The Ladysmith Dragon Boat Club’s motto is fun, fitness and friendship.
And Tracey Scanlan and Diane Burt, who paddle with the Tuesday and Thursday evening team, say dragon boating offers all that and more.
The Ladysmith Dragon Boat Club has a few openings for new paddlers as it enters its sixth season, and Scanlan and Burt think there are many reasons to give the sport a try.
The Ladysmith Dragon Boat Club was founded in 2010, and Scanlan and Burt both started that year.
Scanlan joined the club in July 2010. She and her husband had moved here from the Mainland, and she was feeling unhappy and lonely.
“I didn’t know anybody here, and I didn’t like it here because I didn’t know anybody,” she said. “I was ready to leave.”
Scanlan’s husband saw an ad for the Ladysmith Dragon Boat Club and encouraged her to join. She joined, and she’s so glad she did.
“I’ve gotten a lot of close friendships from it,” she said. “It’s great. There are a lot of socials. I know a lot of us really like the social aspect, but we get a good workout too.”
Burt joined the club in April 2010.
“I think there are different reasons for why people go, but you can gain a multitude of things,” she said.
Susan Erickson and Denise Pearson came up with the idea of starting a dragon boat club in Ladysmith, and Burt recalls that Erickson phoned her and asked if she was interested. In March 2010, they went up to Nanoose to try out dragon boating and were placed in boats with experienced paddlers.
“I wasn’t sure how seaworthy I would be,” said Burt. “It was one nasty day in Nanoose. I got out of the boat and said to Susan, ‘I got out of the boat without trouble, so I guess I’m in.’ I was at that stage in my life where I needed to do something for myself, and I decided that was a good place to do it.”
Burt says before she started paddling, she hadn’t thought of dragon boating one way or the other. She associated it with breast cancer, as many teams are breast cancer survivor teams. The Ladysmith Dragon Boat Club is not a breast cancer club, although there are survivors on the teams, and the club does make a donation to breast cancer research each year.
Both Scanlan and Burt say they enjoy dragon boating because it’s social, it’s a workout that is enjoyable, and it feels good to be out in the fresh air.
“Sometimes, I’ll come home from work and not want to go, but I’ll go and be so glad I did,” said Scanlan, who is a director/treasurer for the club this year.
They agree the chance to explore the Ladysmith Harbour is also a real positive.
“The Ladysmith Harbour is the most beautiful harbour,” said Burt. “It’s so amazing. Our coach will say ‘we have a nature moment’ and lose everyone’s attention. We see some amazing boats out there, and the wildlife [is amazing]. The seals follow us. It’s a lot of fun.”
Burt says the women who belong to the club have many different characteristics. Members range in age from their early 30s to their 80s.
“I’m really shy when I don’t know anybody,” said Scanlan. “These ladies, they come from all walks of life, and it’s so friendly. We try to help each other out.”
Scanlan and Burt both feel the club is very welcoming to new paddlers.
“It’s wonderful,” said Burt. “When you first start, you can get intimidated, but we’re always still learning better techniques. It’s not something you have to get right away — you just have to work with it.”
“Everyone’s endurance level is different,” added Scanlan. “The coach we have, she slowly builds your endurance up each practice. You don’t feel uncomfortable. All the ladies are really encouraging.”
Burt says they have a wonderful coach, who focuses on teaching paddlers proper techniques so they won’t hurt themselves.
“You don’t have to be in top-notch shape,” she said. “You get there.”
The Ladysmith Dragon Boat Club offers the chance to join a more recreational team that does not enter any races or a team that enters one or two Vancouver Island races a year.
Although there are two teams, Scanlan and Burt say everyone feels like a member of one big club, as the teams do all their socials and events together.
“We really try to be that club atmosphere, all of us, even though we have two separate teams,” said Scanlan. “There is no ‘us’ and ‘them;’ it’s ‘we.’”
The Ladysmith Dragon Boat Club feels it’s important to give back to the community.
The club docks its boat at the Ladysmith Maritime Society (LMS) Community Marina and tries to give back to the society as well. Dragon boaters volunteer at LMS events such as Kids’ Pirate Day and do what they can to help out.
“We have had wonderful support through LMS,” said Burt. “LMS is a non-profit society, and so are we. You have to give back to your community, and we have lots of fun.”
Registration for the Ladysmith Dragon Boat Club takes place Wednesday, Jan. 28 at the Ladysmith Maritime Society Welcome Centre. There will be a social at 6:30 p.m., and the meeting and registration starts at 7 p.m.
It costs $125 to join the Monday evening and Thursday morning team, which does not enter any races. If you are interested in racing, the Tuesday evening and Thursday evening team will enter one or two races on Vancouver Island during the season, and it costs $150 to join that team. Fees include professional coaching, steering clinics, boat insurance, moorage and storage.
All paddlers need is whatever clothing they like to exercise in, and they are encouraged to get their own personal flotation device so that it fits properly, but the club does have five extras. As well, the club has used paddles that new paddlers can use. Burt says bringing a pair of gloves is nice for comfort, as well. Paddlers are asked to bring water bottles and to not wear perfumes, as some members have allergies.
The dragon boat season goes from April to September, weather permitting.
