‘It’s just idyllic’: Great Salt Lake Rowing Club push ahead despite low water levels

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This article is published through the Great Salt Lake Collaborative, a solutions journalism initiative that brings together news, education and media organizations to help inform people about the plight of the Great Salt Lake – and what that can be done to make a difference before it’s too late. Read all our stories at greatsaltlakenews.org

GREAT SALT LAKE – It might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of Utah’s popular recreation spots, but an enthusiastic group is working to change that perception.

Going down to the Great Salt Lake Marina, one thing is obvious: it is empty. Due to low water levels, a row of sailboats sit idle in the parking lot – but the Great Salt Lake Rowing Club is far from giving up its favorite spot.

For Diane Horrocks, president of the group, rowing on the lake has become a way of life, a way of life that began decades ago.

“I went to an all-girls school,” she said, speaking of her early years in England. “One of my first best friends said to me, ‘Hey, if you come to the rowing club, there are boys there.'”

Years later, and after moving to the United States, she teaches beginners as part of the “National Rowing Learner Day”.

“Just so people realize there’s rowing in Utah,” Horrocks said. “Because we are a landlocked state, we are a semi-desert, people are amazed.”

Great Salt Lake Rowing Club on the lake.
Great Salt Lake Rowing Club on the lake. (Photo: Ray Boone, KSL-TV)

Participants begin by working out on a rower, then tie up their feet and start on a beached boat. Many came out of curiosity.

“I came here because my friend invited me,” said Sarah Wills. “I like to try new things. I’ve lived on a lake before, so I’ve been around the water, but I’ve never tried rowing.”

While everyone has their reasons, for many the biggest hurdle is getting past the idea that the lake is “gross.”

“For about a month a year it smells bad,” Horrocks said. “But the rest of the year it’s beautiful. We row in the winter on Saturday mornings, and it’s like rowing on glass. It’s just idyllic.”

But Horrocks says one of the main reasons many join their club is that rowing is easy on the joints.

“We have people who were playing sports who got injured,” she said. One of our members is over 70, so you can do this for as long as you want. There are competitions, world rowing championships, they have an over-80 category.”

Great Salt Lake Rowing Club is preparing to leave.
Great Salt Lake Rowing Club is preparing to leave. (Photo: Ray Boone, KSL-TV)

It may be easy on the joints, but it certainly isn’t easy. Wills can attest to that after trying her hand at the water.

“It’s hard,” she laughs. “It’s really tough. I feel like it’s the most coordinated sport I’ve ever tried.”

Low water levels in the lake presented some challenges, primarily in the form of a landlocked wharf and the need to navigate a narrow channel to exit the marina.

“There are a few 90 degree turns that you have to do very slowly and carefully because it’s so tight now,” she said. “A rowing boat has a very shallow draft, like 6 to 12 inches. Unlike the poor sailboats that all had to be taken out, we are still good. We should be good, even if we lose a little more, but we need more water.”

Because for Horrocks and his club, it’s not just about enjoying the lake themselves – it’s about making sure others feel the same feeling they once got out into the open water.

“We got people to appreciate the serenity of the lake,” Horrocks said. “Last year was a record, we had 50 members. This year we are already at 37.”

So whether it’s because of an injury, wanting to try something new, or just wanting to see what the lake is really like, everyone has their reasons for visiting Utah’s Hidden Rowing Club. And even if you only started rowing to meet boys, it all pays off in the end.

“As an adult, I met my husband at the rowing club,” Horrocks said.

Members have access to Great Salt Lake Rowing Club boats, which means there is no need to purchase your own. If you want to sign up for classes, you can find the club on Facebook or go to their website, GLSR.org.

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