Regatta Love

I have been photographing Royal St. John’s Regatta for many years. Those kinds of events where thousands of people gather are not really my cup of tea, but when the girls were little we had to take them - it would had been cruel not to. So the only way to cope with the crowds was to bring the cameras along. You can see all of those photographs here.

These days the girls don’t really need us to take them anywhere and between COVID and a natural desire to avoid the crowds I haven’t been to the Regatta in a few years. And photographically, it kind of feels done for me. Until this year. This year, E. was rowing in an exhibition race demonstrating sliding seat boats with the St. John’s Rowing Club. The official Regatta races are conducted in fixed-seat boats which is quite unusual. Sitting there on the shore, watching her team of eight row in perfect synchronicity across the lake was really the first time I paid attention to the actual rowers. Normally, my focus would be on the irresistible spectacle going on around the lake.

There will be those who once again complain about the Regatta that takes place on a Wednesday and is a completely weather dependant holiday. If the Regatta goes on, we all get a day off, if it doesn’t, you get a day off on the day that it does go on. Simple and nuts at the same time. And somehow so St. John’s and I would not have it any other way.

I made the photograph above today. The juxtaposition of the crumbling, Victorian disgrace that is His Majesty’s Penitentiary and the crowds milling around the lake is still, after all these years, one of the strangest sights in this town.

But let’s end on a happy note. If you have ever taken a little kid to the Regatta and they somehow won a giant, inflatable hammer, know that that is probably the proudest moment of their life so far. This is what memories are made of.