Schuylkill Banks Regatta

Saturday, October 22, 2005

Photo tour of the race course

The race course will take you thru 11 bridges, from the start a quarter mile below the railroad bridge at Bartram's Garden to the finish line at the railroad bridge just beyond Market St. It's a 5 minute walk from the Art Museum and Waterworks, 10 minutes from Boathouse Row. Here's what the competitors will see.

The green lane will be on the east bank and the blue lane closer to the middle. Two big turns: first 120 degrees to starboard after passing under the Gray's Ferry Avenue bridge, then 90 degrees to port after the University Avenue bridge. From there, it's a mile straightaway, then a very gradual bend to port as crews race thru the chute of bridges: South Street, Walnut Street, Chestnut Street, Market Street, JFK Boulevard, and the railroad bridge. The bridge arches line up beautifully, with racing on the east bank under arches easily wide enough for 2 boats.

Click on each image for a larger scale version. Here is a map of the race course.

	The Bartram's Garden railroad bridge is the 1st bridge on the race course, about 300 meters from the start. Both lanes will go to thru the right arch. This and all the other bridge photos are taken looking upstream, in their order on the race course. Click on each for a larger version.
	The Gray's Ferry Avenue bridge, with the remnants of an old rotating railroad trestle bridge just before it, is the 2nd bridge. Green lane thru right arch (shown), blue lane thru center arch. The half mile long 120 degree turn to starboard begins just after the bridge.
	Looking from on top of the Gray's Ferry Avenue bridge at the turn to starboard.
	University Avenue Bridge, with Schuylkill Expressway beyond. This is the beginning of turn to port. Both lanes will go to thru the center arch. This is the 3rd bridge on the course and is after the big 120 degree turn to starboard.
	Looking upstream from on top the University Avenue bridge at the Schuylkill Expressway bridge, the 4th bridge. The sharp turn to port begins under the Schuylkill Expressway bridge and continues thru the railroad bridge. Note the Trigen steam plant in the background. Both lanes will pass thru the right arch (shown in the center in this photo). The big truck on the expressway is above the right abutment of the right arch.
	Another view of the Schuylkill Expressway bridge from on top of the University Avenue bridge. This photo is a little confusing when compared to the one above. Both lanes will pass thru the right arch (shown on the far right in this photo). The arch in the center of the photo is the left arch and will be used for returning crews. Racing crews will use the right arch, with the Trigen steam plant in the background.
	Railroad bridge, with South St. bridge in distance. Blue lane thru center arch (shown in picture). Green lane thru arch on right (not shown). This is the 5th bridge. and comes after the turn to port that begins at the University Avenue bridge and continues thru the Schuylkill Expressway bridge. The railroad bridge marks the start of a mile long straightaway that runs thru the South St. bridge to Walnut St.
	Walnut St. bridge. Both lanes thru east (right) arch.
	Walnut St. bridge, the 7th bridge. Both lanes thru east (right) arch. Next bridge is Chestnut St. (green steel), then Market. St. (stone).
	Walnut St. bridge. Both lanes will go to the right of the bridge abutment.
	The chute: From under Walnut St. bridge, Chestnut St., the 8th bridge on the race course, with the stone Market St. bridge following, then JFK Boulevard and the railroad bridge.
	Market. St, the 9th bridge, followed by JFK Boulevard, then the railroad bridge.
	Looking thru JFK Boulevard, and the railroad bridge, the 11th bridge, at the finish line on the east bank at Schuylkill River Park.
	The finish line at Schuylkill River Park. It's a short walk from Boathouse Row, approximately a 1/2 mile. Just follow the Schuylkill River Park trail from Lloyd Hall, past the Waterworks.
	Looking upriver at Boathouse Row. We've passed the finish line.
	Tree-lined east bank. Who says the lower Schuylkill is heavily industrialized?
	From left to right: Philadelphia Girls Rowing Club, Undine Barge Club, Penn AC (with white tent on upper deck), College Boat Club, trimmed in red and home of the University of Pennsylvania crew, Vesper Boat Club and Malta Boat Club share a common white fence on the deck, University Barge Club with the brown siding. Bachelors, Crescent, #4 and Fairmount are obscured by the trees on the island.
.	Fairmount Waterworks
	A pagoda overlooking the Fairmount dam.
	The Waterworks, looking downstream, east side
	A fisherman sits on the rock.
	Looking downstream at the finish line.
	Looking downstream from below Walnut St. at the east bank.