In an unusual twist, Hurricane Sandy affected the Mobjack Rowing Association two ways. First was the cancellation of the Head of the Lafayette where coach Tim Ulsaker had planned to enter his female rowers in the Junior Lightweight Girls four.

The second was that Sandy closed down the State University of New York Maritime College, where Mathews High School/Mobjack alumni Matt Thomas and Andrew Merz attend. They came home last week and trained with MRA in the double.

Maritime scratched their fours which were to race in the collegiate Saturday event at the Head of the Occoquan, but Merz and Thomas were allowed to race the men’s club double Sunday under their Mobjack membership.

The duo took first in their race and pulled the fastest time (18:34) of all doubles that day. An interesting side story is that while the Maritime College was shut down awaiting repairs and power, they made the Empire State VI, their 565-foot training cargo ship which sleeps and supports 600...