By Lolita Huckaby
Real estate, especially waterfront real estate, is at a prime these days, and it’s not just potential homeowners who are feeling the pain.
The Beaufort Rowing Club, chartered in 2010 and registered with USRowing, lost their Battery Creek “home” earlier this year when rents for the private dock, under new ownership, went from $900 for the year to $800 per month.
“Needless to say, that was beyond the club’s financial capability so, … we’re looking for a new home,” Club President Carl Linke said.
Since vacating the dock, club members have pursued different options for a location that will provide them access to the water, preferably water that is not too open to make rowing difficult.
They’ve approached private homeowners associations which have community docks and local marinas but to no avail.
The 40 or so club members range between their 20s and their 80s in age, but all share a love for the water and the skill of rowing. The club also welcomes beginners who are willing to learn the skills of successful rowing.
“It’s been a double hit since we had to shut down for a year because of Covid, and now this,” Linke said. “It’s almost humorous that there’s ‘water, water everywhere’ but not a place to store your boats.”
In the meantime, while some members are keeping in shape with their own boats, the club’s four four-seat shells and three eight-seaters remain stored at a member’s home, waiting for a home.
For more information about the club, visit beaufortrowingclub.org.
Lolita Huckaby Watson is a community volunteer and former reporter/ editorial assistant/columnist with The Beaufort Gazette, The Savannah Morning News, Bluffton Today, Beaufort Today and The Robesonian (Lumberton, N.C.). She can be reached at bftbay@gmail.com.
