Despite the weather preventing us launching at the end of March, and again today, our intrepid rowers are feeling the love and warmth of our amazing local businesses. Thankyou to those who have already sponsored us. They are joined by Blue Lake, Bladnoch Botanics and Whisky Soaked Oak. Thankyou too to Bladnoch Distillery who have donated a bottle of whisky – to toast the crews on their success!
We cannot thank our fabulous sponsors enough. Local businesses who have opted to help us complete our double marathon challenge. Thankyou to our latest local business sponsors for all their support.
Thank you to Bairds Windows Ltd for their sponsorship, you can find out more about Bairds Windows at bairdswindows.co.uk. Thankyou too to the terrific Vance family at Balnab Farm for their support. You can find out more about Balnab Farm on Facebook, and at balnabfarm.co.uk
Sainsbury’s Newton Stewart have been kind enough to provide us with water and cereal bars for training for the event. Challenge rowers attended Sainsburys on 25th March 2026 to thank the staff for their generosity.
Last up in our “meet the crew” series is Becki Castle, our Rowing Captain. You can find out more about her background on our ‘About Us’ page, as she is one of our trustees.
“My passion for rowing started around 14 years ago when I was living in Derbyshire and a member of Derby Rowing Club, spending my weekends on the river Derwent in fine boats. Single sculling, doubles, quads and 8’s, with the latter being my favourite as they were faster!
When I moved to Scotland one of my priorities was to find a rowing club! Stranraer CRC was being formed having just built their first boat Lady Bay. I went along for a trial session and that was me hooked. I became a member and trustee of the club and enjoyed it hugely, taking part in lots of events and my first World Championships where I rowed and coxed. I’m a founding member of Wigtown Bay CRC and have been a trustee and Rowing Captain since the club started in 2019. I was never sporty when I was younger so my current passions are a surprise even to me. Nowadays I love to spend my spare time hiking, paddle boarding and boxing as well as rowing.
Rowing is incredibly sociable and I always advocate the mental health benefits as well as the obvious physical ones. It’s a hugely inclusive sport with people of all ages taking part and rowing together.
I love the competitive side of rowing, the buzz of racing is fantastic, along with the fun to be had going to events at other clubs around Scotland, where the coastal rowing community is so welcoming. I’ve taken part in 3 World Championships so far. I’ve rowed the length of Loch Ness and gone up and down the Nith and across the Solway and back from Annan a few times. I’ve won gold, silver and bronze medals in lots of sprint races at various regattas.
My biggest motivation for taking part in a marathon rowing challenge is not only fundraising for my club but also comes from the other women in my crew. Whilst I’m one of the youngest at 51, the strength, passion and determination of these women keeps me going when everything hurts after hours of training in the skiff. Age is no barrier to what you can achieve if you have the right mindset.”
If you would like to support Becki and the crew in this challenge you can use GoFundMe link
These great companies have agreed to sponsor us for our double marathon challenge row to and from the Isle of Man in April 2026. Watch this space for more updates, but in the mean time, thankyou so much to all these companies for their great generosity.
If you would like to sponsor our Challenge please contact us at wigtownbaycoastalrowing@gmail.com or donate via GoFundMe
Elaine Graham “I actually come from an athletics background but started rowing at 19 on the indoor rowing machine when the local gym had an in-house best 2k times league. I went on to win titles at the Scottish, Irish, Just Row, City Regatta (Scotland) Championships and hold some British and World Records.
Unfortunately I was diagnosed with knee arthritis and could no longer row on a sliding seat and in 2019 I tried fixed seat rowing in a St Ayles Skiff and ended up competing at the 2019, 2022 and 2025 World Championships. I worked incredibly hard to get back on the indoor rowing machine and last year I competed at the British Rowing Indoor Championships and won double gold in championship records.
The reason for doing a marathon in a skiff is that I always wanted to run the London Marathon but as I can no longer run rowing it in a skiff would be the next best thing.”
Support Elaine and all the rowers via GoFundMe
A bumper crop of crew members are introduced today. Check our Facebook page Wigtown Bay Coastal Rowing Club, for clips of these intrepid rowers talking about their training experiences, leading up to this big event.
Ann McClure “A keen and slightly obsessed rower, I will openly admit to being in my 60s (OK well into my 60s), only because I have nothing to hide and everything works remarkably well – so far.
I’m living the retirement dream in the Isle of Whithorn, where mornings involve sea air, boats and muscles I didn’t know I had, rather than lie-ins or sensible hobbies.
I love rowing. Properly love rowing. I love it enough to give up my evening glass of wine when rowing demands it, which everyone who knows me will agree is a very serious commitment. The wine is not gone, just postponed. I’ve rowed in several regattas and in the SkiffieWorlds but am still wondering how I thought this challenge rowing to the Isle of Man was a good idea.
