Peninsula DragonFlys

general contact
tel: 1300 889 566
email victoria@dragonsabreast.com.au (Regional Representative)
or peninsula@dragonsabreast.com.au

Vale Gina Beauchamp “Princess Dragonfly”

25/09/47 - 01/07/09

Congratulations DragonFlys on launching your “grand” new boat the “Bernie Taylor” - a very generous local supporter from the Grand Hotel Mornington.

The Aquafest at Martha Cove over the weekend got some great publicity – Dragonflys & the Dragons Abreast cause were featured in a double page spread in the local Journal as pre-publicity & the Herald – Sun ran a pic on Monday (not Dragonflys this time) but Jonathon Mayne did mention the breast cancer survivors as usual!

I was there on Sat to help Dragonflys launch their new boat – the Buddhist monks did the blessing & dotting eyes ceremony – it was a perfect day & so calm we even paddled out over the road (which has been lowered under the waterway) & just out into the bay before we turned back. We even got a few new paddlers in the boat for a come n try. On Sunday, the wind picked up for the races, but I’m sure everyone had a fun time! They tell me they’ll be running the event again next year, so it would be great if more paddlers could get together for a combined team & some fun racing!

For Australia Day weekend we have a combined team of 19 paddlers & 1 sweep, plus a DA Geelong team & Bravehearts heading up to Falls Creek for the Mile High!

Cheers Pru

The last 12 months has been all about getting the new club up & running & we are now training for our first regatta at Matha Cove Aqua Fest at Safety Beach.

On 5 July 2006, after a long wait our boat was returned from the Navy at Cerberus to Patterson Lake Canoe Club. We were very fortunate to be invited by the President Alan Opie to become the dragon boat section of the canoe club. All our members, 30 new ones, come from S.E. Peninsula covering an area from Brighton down to Sorrento & Portsea. Our team is a survivors & supporters team and we train on Saturday at 12.30pm. During daylight saving we are hoping to have an evening session.

Through promotions & giving talks to different groups in our area we have been very grateful for donations towards our paddles, PFD's and our rashies. One very generous donation was from Garth Tech of Keech Castings in Bendigo who made a beautiful trolley for our boat so we could take it from the Boat enclosure down the road over the levy bank to the water.

Patterson Lakes is a lovely place for us to paddle and have our training sessions. On Friday 15th Dec. we went out for our first evening paddle wearing Fluo head bands & lights on the boat, Alan Opie our coach guided us through the canals to spray our dragons breath to the neighbours wishing them a Happy Christmas. The canoes & outriggers joined us and it was a great sight and a lovely evening.

Peninsula DragonFlys wish everyone a very Happy New Year. Regards Patsy Blair