Picnic Alert!!!

For our last Wednesday evening of the summer, we will be taking our boat to Newcastle and having a picnic.  If you're paddling, please bring a shareable item.  Jaime says a bucket of Kentucky Fried is a perfectly acceptable.

I'd like to get some idea of numbers .. and so would everyone bringing an item .. so please let Sue know if you're paddling that night.

Wednesdays on the Water

Wednesdays on the water is the ideal way to spend a hot, lazy summer evening.  

Instead of worrying about racing strategies, we work on technique in a rather laid back atmosphere.  We've gone swimming .. we've paddled out to check out The World (We are not a cruise ship!) ... we've taken a lot of breaks .. we've worked on endurance and our tans.  

Come join us for a weekly summer evening with your friends.

Parking

Got back to my car last night to find a bright green envelope under my wiper.  I wasn't too worried since I'd paid, but no paper had come out of the dispenser .. like 50% of the time when you use the machines at the lots near Muddy's Pub.

I called this morning and was told .. nicely, mind you .. that if someone had called in about the machine, I wouldn't have to pay the $59 ticket.  If no one had, it was up to me to pay. Fortunately, someone had called in; not me, because I certainly hadn't read that far down the instructions.

Anyway .. heads up .. problems with the ticket dispenser at the lots?  Call Robbins Parking to report it so you don't have to suck up a stupid ticket.

Nanaimo - Random pics

Anne and Mary-Sue

Arnt

Cap'n Barb

Beer Tent

Bonnie

Flower Child

Trio of trouble .. note the jello shooter?
Bonnie, Jeannie, Adie

Josée

Lisa

Sunday morning slack tide

This is Spinal Tap .. and groupie!
Tini and Arnt

A manager and her team

Fun in the sun
Adie, Jean and Barb

Beth and Jill

Yellow Submarine

Although Adie had a bit of camera trouble, I was able to manipulate these photos and I think they turned out well.

Jaime and Christine given a vintage treatment

Nanaimo DB Festival 2012

The perfect summer day starts with cerulean skies, fresh ocean breezes, the company of friends and of course .. coffee steaming in the freshness and promise of the day.  Our festival dawned just like that, as we juggled our coffees, paddles, lifejackets, chairs and coolers, moving into the tent that would become our home for the next two days.

Tent 19 turned out to be possibilty the best location in the entire paddlers' village.   Situated under a spreading maple, its branches shaded us in the morning and protected us from afternoon's scorching sun.

While we settled into our tents, other teams were also getting ready for the day.

Then it was time to get down to the actual business of racing ... but first, the team cheer!

A hold up on the docks

Off to a good start!

Half way through .. looks close from this angle!

Finish line .. close race!

Time for debriefing and strategizing

Other races ...

Post-race high fives!

This lady knows how to work a close-up!

Photo ops all over!

Beer & Burger Fundraiser

Hello Team:


I have arranged a "Beer & Burger" and silent auction fund raiser at Millers Pub on Tuesday May 29th from 5 - 8pm.  Barb is getting the tickets printed up and I'm going to apply for a gaming license for 50/50 draws.

The tickets for the "Beer and Burger" are $15.00 dollars and we need to sell as many as we can. Maximum amount of tickets to sell is 80 but must sell at least 40 to make it worth while. Will give out tickets at next meeting.

We need everyone's help with this to make it happen. So lets start finding items to auction off and asking for donations.

We have some letters we can use when asking for a donation. We must have all donations in by Monday May 28th practice.

Thanks, 

Susan Szucs.

Invitations

During the Nanaimo weekend, we saw some invitations to attend other festivals ...

 

Tri-Port Dragon Boat Society
September 10, 2011
Rotary Park, Port Hardy

Entrance fees of  $300 ($250 if signed up prior to July 31) are donated to charities.
Each team is required to bring a homemade trophy to be given out at the medals ceremony.
Food vendors, entertainment, artists and BBQ.

Artists have painted (or otherwise enhanced) 10 Grey Owl Paddles which will be auctioned off for charity.

Contact:  triportdragonboat@gmail.com

-- ☻ --

Nanaimo Kidney Walk
Sunday, August 7
Maffeo-Sutton Park, Nanaimo

This is a fundraiser for the Kidney Founcation.  Audrey Strauss is coordinating and would like paddlers to register so she knows if there is enough interest to rent the boats.  Individual participation is encouraged .. having a whole team is not necessary.

Register online at nanaimokidneywalk.ca

-- ☻ --

World Famous Navy Chicken Run
Saturday, August 20
Gorge Rowing and Paddling Centre, Victoria

These words from the organizer ...

Those already in the know can skip ahead and tell me that you're in at navychickenrun@hotmail.com.

Registration is only $200 +HST and for that paltry sum you get the following:

• Hours of fun competing against hundreds of other dragon boaters.
• Head-to-head racing (but not much).
• A manoeuvring course to test your steers' mettle.
• Countless challenges that you would never see at a typical festival.
• On-shore events that will do more than entertain you.
• The opportunity to use more than just your muscle to crush the competition.
• Access to a beer garden with cheap drinks and The Best Damn DJ in Victoria.
• Sharks with frickin' lasers attached to their heads.  Sorry, we had to scratch that after the incident last year.
• A chance for your entire team to win awesome medals.
• One of the best ways to end your dragon boating season ever imagined.

Typical rules are out.  There is no male/female ratio and you can fill your boat with up to 26 people (including steersperson and drummer) whenever on the water.

It was recently suggested that letting your team's sponsors paddle with you would be a great way to thank them.  Navy Chicken Run has also been used by teams to introduce new people to paddling by using an event that provides plenty of fun and very little stress.  If you’re still looking for reasons to do this, you clearly haven’t yet talked to someone who has been in the Navy Chicken Run.

Got questions?  Ready to sign up?  Talk to us at navychickenrun@hotmail.com.

See you August 20!

Rob Grigor.
Navy Dragon Anchors