Hannah Duggan intends to continue rowing despite her cold and wet introduction to the sport at Careys Bay on Saturday.
Duggan (14), a pupil at Kavanagh College, was cox of the Otago club masters quadruple scull that was swamped during the Port Chalmers United regatta on Saturday.
It was her first regatta.
There was a big swell on the Otago Harbour and waves were breaking over the skiffs.
The Otago club crew of Dean Winton, Shane Reese, Stephen Craig-Pearson, John Parnell and Duggan slid lower and lower into the harbour waters as the boat took on more and more water.
An erratic swell that was moving in all directions caused the problems, swamping the Otago boat and causing the regatta to be abandoned after just six of the scheduled 26 events.
"We looked like five people levitating in the water as we kept sitting in the boat as it sank lower into the water as we waited for the rescue boat," Winton said.
The United club was aware of the potential hazards and on the regatta programme it gave instructions as to what actions to take if an an emergency occurred.
"In the event of a boat swamping, crews must stay with the boat until a rescue craft arrives."
The Otago club crew spent five minutes in the water before being rescued.
"It was cold, but it was fun," Duggan said.
"It was my first time as cox in a rowing regatta. I will be back."
Parnell is the club captain of the Otago club and was last man to leave his sinking craft.
