For many years past, the Boat Club has operated in the Michaelmas Term. This custom has continued, though the activities have changed slightly from season to season. Some boys train seriously for winter sculling races, while others use boats for gentle exercise only. Annual maintenance of oars, boats and the boathouse area reaches a peak during this time of the year, and much good work was done by a band of volunteers this time round. A few rowing outings were undertaken by members of the senior group, though it did not prove possible to achieve any real progress; it was perhaps sufficient that, a few oarsmen got on the water occasionally. The girls used the quiet time on the river to learn enough to get to racing pitch by the Lent Term: they had to learn technique and to get fit fairly quickly in order to be ready for racing in February.

The intention at the beginning of the Lent Term was that Trial VIIIs would last about three weeks. Training was disrupted by bad weather, including floods, so it was not until nearly the middle of February that a trial race was held over the full course at Saltford in a heavy snow storm. Enthusiasm was not cooled, and two competent crews emerged from the experience. It made a pleasant change to train at Saltford, which is one of the best stretches of water in this part of the country. Despite the distance, and boat assembly, we managed to be back as school by 4.15.