Safety in Paradise...

... Newfoundland, that is! The local kayak club together with the Avalon Dragon Boat club and the Tumblehome Canoe club put together a day on the water of Octagon Pond in Paradise, a town just outside of St John's, Newfoundland. The theme of the day was 'safety'. members of all three clubs were on hand to demo rescue techniques and assist new boaters in learning and practicing safe paddling skills.


It was also a chance for me to show off my new Vaag. In the above photo KNL president Alex McGruer is putting her through her paces. Meanwhile I paddled a new Nordkapp and was interested to see how similar both boats were in the way they handled on the flat water of the pond.


I'd seen Dragon Boats before, but this was my first chance to see a team of ladies put a boat out on the water and demonstrate what they can do. It's an impressive sight. Now I want to see a race. These ladies are currently training for their next big race in London, Ontario later in the year. They will compete in their new boat, one which they built themselves. Later in the day I got a chance to be paired off with a lady named Jennifer. Sitting beside me in the gleaming wooden dragon boat, she gave me some brief instructions and then we headed out on the pond, twenty eager paddlers, moving one boat. What a thrill! If ever you get the chance, going out in a dragon boat is an amazing experience!