Before discovering oars, I spent a lifetime in marketing, specifically direct marketing, enthusiastically selling things from ads and catalogues to people who never knew they needed them. After being exiled south of the border for 35 long years, I finally escaped to my homeland, where the air is fresher and the accents much kinder.
I’m a fiercely proud mum of three great kids and two fabulous grandkids. I think my family view my rowing adventures as equal parts inspiring, embarrassing and highly entertaining. Long may it continue – life is for living!”
Simon McClure “I’m “Pink” Simon. So called because I regularly wear this pink Gloucester Rugby top that my son, James, bought me and despite being 6’2” and 14 stones, I don’t even qualify to be called “Big” Simon as there is an even bigger Simon in the crew.
I’m 60 and used to work in Logistics Management for large retailers.
I’ve been coming to the Isle of Whithorn with my wife, Ann, since the mid-nineties and we moved up here in 2021.
I’ve been rowing with Wigtown Bay Coastal Rowing Club since 2022, representing them in several regattas and in the World Championships in 2025 where I competed in five categories.
I’ve had heart rhythm problems since I was 30, culminating in having an ICD or “Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator” fitted in 2020. Ann tells me I’m “battery operated.”
I hope that by completing the challenge of rowing between the Isle of Whithorn and the Isle of Man, I can prove to others suffering from heart failure that it doesn’t mean you have to give up setting and achieving your goals.”
Simon Messinger “I am Simon Messinger, also known as ‘Big Simon’! I come from a farming family in Northamptonshire about as far from the sea as you can get! I worked for the NHS for over 25 years and took the opportunity to retire early from Northampton General Hospital as their maintenance manager a couple of years ago and am now in my early 60s. I have always loved playing competitive sport, particularly Rugby. Since I retired from playing, I have kept fit mainly in the gym, during covid I made my own gym in the garage and work out there now most days.
In 2022, along with my wife Bev and our dog Bryn, we made our first visit to Dumfries and Galloway. We travelled along the coast in our motorhome and were blown away by the scenery, the coastline, and the people. We stayed one night in the Isle of Whithorn, behind the Steam Packet, and fell in love with the village and started to think it might be a great place to put down some roots. In December 22 we bought our cottage on Main Street and now spend half our time in the Isle and have become part of the community, joining the Rowing Club, the Sailing Club and taking part in as many village activities as we can.
I had never been in a skiff before and the only rowing I had done was in the gym, but I saw the rowing at the Isle and was keen to have a go. I seemed to do okay and soon went from leisure rows to competitive rowing events, culminating in taking part the World Championships 2025 at Stranraer and being in the team that set a club record!
Obviously, I can’t train as much as the local rowers, but I am putting an extra shift in my gym to compensate, and I think I am the only rower who has done the 3-hour long training row on Loch Ryan twice in three days! The training was fine but suffered from a very numb bum! I have now designed a padded seat which hopefully ease the predicted 6-hour journey. I am not worried about the distance or time it will take, but as everyone knows I eat a lot, and I am busy working out how much I can fit into my food hamper for the journey!
I consider this a good challenge for myself and a great opportunity to raise money for the club.”
These local businesses have been generous enough to sponsor our rowers for their challenge. Their support means we can ensure we have safety boats on the water and supplies needed to keep the crews going. Thankyou so much for your kind support.
Phil Robertson, who is Isle of Whithorn born and bred, now lives in North Berwick. Phil is joining us on our adventure as part of our safety crew. He is an accomplished yachtsman and coastal rower, who has achieved great results with his rowing club North Berwick Rowing Club
Asked what he remembers about growing up at the Isle and working life in and around our waters, Phil said ‘We spent the first 16 years of our lives enjoying an idyllic childhood, mostly around the shores of the Isle of Whithorn. In all seasons, and in all weathers. No sports facilities, just the joy of freedom to come and go as far as parental control allowed. Mealtimes were vague, we’d far rather be fishing, sailing, gathering gull’s eggs, beachcombing- anything dictated by the weather and tide. The local joiner had a sideline with his workshop on the harbour, in finishing off glass fibre hulls, using his woodwork skills. Many fishing boats were launched, indeed still can be found in nearby villages. Working fishing boats, local and further away, were part of the landscape. Many times, the lights shone brightly on the harbour as boats unloaded their catch throughout the hours of darkness.’
‘We learned from our parents the rules of being in or on the water: treat the tide and currents with care, especially if heading out of the bay “keep west is best”. We always wore a lifejacket. The positions of the outlying rocks were usually discovered from experience: either a tangled fishing line or a wee bump in the bottom of the boat. One of the acquired skills of sailing, was knowing how close to the rocks you could go to get an advantage, but not so close to hit anything hard.’
