Peter Lucas came about there
Right off Beers cove quay
He might be a hairy old bugger
But he bought that gaffer
About with true great ships mastery
I would’ve had the cover picture
For next year’s regatta program
But I couldn’t take the picture
Quickly enough Unfortunately
As my fingers were cold
From swimming in the estuary
So I couldn’t get them to work properly
Ms Pyne and I had been swimming
Sometimes Diane who was I’ll
With a new variation of Covid comes to
Yes they’re charming and fun to be around
But they’re also very clever
As they swim like mermaids do
By then the water born tug-of-war was over
And the boats were put away
Where the woman from 1620
Beat the Royal Navy in the final
But they were up for fun but
Not good rowers
Not at all like they were in Nelsons day!
Basil Williams made sexist comments
He can’t stop himself you see
He questioned if the female
Captain of the college
Was really a woman which
I found whole and totally unnecessary
Beth’s raft came apart in the kontki
She had to swim for it
Bless her she’s game for anything
Even if she got bruised a bit
Ed and I played commandos
Dressed as we were in pink
When we discharged a single
Round out into the darkness
They’re in the blackness at the castles
The report was decidedly loud
Made arty folks jump when we
Naughty boys didn’t even blink
Tess Preston in Christina Thorp
We’re awesome in the woman’s pairs
Clare Thorp coxed a good race
And as they went past Robyn and I
She even managed a wave with a smile
On her face
You couldn’t get into alfresco
Oh I love those young women
Such a lot
And it was the same at Morelos
Where I told grumpy Lizzie tired
That “I loved her “right then
And there on the spot !
Little Robyn won the Tracy White
Big Robyn came second in the draw
Both of them are the kind of woman
That Tracy was
May she be remembered evermore
I don’t think there’s much money
Went into the tins
Something Its very sad to have to say
As lot of people go to a lot of trouble
To provide regatta entertainment
While others just look on enjoy the spectacle
Don’t put anything in the tins yet
Have money for beer and when you ask
Them to chip in an donate
The mean beggars disappear or look away!
Yet the Rowing in the sailing were excellent
A composite woman’s crew from Dartmouth
On the Thursday even won the eights
Yet no one has money for the collecting tins
But they do have money to get drunk an celebrate
I am afraid to say we forgot completely
About the late Paul Williams
In our willingness to get drunk and celebrate
Because he was a prince of Rowing
Of the river and of seamanship
Who taught so very many young people
The basics of the art of Rowing
And should be remembered forever
And the fact that we did not do so
Is a terrible oversight and very much
A regrettable mistake…
29.08.23
