With our oars tucked into the boat and cups of hot apple cider clasped in our mittens, we floated for a while in Belfast Harbor, where the Passagassawakeag River spills into Belfast Bay.
The full snow moon was making its easy-going entrance into the early evening sky. Behind us, the setting sun loitered about, casting sherbert-colored shades of orange and pink along the horizon.
The air temperature hovered around 19°F. Between our ample layers of heat-trapping apparel and the muscle-engaging effort of rowing out there, we weren’t the least bit cold. But the steam from our cups and from our breaths were wafting reminders: it was, indeed, quite chilly out.
Mid-winter isn’t usually the time of year people think to row along the Maine coast, particularly for those of us who aren’t experienced rowers at all. On its face, summer seems like the best season to learn and practice such a skill.
But if your enthusiasm is robust, your winter-layering abilities are strong, and you have a knowledgeable and safety-forward guide to lead the way, winter can be a fine time for a full moon row.
“You feel pretty badass when you’re out there,” said Nicolle Littrel, owner of DoryWoman Rowing in Belfast.
Nicolle welcomes experienced rowers and the row-curious to join her on the water all year. But the full moon rows, likewise offered year-round, are particularly wondrous. Nicolle does a brilliant job showing newcomers the rowing ropes while also weaving the experience with enchantment – the moon! the sky! the magic in the air!
“It’s special to be out there watching the moon rise,” she said. “In the winter you feel rugged and cosmic. There’s that witchy or mystical aspect, too, an attunement with natural cycles. And in the winter, you get the best visibility because the air is so clear.”
During our jaunt in late January, the full moon rose above the horizon at around 3:30 p.m., while late-day light still filled the sky.
With temperatures in the upper teens, Nicolle made sure my friend Brenda and I were outfitted appropriately. I had to let out the straps on my PFD to account for all the layers I was wearing: baselayer, wool sweater, puffy coat, not to mention the snow pants, knit hat, mittens (with hand warmers tucked inside), and boots.
We helped carry oars and other accouterments down to the boat, following Nicolle along the trampled path of snow on the dock. Down at the dory, Nicolle demonstrated how to get in (sit on the dock, keep your center of gravity low as you slide into your seat). Then she gave us pointers on rowing technique and how to level the strength of our legs to do the heavy work rather than our arms.
Once pushed off from the dock, we began to row out into the harbor. As we got a feel for the rowing rhythm, Nicolle took time with each of us to offer tips and encouragement: don’t bend our arms too soon, loosen our death grips on the oars, try not to overthink it.
While we smacked oars several times and inadvertently popped the oars out of their locks more than once – and definitely zig-zagged our way across the water like some bewildered marine beast – we were rowing!
We tooled around the harbor for a while before taking a pause to marvel at the rising moon. Nicolle offered up hot apple cider and cookies (both delicious and both excellent treats to keep a body warm in winter, although all the rowing had us rightly warm as well). She pointed out local landmarks and wintering loons and ducks. We oohed over the shifting sunset sky and how the pastels along the horizon reflected on the water. And we were so incredibly happy to be right there.
Nicolle got into rowing through the Belfast-based group Come Boating. When the pandemic hit in 2020, group rows came to a halt (they’re back at it now, of course). Nicolle’s row-loving heart didn’t like the separation, so she decided to get her own boat.
Sorciere is a 19.5-foot traditional wooden Swampscott dory. Dories are historically fishing boats. With flat bottoms and high sides, they’re known for being seaworthy and stable.
Nicolle and her son rowed together for a time. Then she began inviting others to come row with her – experienced rowing friends and rowing novices, too. Someone eventually made a wise suggestion: she should get paid to do this. And DoryWoman Rowing was born.
The name “DoryWoman” is a nod to “doryman,” or a person who fishes from a dory.
“I understood that the historical record doesn’t really reflect or represent women very well around rowing and traditional wooden boats,” she said. As a former gender studies professor at UMaine, Nicolle said she is accustomed to interrogating, pushing against the status quo, and always learning.
“I started finding stories from history of women who rowed dories or small wooden boats, like Ida Lewis, a lighthouse keeper’s daughter who eventually became a lighthouse keeper in Newport, Rhode Island. She learned about women and men in Gloucester, Mass, who race dories today.
Women still reach out with stories of their own, memories of their days rowing a dory or their latest adventure.
For Nicolle, rowing fills her cup in myriad ways.
“Rowing immerses me in that way that going for a hike in the woods or on a mountain can be for some people. It engages me,” she said. “I feel in my body and in the present, no matter what I have going on on land. When I get on the water, it evaporates.”
“On the water, I get to observe and feel the seasons in a way I’ve never been able to before. And it changes every day. The water, the tide, and the wind are always different.”
She loves witnessing life on the water, too. “This time of year, it’s mostly avian life,” she said. “But we’ve seen seals, porpoises, sea stars, and even whales.”
Nicolle is a Registered Maine Guide and experienced rower in all seasons (read: she delights in bringing people out on the water and also prioritizes safety. She’ll stay apprised of water conditions and, if they aren’t safe, there will be no rowing).
There are no previous experience requirements to go, only a willingness to get out there.
“I welcome all skill levels,” she said. “Anyone with a sense of curiosity, a sense of adventure, and who wants to experience the seasons in a way you haven’t before.”
The Salty Witch Sauna
After your row, you can peel off of the fleece pants and hit the Salty Witch Sauna. The wood-fired sauna is currently stationed right near the water close to Belfast’s Heritage Park (and a few-minutes drive from where you’ll meet Nicolle for your row).
The sauna can be paired with a row or enjoyed on its own.
Community Sauna
Offered Wednesday-Sunday
Options include afternoon, evening, at the Full Moon and the Belfast Ice Fest (2/27-3/1).
Group size can range between 2-6 people.
Sessions are 1.25 hours. $35-$40 a seat.
Private Sauna
By appointment, Wednesday-Sunday.
Our sauna can be booked for private sessions between 1-7pm. Community sessions can be converted into a private session, based on availability.
$150 for 1.25 hours/1.5 hours $175
Learn more: .dorywomanrowing.com/saltywitchsauna
Row Out with DoryWoman Rowing
The Full Moon Row is for private groups of 2-3 people or individuals as a mixed group, ages 12 and up. $100 per person. Special pricing options for 2-3 people: $190 for 2, $285 for 3. Session start times may need to be adjusted due to the temperature and weather conditions.
Or sign up for a daytime row!
Learn More: dorywomanrowing.com/learntorow
