We joined a rowing club this year and, after a Learn-to-Row course in the spring, rowed regularly in one of the club’s double sculls. Rowing is great exercise, and there’s plenty of wildlife along the river, such as herons and beavers. The only drawback is that rowing can cause blisters, especially if the oars are not the right size. So rather than take potluck with whatever club oars might be available on any given day, we decided to buy our own oars, now that we were getting close to the end of college expenses.