr, directed by Linda Marlow and produced by Jeffrey Mayhew (CH director of Drama)

The cast of six is made up of Young Old Blues – Toby Davies, Ben Vickery, Ellie Mitra, Milan Kovacevich, Tom Vlachos and Rhiannon Fisher.

The show will tour Christ’s Hospital Theatre, the Ustinov Theatre in Bath and the Pleasance in London before arriving at the Pleasance Theatre in Edinburgh for the Festival.

Preview: 2nd to 4th August 2.45 pm

Shows: 5th August to 13th August, and 15th August to 29th August at 2.45 pm

Further information from Jeffrey Mayhew 01403 272 904 jeffrey.mayhew@google.com

The Pleasance theatre is a beautiful small theatre inside the University Social centre. Rhiannon Fisher is the younger sister of Megan Fisher (now Godden) who was a keen member of the Caledonian Society when she was at St. Andrew’s. This venture really deserves your support. If successful, two other OBs, the author Julian Garner and the actor/director Guy Masterson have said they would devise a show for the Young Old Blues in 2007. So – give support.

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Cooking with Puccini

Jeffrey Mayhew is also starring at the Festival in his own play after opening at Wilton’s Music Hall Cooking with Puccini by Jeffrey Mayhew directed by Guy Masterson (OB)

Venue: Assembly Rooms Edinburgh

Shows: 4th August to 13th August 1.20pm-2.40pm

Shows: 15th August to 28th August 1.20pm-2.40pm

Murder at the Savoy

Also for your delectation and delight, our very own Mary Clare (asst. secretary of the Caledonian Society who has just been elected Secretary of Edinburgh University Savoy Opera Group) is appearing in Murder at the Savoy by Noel Katz.

Venue: St Augustine’s (on George IV Bridge)

Shows: 7th to 13th August and 22nd to 28th August at 9.30 pm

EUSOG is also presenting the opera Gianni Schicchi by Puccini at St Augustine’s (on George IV Bridge) 15th August to 20th August at 9.30 pm

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Loch Awe Solo Row 29 to 31 July 2004

One man went to row...

Thursday 29 July

Flew to Glasgow airport and got home mid afternoon with my back up team of Richard Clements: cox and Alex Brown: boatman. Richard coxed my last Scottish row and reads the water very well. Alex is a great planner so no detail will escape him regarding arrangements for the boat, which is a 110-year-old Thames Skiff.

6.30pm

Water looks calm even though it's chucking down with rain. Decide to do a few miles tonight. Once on the water everything feels right (apart from the rain and the midges) so decide to row all the way to Kilchurn Castle at the Eastern tip of the loch. Still raining, gloomy misty and the ruins look eerie in the half-light. Hope to rest at the castle but the midges are too much and so have to leave immediately. Should have brought a shotgun for the midges!

Delighted to have undertaken this patch of the water as the area where the Pass of Brander joins the loch can be treacherous and frequently has very high white horse waves. Arrive at the boathouse of the Ardanaiseig Hotel. We dripping three pop into the hotel to thank the Manager who looks concerned for his carpet! Go home for supper and bed

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Friday 30 July

Early start back to the hotel and row back to home, some 5 miles. Collect supplies. Aim today is to row to the Western tip of the loch at Ford about 20 miles away.

When rowing you can cover normally about 3 miles per hour but with a head wind this reduces to 1 mph but with a tail wind this increases to 5 mph.

Hands are now blistered from last night's rowing which is to be expected. You usually get about 8 major blisters and these will pop and in the evenings to harden them up you liberally pour surgical spirit over them. 10 seconds of sheer agony but tends to harden them a little. Problem is that when you have a break during the row in the day you then have to push the hands back onto the blades which hurts like mad. If the blisters have burst by then its even worse with the raw skin. The gradually you forget about the pain and just keep rowing.

The weather is hot but cloudy with sun not in obvious existence. Am rowing as usual in an all-in-one with bare shoulders. Have sun cream on.

Suddenly there's a crunching noise and the boat has beached on top of rock even though we are 15 feet or more away from the shore. After inspection there appears to be no damage and the boat has an iron band on the hull.

Water is reasonable for much of the first half but develops into a head win wind for the late afternoon. Can't stop for breaks otherwise the boat drifts backwards!

Same pattern as always... 40 minutes rowing and then 5 minutes rest with 20 minutes for lunch.

Having formerly rowed stroke (right) side its always strange when you scull and I have to keep an eye on the bow side blade for the first few hours to keep the timing together.

Tired over the last few miles but nothing seems to hurt except my hands and now my back seems very warm. Too warm in fact.

At Ford, Alex has arranged for the boat to be left there overnight and we return home by road. Earned my cash today.

Once at home I realise I am sunburnt beyond belief around my back and shoulders and blisters are forming.

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Saturday 31 July

Overnight didn't sleep much as my back was too painful. Today is a really hot sun-filled day. Ford to home is about 18 miles so slightly less than yesterday but too far on a hot day.

After leaving Ford at 10 am the sun is blazing so Richard steers me over towards the shade on the South side of the loch. It adds distance but the shade will be good. But... we get there and the rocks are too protruding from the water and so we have to move out to avoid them which means being back in the sun. The extra row from one side to the other was therefore a complete waste of time.

Back is now so very hot and the blisters of last night are popping; my back is awash. Unpleasant and painful.

Sweat is pouring from my forehead into my eyes so I stop to clean my contact lenses. I take out my lenses without realising I still have sun cream on my hands. I put my lenses back in and my eyes sting so much and then they swell. So much do they swell that I have to take my lenses out and leave them out. I have to wrap them in plastic and then row without lenses or glasses which are at home. I am blind as a bat without lenses or glasses. I suppose its one thing to row Loch Awe solo but quite another to row it without being able to see anything. Just as well Richard is coxing!

When you row in an eight in crew rowing there is an exercise where you all row with your eyes shut and listen to the blades to get the timing right. Very much like that for the next 2 hours until Alex can reach us with my glasses.

Strong water against me no eyesight, blisters on my hands and popping blisters on my sunburnt back. Why on earth am I doing this? Beam me up Scotty...

I decide to put in a series of strong sessions made up of sets of 10 strong strokes. The boat really shifts through the water and the lost time is recovered.

At Delavich, Alex reaches us with ice and water to treat my eyes as they have now swollen badly. Some normality is restored.

More 10 firm sessions and the rhythm is restored. Boat is moving well through the water.

The last 7 miles thankfully have the wind with me so it turns into Hawaii 5 0 !

Great crowd of 20 people to meet me at Sithe Mor with banners, balloons and the champagne. Great reception to row home to.

All done. Over £9k pledged. Amazingly at 49y the body is in great shape. Sound in wind and limb no muscle aches at all. Just the sunburnt back and the blisters, which will heal.

No I won't do another solo row... but there again I said that last time.

John Cugley

August 2004

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