‘There was a yacht, Ninian, that had a tractor tyre lashed to the bow. She was often seen under full sail, entering the harbour area coming to an abrupt halt at the harbour wall. Thus, the tractor tyre, as the skipper hadn’t mastered all the required skills of boat handling.’
‘Several times vessels known to have set off from the Isle, destination Ramsay, Isle of Man were found to have missed the Island and arrived at Anglesey, Port William or Garlieston!’
‘One particular yacht set off under sail from Ramsay to return to the Isle. A distance of some 20+ miles, it should have taken 5 or 6 hours. It eventually arrived off the Cairn 12 hours after setting off; when the skipper asked the crew to lift the keel, as they were returning on the low tide, it was found to be already up. Thus, why it had taken so long!’
‘The Isle’s Doctor Robertson formed the Wigtown Bay Sailing club along with local fishermen. In the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s the Dr only had every other weekend off from visiting his patients. He loved to sail, so Saturdays when he went sailing, but was on call, he needed to be contactable. Fortunately, his house Knockanharrie, overlooks the bay. The system with Mrs Robertson was, if there was a call from a patient, one white sheet was placed over the hedge, visible from the bay. If it was urgent, two white sheets were placed over the hedge.
If it was too late, three sheets. Washing day? 4 sheets. There were 6 children in the family-they couldn’t afford 5 or 6 sheets!’
To the question about what people should respect about this coast, Phil said ‘The skills and knowledge required to enjoy and work in the waters around the Isle don’t come just from books. You must live and experience it. Senses must be tuned to the weather, the feel of the wind and waves; the appearance of the waves, tide, coastline, near and far, and the sound and smell of the sea. None of that has changed, but modern-day seafarers need to remember that technology can only do so much. Common sense and respect are as important as they have always been.’
Phil says ‘The challenge that WBRC is planning could be the start of many similar adventures around the UK coastal waters. The St Ayles skiff was designed on similar lines to a traditional island fishing skiff, so has proven sea worthiness qualities. To date, there have been but a few offshore trips in the 17 years since the St Ayles was first designed.
This could be a new chapter…..
Our next crew member for our marathon challenge is Tracy, the baby of the gang!
“Name, Tracy Cessford, age, forever young. I work as an Optical Assistant and trainee glazing technician at Foulds Opticians in Newton Stewart.
I started coastal rowing in 2022 after spotting a boat being launched one day and feeling curious. I’ve always enjoyed being active and outdoors and with plenty of hobbies already keeping me busy (as if my two kids don’t do that enough), I figured—what’s one more?
I joined an open row… and that was it. I caught the bug.
Since then, I’ve met loads of lovely people, most of which our paths probably would never have crossed. Rowing has taken me to some incredible places. I’ve competed in multiple regattas, raced on Loch Ness, raced down the Clyde, and my favourite location to date, the Firth of Forth, rowing beneath all the rail and road bridges. When I’m rowing, my head switches off completely. It’s just about the rowing, not the fifty other things I should be doing.
I’m always up for a challenge. If there’s a seat to be filled, I’m there, whether it’s back-to-back races or something a bit crazy like rowing to the Isle of Man”
If you’d like to back Tracy in her next crazy adventure, you can donate to our GoFundMe page.
“I’m Sue Thomas, retired teacher, aged 67 in February. I never ever imagined being a rower, but I got the bug when our first skiff was launched and it’s become a very important part of my life since we moved to the Machars. I’ve taken part in regattas, the SkiffieWorld’s World Championships and endurance rows like Castle to Crane and Monster the Loch. The IOM row feels like the next big challenge and I would be proud to row in the squad and help raise funds for our fantastic club.”
Sue is a trustee of Wigtown Bay Coastal Rowing Club.
“Hi my name is Jacqueline Crowther. I am 64 (almost 65!), a retired mental health nurse and I stay in Port William.
I have been coastal rowing now for 7 years. I like to compete in regattas; love rowing long distances and have been fortunate enough to compete in 3 coastal rowing world championships and have rowed the length of Loch Ness twice. In my 65th year I am trying to do things I have wanted to do but haven’t yet managed to, completely new things and things that take me out of my comfort zone and challenge me. Being selected to row one of the legs of the Isle of Man event would meet all those criteria and support WBCRC raise much needed funds.”
Support Sue and Jacqueline by donating to https://www.gofundme.com/f/j8rc9-help-us-go-the-distance
Our club is pulling together to achieve the extraordinary, to row to and from the Isle of Man in a single day, in a bid to raise funds to enable us to continue to
Make rowing accessible to more people in our local community
Support training and safety equipment
Maintain and improve our boats
Upkeep and maintenance of our boatshed
This amazing feat, rowing over fifty miles in open sea, will involve a squad of volunteers and rowers training hard over the next few weeks.
Help us by accessing our GoFundMe page and keep an eye on progress in our Events page here, and on our Facebook page
Full details of the event can be found on our events page.
