HISTORY was made on the waves this month as 13 skiffs took part in the first ever Rowing of the Marches to mark the sea boundaries of Musselburgh.

Coastal rowing clubs from as far afield as St Andrews in Fife and Amble in Northumberland joined Musselburgh’s Eskmuthe Rowing Club for the landmark event last Saturday – part of the 2016 Riding of the Marches. The North Berwick and Dunbar clubs also took part in the row.

The boats raised their oars to salute the Riding of the Marches principals before Town Champion Neil Wilson sounded an air horn to set off the procession of skiffs.

Mr Wilson, dressed in armour, will protect Turf Cutter Iain Clark in the ancient boundary marking ceremony on land during Riding of the Marches week at the end of next month.

The rowers completed a five-mile course from the East Beach at Fisherrow, around the harbour to the boundary with Joppa before turning and heading all the way out to the sea boundary with Prestonpans, before returning to the East Beach.

The coxes of the two Eskmuthe boats, Honesty and Steedie Falconer, threw a piece of earth into the water at the two ends of the course, shouting “It’s a’ oor ain” – the cry which symbolises the historic ownership of land within the Musselburgh boundaries.

After the row, there was a barbecue and bonfire on the beach with live music from The Normans, led by former Eskmuthe Rowing Club chairman Norman Rodger, and Fiona Grant-McDonald, the Turf Cutter’s Assistant and first woman principal in the Riding of the Marches history.

She said: “It was great to take part in such a fantastic, historic community event and to see so many boats on the water. I also had a shot at rowing with Turf Cutter Iain Clark and Irene Tait, chairwoman of Musselburgh & Inveresk Community Council, who is a member of Eskmuthe. We really enjoyed it. Thanks to everyone at Eskmuthe Rowing Club for putting on such a fabulous event.”

Stewart Page, chairman of Eskmuthe Rowing Club, said: “We thought it would be appropriate to join in the celebrations for the Riding of the Marches 2016 by marking the town’s sea boundaries – and we had a brilliant day.

“We were delighted so many rowing clubs travelled to be with us and that so many members of the local community turned out to support the event.”

The clubs also competed for the annual Eskmuthe tug of war trophy, won by Amble Coastal Rowing Club. The fancy dress competition was won jointly by Dunbar, dressed as pirates, and home club Eskmuthe, who rowed as fishwives and moustachioed gentlemen. Anyone who would like to try coastal rowing can email eskmuthe@gmail.com