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Argentina’s Henley

JUST NORTH OF Buenos Aires lies the city of Tigre. The city sits on the southern edge of the series of rivers, rivulets, islands, and eyots collectively known as the Parana Delta, after the Rio Parana which breaks up as it reachs the Rio de la Plata. The town’s riparian geography combined with its closeness to Buenos Aires—a mere twenty miles from the Obelisco—make Tigre a popular weekend and summertime getaway. Since the 1870s, however, it has also been the birthplace and focal point of rowing in the country—Argentina’s Henley.

One of the delights of Argentine architecture is not just the variety of styles present, but the mixture of those various styles in particular structures. Tigre is home to a number of boat clubs, among which is a perfect example of the Argentine willingness to mix and match architectural styles. The Club de Regatas La Marina (above and below) features a red-tiled roof of the Spanish colonial variety, half-timbering which could be either English or Germanic in inspiration, and a balcony and arcade with a rather Tuscan flavor.

The C.R.L.M. is not the only handsome boathouse on the water.

While the La Marina is on the main Rio Parana, the Rowing Club Argentino (above) is located on the Parana’s smaller tributary, the Rio Tigre. Again, a combination; this time of Mediterranean red-tile roof, English half-timbering, and arches on the ground floor which have a definite feel of southern Germany.

Above and below, the Rowing Club Argentino.

A number of the boat clubs in Tigre were founded as ethnic and cultural organizations by the various immigrant groups which populated the Argentine Republic. The Germans founded the Club de Remo Teutonia, the French began the Club de Regatas L’Aviron, the Swiss have their Club Suizo de Buenos Aires, the original Spaniards started the Club de Regatas Hispano Argentino, and there is even the Club de Remeros Escandinavos for Argentines of Scandinavian extraction. The photograph above, however, displays the Venetian boathouse of the Italians’ Club Canottieri Italiani. Their clubhouse, to the left of the boathouse, once had the best Italian restaurant on the river.

The ‘British’ presence on the water is the Buenos Aires Rowing Club, founded in 1873 by one Lionel Sackville West. Again, it’s a curious mix of styles, combining French renaissance with a sort of Cape Dutch meets Scottish Jacobean.

The entrance portal of the Buenos Aires Rowing Club,
as if stolen from a French chateau.

A sampling of the surnames of the various presidents of the Buenos Aires Rowing Club throughout the years sounds off a panoply of nationalities: Sackville West (the founder), Bridgett, Ford, Bouwer, Ramsay, Madero, Lanusse, Shaw, Robertson, and Küker. From all four corners of Europe, it seems, they came and made Argentina their home.

The dining room of the Club.

The photographer Alex Waterhouse-Hayward writes on his blog:

The Retiro train station in Buenos Aires could be anywhere in London if it weren’t for the Argentine Spanish you would hear on the platforms waiting for the train to Cohglan where I lived as a boy. My uncle Freddy Hayward, who was born in Buenos Aires and worked for Glaxo, went back “home” to England every few years. He always wore his St. Andrews Scots School blazer when I was invited for tea. I liked to go because Aunt Iris made the best deviled ham in the world and both Uncle Freddy and I would smoke our Bewlay pipes (filled with Galloway’s Three Nuns) after tea.

Recently when I went to Buenos Aires in November 2004 with Rosemary and our granddaughter Rebecca I told Rebecca that my first cousin and godmother, Inesita O’Reilly Kuker spoke like the Queen of England. Strictly speaking it is the other way around as Inesita is 83 and so is older. Some years before, her husband Dolfi Kuker (who introduced me to the unique Argentine white wine made from torrontés grapes) took me on a tour of patrician Buenos Aires which included lunch at the venerable Jockey Club.

As a young man I had spent weekends in the Paraná River delta called El Tigre. Each ethnic community had its own rowing club and I would lust after the women rowers with my friend John Sullivan (he was a conscript in the Argentine Army while I was in the Argentine Navy) who had a little bungalow on one of the thousands of little islands of the delta. We would identify the red, white and green stripes on the tips of the oars as those from the Italian Rowing Club while the red, black and white were the Germans. But our favourites where the English ladies who rowed with white and blue striped oars of the Buenos Aires Rowing Club.

Alas! When Dolfi Kuker took me to their club house all we found were these handsome young men.

The splendid gable end.

The actual boathouse.

The final shot shows, in the foreground, the Buenos Aires Rowing Club, with the Club de Regatas La Marina in the distance. The white rectangular tower is the Coast Guard station.

Published at 7:49 pm on Thursday 4 January 2007. Categories: Architecture Argentina Tags: , , , .
Comments

Fascinating photographs, Andrew. A glimpse into Argentine society. I must say, my knowledge of Argentina is mostly limited to having read the inexhaustible works of Jorge Luis Borges. (I have a friend who once met the master, when he visited the University of Texas at Austin, back in the 1960’s.) I did, however, once spend time with an Argentine doctor who had moved his family thirty years ago to Jerusalem. He spoke fondly of Buenos Aires, but said it had changed too much for his liking. Where did we meet? In India, of all places!

— kd 4 Jan 2007 9:18 pm

Thanks for another great post. The Argentine tourism folks should give you a grant or something. Or at least ask if you would accept a blog ad.

— Fiendish 5 Jan 2007 12:06 pm

“One” Lionel Sackville West, Cusack? You are referring to the then British Minister to the Argentine Republic, later 2nd Lord Sackville, GCMG, and, through his mistress, maternal grandfather of Vita Sackville West, novelist, gardener, and unconvential wife to Sir Harold Nicholson, diarist, gardener, and…unconventional husband.

