Editor's note: The Gibsons Paddle Club (GPC) celebrates its 10th anniversary on Aug. 23 with activities from 10 a.m. to noon at Porpoise Bay. In advance of that special event, Coast Reporter is presenting a history of the club and what's in store for the coming years. This is part two of three looking at the Dragon Boat division. To learn more about the club, see www.gibsonspaddleclub.ca.
In the fall of 2004, three women who had travelled back and forth by ferry to paddle with Vancouver's Abreast in a Boat were joined by another breast cancer survivor and decided it was time dragon boating came to the Sunshine Coast. They approached the GPC, which agreed to buy the Sunshine Coast's first dragon boat.
In 2005, approximately 50 regular paddlers and 25 breast cancer surviving paddlers signed up. Practices started in Porpoise Bay in April, and May 1, 2005 was the official "launch day" with then Sechelt Mayor Cam Reid declaring it Dragon Boat Day.
The first crew competed at the False Creek Women's Regatta in May. Sunshine Dragons Abreast, the breast cancer crew, competed at Abreast in a Boat's 10th anniversary in June.
In 2006, dragon boat memberships doubled to 125 and five crews were formed. They raced at regattas in False Creek, Nanaimo, Harrison, Penticton and Kelowna while a non-regatta crew enjoyed paddling once a week at home.
In 2007, the Sunshine Dragons Abreast ended their season with the Abreast in Australia Regatta at Caloundra, Queensland where approximately 70 breast cancer crews from all round the world competed. In November 2007, it was decided to order a second dragon boat - a BuK, which arrived on the Coast on Jan. 5, 2008.
Teams continue to compete at regattas, and a team will be going to the B.C. Senior Games in September in Richmond.
Locally there is the Pender Harbour Final Fling in September, with teams from GPC Dragon Boat Division, Pender Harbour and Powell River.
- Submitted
