New recruits are given a lesson on how to get in and out of a dragon boat at an open house by the Osoyoos Lake Paddling Club in a previous year. (Richard McGuire file photo)
Ever wondered what it would be like to paddle a dragon boat with a whole team of 20 or so other paddlers?
The Osoyoos Dragon Boat team is holding its annual open house on Sunday, April 29 and, weather permitting, there will be a chance for newbies to get out on the water and try it out.
“We introduce the sport to anybody who is interested in coming and giving it a try,” said Betty Steinbart, a board member with the team.
The open house is in the Kingfisher Room at the Holiday Inn on April 29 at 1 p.m.
Steinbart said visitors will get a quick basic lesson before going out onto the water. She believes that part of the event was only ever cancelled once due to weather.
Currently the team has around 50 members, but not everyone goes out on the boat at once. They welcome new members.
Steinbart said people will also be able to participate free during the first couple of weeks, which will be in May, to make sure they like the sport before committing.
The team’s only boat takes 22 paddlers, one person who steers, and a coach. During the summer, the team goes paddling in mornings and evenings five times a week, Steinbart said.
Typically, during the summer there may be anywhere from 12 to 20 people who come out at a time, meaning there’s usually room in the boat.
“It’s very much a social activity,” said Steinbart. “It’s a great way to meet people. I’d much rather be out on the lake exercising than in a stuffy old gym.”
The physical exercise, she said, gives the entire body a workout – not just the arms.
“It can be very demanding if you’re part of the racing team,” she said, adding that the team also does less-demanding casual paddles. “People have got to understand that it is a physical sport.”
Current members range in age from 40 to 70, she said, but this year the club hopes to introduce a junior program, she said.
The club is also planning to host a race on Saturday, May 26, which will be the first time it’s hosted a competition.
Unlike Penticton’s two festivals in which the boats race back and forth, the Osoyoos event will be a flag race where the team paddles out to a flag, grabs the flag and paddles back, said Steinbart.
The race will take place at Safari Beach and there will be a barbecue for the paddlers at Walnut Beach Resort.
The team is also planning to switch modes of transport on May 9 when they participate in the Big Bike ride in Osoyoos. That event involves a large bike with around 30 people peddling and is intended to raise funds for the Heart and Stroke Foundation as well as awareness about the importance of exercise.
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
