Before many people are awake members of the Bermuda Rowing Association are often to be found on the clear waters in Hamilton Harbour, from where they are often rewarded in their dawn exercise by the sight of the sun breaking more than the horizon at the start of the new day.

Some new rowers might be scared by the prospect of making the 6 a.m. start time for the two-hour work out on the water, but once they have completed the three-week training course they are, more often than not, hooked.

And for them there is the delight of being on the water getting a full body, no impact workout, that sets them up for the day.

The rowing club has been going for four-and-a-half years. It is now actively looking to recruit more young members in the junior and 12 -13 year-old range for its juniors' programme — which is a registered charity.

Michael Swain is president and co-founder, he said: "Our mission is to bring the discipline of rowing to the wider Bermuda community. We are very proud that we represent the whole of Bermuda in our membership."

At the moment the club has four-person and two-person rowing boats made from lightweight carbon fibre. The larger boats are 44ft long, while the two-person version is 35ft long.

New members are encouraged to take the three-week training course, which involves two 6 a.m. starts during the week and a total of three days of rowing each week. After that it is up to the individual how and when they train, but it generally works out that people pair up with a training buddy and they progress to being their own two-person team.

The training boats are very stable and the club intends to run another 'Learn to Row' course in the spring with a guest professional from Vancouver, Canada.

Club members meet at the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club and take a motor boat out to Whites Island where the rowing boats are stored. From there they hit the water and work out. The benefits are seen in muscle-toning across the body.

Swain explains: "It is not all upper body and arm strength. Most of the power comes from the legs. Rowing is an all-over body workout and you end up with a good-toned body. You do the equivalent of 350 tummy crunches.

"It is a non-impact sport. There is no jarring as with running or heavy weights, and it is very sociable."

All-year round the weather conditions are usually good enough to allow rowers to get out on the harbour water, which many times is mirror flat. Only in the very worst of conditions do members forego the outdoors and hop onto rowing machines at Bermuda High School.

The association is voluntary and is supported by grants and membership fees for the most part.

"We do not want to turn away a junior simply because they can't afford the $150-a-year membership. If a junior shows willingness and aptitude and they apply to us in confidence we will help them," said Swain.

"Government gives us a small grant and then we look to the corporate world and our members."

Rowers can be seen out on the water on Saturday and Sunday mornings, and on certain weekdays. Swain recommends newcomers try to attract a training buddy to come with them so that, once they have learned the basics in the four-person boat, they will have a ready-made two-person team to go out on the water when they wish.

The club also has a "pacemakers" section for women more than-50.

And it has a Founder's Trophy which is awarded to any member who goes "above and beyond" in the discipline of rowing.

Looking to the future, the club intends to purchase Dragon Boats to race and to welcome more rowing tourists to enjoy Bermuda's inshore waters. This week the club is hosting a party of 19 rowers from a Canadian high school.

Taking part in overseas competitions is another goal of the club, as is bringing in a professional coach in the summer.

Bermuda has a long rowing history, going back to the days of pilots racing one another to reach a galleon on the horizon in order to secure the job of guiding it safely through the reefs to the harbour.

As the club moves into 2008, Swain is appealing to other water users, particularly those in motorised boats, to be aware of the rowers and to cut their wake when in the vicinity as the rowing boats have only a few inches of freeboard.

Seniors who would like to take up the sport are asked to wait until the next learn to row event in spring, however juniors can get in touch now. The club is contactable at email bermudarowing@gmail.com