Dragon Boating
For those of you who are curious as to what dragon boating is... I apologize. I was going to post a picture or a drawing but Im tellin ya, dragon boats with 24 people in them are hard to draw. I tried thrice. As for pictures, I had my oppurtunity to take a photo in daylight today but my camera decided to run out of battery. So, as you see, I have supplied a picture of a "typical" dragon boat.
Now, our boat doesn't have a guy in a chair just chillin' in the front like that. We also do not have snazzy red paddles. The boats will typically fit 24 paddlers and for competitions you can have no less than 20. In our group (or team) we have people ranging all ages and backgrounds. It's a fun versatile way to broaden your social horizons and also to learn some new skills of the water faring ways.
I do this sport for a few reasons, one: to see the city from a new perspective, two: explore a new sport that I can hopefully get better at and three: to get away from this computer. Number three being the first and foremost important. This winter has been cold and miserable and I love being able to get home and cuddle up and just be warm. Usually the last thing anyone would want to do is go out on the freezing river and paddle around. But, as much I try to make excuses, I end up doing it because it prevents me from just lollygagging around my apartment.
Reasons I don't think Ill be in the Dragon Boating business for long is the fact that the sport is very linear. Even when I get good at it, and the weather is warm, I'll get bored. The repetitivness has already gotten to me. I plan to branch out into a more dynamic sport such as rock climbing or just running around with a soccer ball. I will be much more fulfilled with a more full body activity that requires a bit of strategy thinking... and of course with these sorts of sports I will need another body... such as my wonderful Cameron who is up for any crazy idea that I throw at him!
Anyway... I'll put up some pictures someday!! We have yet to paddle at a reasonable hour with light anyway and I am counting the days till Day Light Savings! Yay!!
Posted in: chaosgurl, portland, sport on March 4, 2007 at at 8:27:00 PM