Last year’s Rye Bay Scallop Week ended with the traditional scallops race pictured above and I assumed this year it would happen again.
However the slow arrival of a thaw after a snow covered week suggested it might be too dangerous, as the Met Office was still scattering yellow warnings of ice around like daffodils.
Traditionally the race runs from the fish quay on the River Rother to The Ship inn near Strand Quay with scallop shells piled high in wheelbarrows. But this year it was not to be.
Apparently there has been a change of management at The Ship and the previous landlords said the newcomers could not run it as it was their idea. By then however it had been organised with teams lined up to raise money for charity.
So it was stopped. Perhaps the race trophy of a large replica shell had gone AWOL?
Hopefully, next year the Scallop Week organiser can set up an alternative race, running from the fish quay and through the town past as many as possible of the venues which had been shucking up scallops all week, and ending at a different destination in the Strand Quay area (maybe one of the previous winners ?)
Photo : Rye News Library