CARNAGE AT THE FIRST BUOY! CROMARTY REGATTA 2026
Some regattas live long in the memory; great organisation, lovely location, fab weather, or perhaps the vagaries of the course (‘What were they thinking?!’). Unusually, Cromarty Regatta 2026 manages the trick of ticking pretty much all of these boxes, and more besides.
To begin at the beginning, thirteen doughty Wormit skiffies recently found themselves standing on a sandy shore, Flying Boat looking very much at home resting at the water’s edge alongside fifteen of her sisters, contemplating, with that familiar blend of excitement and apprehension, a weekend of competition, camaraderie and, as it turns out, brief but arresting moments of high drama. Just to prove the point, a short while later, the transit from shore to start line by our trusty 240+Men’s crew is interrupted by the unmistakable sounds of: firstly, the gunshot-crack of a snapped oar; secondly of Lee (for it is he. Again) arriving in the bottom of the boat; and, finally, the inevitable expressions of surprise – “Goodness, I wasn’t expecting THAT!” That sort of thing, anyway. Thankfully otherwise undamaged, crew and skiff return to base for a replacement stroke oar and once again head out.
As will repeatedly turn out to be the case, the start itself is destined to test the nerve of coxes, the organisers having opted for a rolling start offering boats the option of crossing the start line already making way. Great if you get it right, not so much if you jump the gun and incur a 360-degree penalty. Demonstrating that our own coxes are well up to such a challenge, Wormit’s Finest sweep across the line pulling hard and surge off towards the first of three pillar buoys defining the triangular course. With a field of 16 boats, it is perhaps unsurprising that after a first leg of around 800 metres a significant number arrive at roughly an identical point in the space-time continuum. There are of course clear rules about this, with the afloat umpires instructing coxes that they “Have the water”, so that other boats, even those seemingly ahead, must allow space for those with the water to get around the buoy unmolested. That’s the idea anyway and, as Gabe soon discovers, the ensuing stramash results instead in umpire Ralph’s exasperated plea to “Sort yourselves out!” Flying Boat escapes unscathed and, having rounded the second buoy is locked – not for the last time, in a gripping fight to the finish against Lossiemouth, the latter just edging Wormit into fourth.
The day progresses and fortunes begin to change, with the Wormit 50+ Women putting in a fierce and committed performance to clinch silver, shortly echoed by the rugged and experienced 50+Men’s crew doing exactly the same in their race. The final event of the day sees a strong Wormit Men’s Decades crew, augmented by young George from Lossie, successfully navigating the first buoy, by now known to most as ‘Carnage Corner’ and keeping ahead of (all but two) of the competition to earn themselves a well-
deserved bronze. The racing done for the day, our skiffies retire to their respective roosts to relax, reflect and perhaps slake their thirst with something cold and refreshing.
Sunday’s racing, though less productive for Wormit, is equally exciting, as Carnage Corner exacts further punishment on those coxes and crews whose enthusiasm sometimes exceeds their boat handling skills, thankfully mostly resulting in bruised egos rather than bashed boats or broken bones. A highlight for Wormit arrives with the fun race, the last event of the day, as skiffs surge in line abreast across the Firth to rescue crewmates cast ashore on the distant beach, in Wormit’s case reuniting Love’s Young Dream’s Gabe (cox) and Nicky (castaway). As Flying Boat makes her approach to the shore Nicky emulates her transatlantic bêtes noir and dives aboard like a flying fish, ending up entangled in the bow with a slightly startled Alan, co-opted from Avoch for the occasion. While the North Berwick crew retain their lead on the return leg and their youthful rescuee leaps ashore to reach the standing stone marking the finish, our Nicky claims the moral victory of First Adult Ashore.
As Flying Boat is reunited with her trailer and the club gazebo is wrangled back into its bag, all reflect on a fabulous couple of days, full of challenge, commitment and cheer. Overall honours go to Golspie, little Avoch coming in second, and with the Wormit contingent, somewhat less representative of the full spectrum of age categories than some others, acquitting itself extremely well where it could and, oar apart, escaping unscathed. Huge thanks to Cromarty for their hospitality and organisational skills (and TBH we actually ended up relishing the cut and thrust of Carnage Corner), to Jenny who expertly led the Wormit team, to towing crew Andy and Iain, and to everybody else who helped to make it the great success it was. Roll on Cromarty Regatta 2027. Or, as Heather suggests, ‘Cromarty; Carnage at the First Buoy’.
Dai