Queensland: Sunshine Coast

Venue: Lake Kawana, Quad Park, Sportsman Parade, Kawana. Qld – on the lake south of Kawana Community and Arts Centre.

October 2nd saw twelve months since our boat arrived on Lake Kawana courtesy of the Zonta Club of Caloundra City. Since that first tentative paddle we have come a long way – sometimes smoothly, and sometimes not so smoothly.

Two of our girls have been working extremely hard. One to become an accredited sweep, which we hope will happen in mid October, and the other to become a qualified coach. We are extremely grateful for their efforts and for the ‘work’ they put into Sunshine Coast Dragons Abreast team, Tittytittybangbang.

During the early part of this year serious consideration was given to arranging a make over for the boat, including the head and tail. Finally, a very supportive and generous airbrush artist undertook to mend and restore the head and tail, free of charge to the Dragons Abreast girls on the coast. The transformation from a green, orange and white head and tail, to gorgeous hot pink, the colour of our rashies, maroon of Zonta, with gold crest and decorated with pearlised scales, our ‘new’ head and tail emerged.

The next challenge was to get the boat painted. A great fund raising effort on our behalf at the Caloundra Classic Boat Regatta saw the necessary funds raised to have the job completed. It was no small job to find a painter with both the expertise to paint the boat and have a spray booth big enough to take a dragon boat. The finished job can only be described as spectacular and very, very special – from ordinary to beautiful!

In between times members have participated in regattas, taken pride of place in a demonstration paddle-past at a ‘row for cancer’ regatta – resplendent in our newly decorated beauty and generally spread the word about Dragons Abreast through the community.

Finally, in September, a wonderful ‘blessing of the boat’ ceremony was held with Geshe Jamyang from the Chenrezig Institute officiating. President Marilyn from Zonta Club of Caloundra City ‘opened the third eye,’ and Lynn ‘dotted the eyes’, before all went for a paddle. We were also delighted to welcome ladies from Missabittatitti who travelled from Brisbane for the occasion. A wonderful morning was rounded off with a BBQ lakeside on the beautiful Lake Kawana, which we eagerly await to show you during the “Abreast in Australia 2007” regatta.

As this is being written, 12 months hence to the day, we will be right in the middle of that wonderful ‘pink occasion’.