As this year’s rowing season comes to a close, we are working to improve our boathouse facilities by replacing old wooden boat racks in the outdoor storage cage with new metal racks, under the capable leadership of GDRA President Doug Barker. The new racks are on order, and delivery is expected in December. A volunteer work crew prepared the site on Saturday by taking boats out of the cage and removing the old racks. Thanks to everyone who pitched in! Doug also reports that new gravel has just been delivered for the cage, with some leftover gravel placed in areas near the boathouse.

GDRA was represented at several regattas during the 2025 fall racing season. Our rowers traveled to the Chicago River Marathon & Half Marathon, Sept. 7; the Head of the Ohio, Oct. 4-5; the Music City Head Race, Oct. 11; the Head of the Charles, Oct. 17-19; the Secret City Head Race, Oct. 25-26; the Head of the Hooch, Nov. 1-2; and the Head of the South, Nov. 8. We had perfect weather in Augusta for the Head of the South—just warm enough to feel pleasant and summerlike, with a clear sky and little wind.

The temperatures rapidly fell on the return trip north, with snow squalls at the boathouse while unloading and putting away boats, which made it clear that we’ll be doing indoor rowing machine workouts for the next few months; but we are looking forward to another fun year of rowing outdoors in 2026.