St. John's, Newfoundland - It's the biggest annual party on the island: Every year on the first Wednesday of August about 40,000 people gather at Quidi Vidi Lake on the edge of the city of St. John's, to watch one of the most unusual rowing events known. Teams of six compete in 16-metre, fixed-seat racing shells. And, rather than just speeding along in a straight line, the 2.6 kilometre course has them rounding moorings. The unusual boats are built to the same specifications that have been used for more than a hundred years. This means that rowers not only compete with the other teams, but also with the times of their fathers and grandfathers. The Royal St. John's Regatta race has a documented history dating back to 1826, and may actually have started in the 1700's. Photo of St John's by Lucy Izon. Back to: Map of Canada