Okay, so it didn’t hurt much after the orientation last Saturday… but I didn’t say it was easy. I think I’d have a better chance of creating a brand new political party and having it elected than figuring out paddling.
This is just one of the strokes used in dragon boating, though it is more rare. Thank goodness because if half of the boat suddenly leaned out for the draw the other half might be feeling a bit more of a rocking motion than normal.
As in the orientation, the first step of practice is the pre-launch lesson. This is where those who missed the orientation (Colleen!!) got a chance to catch up on the stroke basics, as well as learning about the team, which is presently made up almost completely of novice paddlers (like moi) with only the Coach and Coach-in-training as experienced paddlers. Tom, our usual steersman, is new to the Coast but steered on Fraser River teams previously.
Suffice to say all of us newbies are as ruddy and untested as newborn lambs, only without the gamboling. Even though we are a recreational team given to smiling and laughing without much provocation, there are limits. I feel compelled – as usual – to buck whatever trend is present in a given moment, so I think they are glad I have the responsibility of photojournalist. They don’t know me yet but seem to have the latent sense of sheepdogs, to keep the metaphor going. I’m quite certain I’m far too effervescently hopped up for the race teams!
It’s a vigorous business, this learning how to paddle – not only how to hold the oar and pull it through the water with some grace and power, but to do it in unison with 19 other people – and my brain is shortly full of various instructions, notes to self, and half-drawn stick figures moving to and fro, paddle-encumbered. It’s all very tiring for a desk jockey, though the Coach is good enough to give a moving lesson to keep us in the patches of sunshine in what is a beautiful but cool spring morning.
The gods have been kind to the Porpoise Paddlers – sunshine is the order of the day again, with only the slightest of breezes dappling the top of Porpoise Bay’s calm waters. A friend on one of the competitive teams was out in last week’s surly weather and I’m secretly glad we don’t have that to contend with along with the complexity of the lessons.
Next is the warm up. I am one of the youngest on the team but it means diddly squat to this group. Though some are hampered by temporary or permanent injuries or weaknesses, it is only I who must step out of the Sacred Circle of Calisthenics to get a breather and stop my leg muscles from quivering like frightened hares. I begin to yawn furiously and crave a nap. Thank goodness this part ends quickly and I am spared further embarassment.
‘The Sorting’ is next on the manifest, and this is where Coach Sally’s experience really shows; the logistics of the team, the weather, the tide, and the boat are fed together to create a binary of pairs numbered 1 through 10. Sally has to take into consideration physical disabilities that require a paddler to constrain themselves to only one side of the boat for the duration of the paddle session, and match them up with their opposite or with someone with a marked orientation to one side of the boat or the other.
There also needs to be good ‘strokes’ at the front and middle of the boat. The strokes demonstrate the pace from the Coach and communicate it to the 3-4 rows behind them via visual cues, counting and torso movement echoing that of the Coach. They must paddle at all times unless on an odd/even paddling routine or front/back of boat routine. I was stroke for the first practice and as I’m easily winded and a bit weak from a recurrent issue with anaemia, I soon shipped my paddle, earning an instant rebuke from the Coach, who declared the strokes to be ‘very naughty’ in taking a break. Ooops.
Sally’s goal as Coach is to get everyone on the team to experience each part of the boat – side to side if their ability level allows, and front to back. Thus I was not a particularly competent stroke, I was just the somewhat-warm body holding the paddle.
Our coach-in-training, Marla, spent time at each end of the boat, and gave me one tip that made a huge difference: keep the inside elbow high at all times, which keeps the paddle more perpendicular to the boat and thus provides a more powerful, steady stroke. The fact that my shoulder began to interrupt me on every stroke to proclaim its unhappiness is beside the point.
I managed not to ‘clack paddles’ too many times or whinge out on stroke for the remainder of the practice; I attribute this to Debbie’s selection of ‘Power Pigs’ as our mid-practice energy boost.
Next: Steering Tryouts – Ack there’s wind!
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Not only is there pictorial evidence that I was there but I think it should be pointed out that I am wearing a very styling skirt to boot.