— L. Gaylord Clark 6 Jan 2007 10:34 am

Thanks to your lively report from Tigre I have relived a part of my delightful December 3 boat ride up, down and around the Parana Delta with the families of ex-colleagues and good friends, the Bercetches and the Pretis. I recognise the elegant rowing clubs you show and mention, and might have added a photo or two of my own if your site had enabled it.
I don’t think many people here (Westchester, USA) realise what a wonderful tourist choice Argentina is. There is much to see and the economy is booming — unlike 20 years ago. However, prices are very cheap by US standards (if the item is not imported. For example, I was asked — and refused — $300 for a US-made golf putter). My visit was for a few days of golf which we played at Martindale and at San Eliseo but were unable to fit in the Jockey Club. We met Craig Stadler givig a golf clinic at Martindale, and sw him hit one of the most fabulous draws on a dog-leg left that I ever expect to see. The tournament was sponsored by Michel Rolland, who is probably the world’s leading — if not always approved — wine consultant. The wines of Argentina are fabulous (Rolland’s Yacochuya being my choice) and the polo ubiquitous. Saw “10-gol” Adolfo Cambiaso and his team La Dolfina on their way to winning the Argentine Open. And cycled many kilometres through the Pampas. Next trip I hope to fish and climb in Bariloche — and to play some more golf. Thank you for so many reminiscent photos.

— Andrew Heath 7 Jan 2007 9:59 am

I have to say Cusack you have an uncanny ability to present the best of Argentina, Britain and New York, which shows you have a real love for these places. Whats more (since I’ve spent plenty of time in NY and the UK) you make me really want to visit Argentina!

— Robert Harrington 7 Jan 2007 10:23 pm

Dear Mr. Cusack, I sent your website address to my Argentine friend, Dr. Martin Bercetche, who replied as follows:

“Hi Andruuu, Happy New Year!!

I enjoyed very much the Tigre blog you sent. I would say that it is very true what is published. The pictures are nice and as you said, we had the chance to see some of the buildings during our trip in Cesar’s transatlantic. My family, the Maderos, is very much associated to the Rowing Club Argentino and in fact my godfather (and uncle, brother of my grandfather) had been president of the club “for ever”. It is a very traditional club and socially well respected. Of my brothers and sisters, Angelica (whom you met in US) is the only one that still belongs to the club.

Amazing the things you find in the web…

Thanks for sending the information. Un abrazo,

Martin”

— Andrew Heath 9 Jan 2007 10:32 am

Found your account of “Argentinas Henley” on the web. I too went over there some years ago, with a group of skiffers, as the skiffs on are in some cases identical to Thames Racing Skiffs (which we race here in London).
I wondered if you had the email adresses or websites of contact there, as I have lost those I had, and were interested in possibly making contact again. I am investigating purchase of skiffs.
It looks like you had a great time!

— FRAN kENDEN 15 Jan 2007 7:24 pm

Hi,

I´m creating the web page from my RV Teutonia and search for old fotos to posted there, I know that there are a lot of germans arround the world and they may be had some historical fotos. Do you can help me?

RGDS

Tomas

— Tomas Rehmann 15 Apr 2007 1:12 pm

Hi Andrew Cusack – I’m writing a book on Boathouses which is to be published in England in the Spring, primarily about the architecture/history of Thames boathouses but with a chapter on boathouses worldwide. I’d heard about the Argentinian boathouses, your pictures and descriptions are great. I’m particularly interested in the third photo down, large white timbered building, central arched bay and cupola viewed across the river, lamposts and boats in foreground – would you be able to supply me with a photograph of this? Let’s talk…..

Thanks Clare Sherriff (Dr).

— clare sherriff 7 Aug 2007 6:15 am

Hi Andrew. Thanks for the reference to sport. For the sake of clarity and to allow to easily find the location of all these beautiful and centennial rowing institutions from Argentina, in nowadays cybernetic maps available on the web, I beg you please allow me to add some precisions to you blog here: both the “Club de Regatas La Marina” and the “Rowing Club Argentino” are in fact, on a tributary to the “Rio de la Plata”. The name of such river is “Lujan”, while the “Buenos Aires Rowing Club” is on a tributary to the Lujan river, which is indeed, the Rio Tigre. Again, thanks for publishing these beautiful photographs (BTW mine is the R.C.A.!)

— Anibal Guglielmotti 29 Jul 2009 1:13 am

My wife, Nasima, and I visited Buenos Aires in 2006. The best part of the trip was a short 20 miles drive north to the city of Tigre, and a boat ride down and around the Parana River Delta. There was water, water, and more water everywhere. Water we could touch and feel. What an experience! Thank you for the article.

Afzal Hossain

— Afzal Hossain 17 Jan 2010 7:24 pm

Hy, I live actually in Tigre, a few blocks from the Lujan river. I was surprised watching the excelent pictures of my neighbourhood you have taken.
If anyone needs more info from these place, just ask!.
I`m an achitect actually working in designing and building houses down here. Whe also have made some proyect design drawings for an Architect in England.
If someone knows of any Architec boureau up there looking for cheap but responsable and good! proyect drawing, just let us know.
Best regards !

— Damián Beccar Varela 4 Mar 2011 10:11 pm

I am using some of the information about the clubs in my next novel.

— Emilia Rosa 22 Feb 2024 2:58 am
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