The TC VIP Ship: Adventures of a Blind Rowing Crew

After experiencing my first SFL International Event in 2015, I returned to my home town, motivated to form a local group of people who were also visually impaired. The thrill of sharing, learning, and playing with other people with vision impairments was so impressive, I could not wait a whole year until the next SFL! For years I had thought about gathering people together in my community to share resources, to provide information, and to offer support to one another. My positive experience at SFL inspired me to get it done!

So in May of 2015 the TC VIPs (Traverse City Visually Impaired Persons) met for the first time. Little did we know then what lay in store for us! We continue to meet monthly, usually at a restaurant, to network, to learn from each other, and to socialize. We have connected with the Traverse Bay Area Intermediate School District and have attended Daily Living Skills Trainings to talk with students and parents about functioning in the adult world. We have met with the Bay Area Transit Authority to discuss transportation resources in our community and to suggest improvements in these services to persons with limited sight. We work closely with our local Talking Book Library and are speaking at World Sight Day on Oct. 12. For fun, we have attended our local minor league Beach Bums baseball game, have gone bowling and out for pizza, have attended a holiday Symphony Orchestra concert, and much more. But the biggest thrill thus far has been rowing...

This spring I received a call from Erik Zehender from Fountain Point Resort and the Lake Leelanau Rowing Club. Erik has been coaching rowing for years and says one technique they use is to blindfold rowers as they learn to feel the rhythm of the boat as their oars move through the water. He had seen videos of blind rowers, and wanted to open up this opportunity in our community. Basically he said something like, "Do you have some blind friends who may want to come out to our beautiful resort on a gorgeous summer evening and row in our high quality 60-foot sweep boats with an experienced coach to guide you?" I couldn't believe my ears! "Are you kidding?" I replied! "Yes, most definitely! We'll be there!" So off we went!

Seven of the TC VIP group members made their way to Lake Leelanau: men, women, in shape, not so in shape, young (13 years old) and not as young (74 years)... all with varying degrees of visual impairment. Initially Erik assigned two college rowers to be in the boat with us.

Upon arrival, Erik and his staff showed each of us the basic rowing techniques and terminology on the on-land erg machines. After 20 minutes or so, he said, "Okay everyone, go get the boat off the rack!" So we grabbed a staff member's arm and were led to the racks. We were taught how to place our hands and arms, and then on command, we all lifted the boat over our heads. With verbal guidance from Erik and his staff, we were directed down the hill and onto the floating dock. We were instructed to lower the boat onto the water and to climb in. Once we pushed off the dock, we sat quietly waiting for instructions. All we heard were exclamations such as ... "Wow! That's amazing!" and "I have never seen that happen." And "Would you look at that!" Our curiosity was rising, wondering what amazing sight we were missing! "What is so fabulous?" we asked! "Fill us in!"

It was our boat that had fascinated the experienced rowers. It was steady! Without any directions, we had "set" the boat, as they say. We thought we were just sitting there! But apparently, we used the same, innate senses we use all the time to navigate and to orient ourselves in varied environments to acclimate us to the tippy boat. So we skipped the beginning lesson about balancing, and moved right into rowing techniques! Little did we know that the local TV crew was on the pontoon boat with Erik filming us for that night's news. And a week later, the news clip was shown on the Today show! Were we ever excited!

Well, we have rowed nearly every week since then. Our youngest member was promoted to a single sculling boat as she was smaller and therefore not as strong as the rest of us. Her parents bring her out to the resort two to three times a week to work on the erg machines and to work individually with Erik. At this point in time, she is rowing by herself in the middle of the lake with verbal instructions shouted from the shore or pontoon boat!

As for the rest of us, we now have five people with visual impairments and three sighted friends committed to our TC VIP SHIP! The Adaptive Rowing Coordinator, Sydney, is our sighted coxswain. We are still rowing weekly and plan to race in our first regatta on October 29 at Fountain Point Resort.

What an adventure! What fun! All of us in the boat are thrilled to be there and so grateful to Erik for initiating this opportunity! Erik and his staff are learning how to communicate and to assist us, and we are learning how to row and to be a team. It is an amazing partnership!

Incidentally, four of our boat members will be attending SFL in Colorado in 2017. Nancy Simmons will be a first year VIP. Larry Wright will be a second year VIP. Greg Horn will be a first year guide. And I will be a third year VIP. When we see you in Granby, we will tell you how the regatta turns out!!