As all my warrior weekend adventures are born, the dragon boat races started with a Facebook comment posted by Cousin Abby on Facebook.
Abby Oh so this is how I paddle? I wish I knew that before I went to the first practice. I just hit my thumb twice on the metal siding. Argh
Dragon Boat Technique Dragon boat: How to paddle? Technique step by step with key phrase.
Long story short: I ended up joining a team who needed paddlers to complete the 20-man roster.
Less than a week before race day, I went out with a group of women on the Survivor Sake team.
As I paddled in the waning twilight of evening, through choppy waters, in the rain, battered by wind and cold all that went through my mind was "I am crazy... I am crazy... I am so very crazy..."
Why did I let my crazy relative bring me to this?
But after forty-five minutes in a rocking boat, on treacherous waters -- well, "treacherous" is a bit far fetched, but it sounds more gung ho -- with these strong, brave, fun, loving women I was resolved to let the dragon in me out.
Hello Lake Washington, Castro Mercedes is back!
For the weekend anyway...
With only two practices under my life jacket, I arrived at the Seattle Celebrating Life Dragon Boat Festival bright eyed, bushy tailed, nervous, and still in shock from committing to this milestone feat.
For competition, dragon boats are adorned with decorative Chinese dragon heads and tails.
The drum, the heartbeat of the boat.
I quaked at the sight of our competition. Such strong and bold names like...
SURVIVOR Sake...
PIRATES of Pissants...
AUDUBON Owls...
SAKECCINO...
Kac TIGERS...
Kent DRAGON Boat Association...
My team's name was Patchwork Paddlers. So cute. So innocent. If Oz had dragon boat races, this would be the Munchkins' league name.
Thank goodness my biggest fans were there to support me. James and Henriette, you are such bossom friends.
It's not an "oar", it's a paddle.
And you PADDLE, not row.
See that lime green team behind me? That's Team Bruno. If the Smurfs had dragon boat races, that would be their league name.
I made it my personal goal to beat Team Bruno, because my crazy relatives are paddling on that team. The very same culprits that got me into this oversized, musty life jacket in the first place.
Listen up, Patchwork Paddlers! I ask only one thing of you...
That we beat Team Bruno.
And please do not, I repeat, do not tip the boat.
Ok, so there are two requests.
Hai is our drummer, and our coach. He had a grand strategy to beat Team Bruno on our last run.
His strategy worked. Just look at that photo finish. Team Bruno was behind us by almost a boat length!
And that, Cousin Abby & Cousin Ain, is how you paddle a dragon boat! Huah!
Ah, the morale on our boat was high!
We had great cause to celebrate!
In a post win interview with Survivor Northwest cameraman, Jimmy and Saul summed it up very well.
"There is no me in this sport. The best thing about dragon boat racing, that we all work together as one, a unit, team."
Paddlers are a group of individuals that function as one unit, a team. There is no greater team work than one that fosters mutual trust and camaraderie.
On Three! One, two three!
PATCHWORK!
Cousin Abby, Cousin Ain, and spunky Doctor Hiromi, thanks for dragging me to the boat races!
My name is Castro, hear my dragon ROARRRRRRRRR!
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