Paddle Articles

The following submission was made as an entry to win a OC1 from an amazingly generous donor, who wanted to see the canoe truly enjoyed, rather than turn a profit. Entrants were asked to submit an essay answering the following:

• Part 1: “Describe how paddling has changed your life.”
• Part 2: “How do you plan to use this canoe, and perhaps someday pass it along?”

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Dylan Geiger, Florida

It all started with just that one day. My family and I were on vacation at the beach when out of nowhere my dad shows up with this large surfboard looking thing on the car and what seemed to be an unusually large canoe paddle to go with it. I was a bit skeptical because at the time I was still trying to learn how to surf but I tried it anyway. From that point on, I was constantly out on the water and that was largely, possibly solely, due to paddling.  At that time, being on the water itself wasn’t a big deal or attraction to me.  Paddling slowly changed that.

However, once we moved down to Florida in 2013, this hobby quickly developed into a passion. I began to understand that paddling was more than just a paddle and a craft and began to connect it to the water, the wildlife, the community, and more. I started to explore paddling more and about four years ago I was introduced to the world of Outrigger Canoe. My OC experience started with my Dad and I learning to paddle OC-2 and then racing in the Chattajack race together that year.  I picked up OC-1 shortly after that and recently OC-6 as well.  Over the past four years, I have been able to create a healthy and steady balance of SUP, OC, and surfing.

Paddling has deeply influenced my relationships in my life. One way that it has done so is through my relationship with the water. Growing up, I was never really connected with the water. However, it wasn’t until I picked up paddling that I really began to develop a passion and an understanding for the water. When we moved to Florida, I had access to the ocean, rivers, canals, lakes, springs, lagoons, pretty much every kind of body of water you could imagine. I began to appreciate it for what it was instead of taking it for granted. It was no longer the water allowing me to paddle, but paddling allowing me to be on the water instead. During the school year, I am always very busy with schoolwork, as well as other aspects of my life. Paddle training is normally my only way to get out on the water, which makes me appreciate it all the more.

Paddling has also influenced my relationship with my family. As a result of our busy schedules, we don’t always get to spend as much time together as we would like. However, paddling is a common bond and interest that everyone in my family shares.  It has become the easiest and most natural way for us to spend quality time with each other, largely because of the flexibility and variety it provides. While my dad and I train, my sister and my mom can take the dogs out and go for a leisure paddle. After, we can watch the sunset and eat dinner on the water. Paddling and being on the water can relieve us of our daily stresses and we can just be in the moment as a family and relax.  Paddling has definitely become a center point or common bond for our family.

As well as impacting my relationships with the water and my family, paddling has impacted my relationships, and how I interact, with other people as well. Through paddling, I have been introduced to a community of wonderful people. The paddling community is extremely supportive and I feel that I would be not even half the person I am today without their help. I have made countless friends with everyone I meet at races and more just by seeing new people on the water or meeting new paddlers through old friends. Also, paddling has given me better social interaction skills as an indirect result. Because I am always meeting and greeting people at events, I am constantly talking and socializing (mostly with adults). In my opinion this has made me a better person and better communicator because I am having fun, yet mature, conversations with people that are older than me. I am learning and becoming more comfortable instead of being the shy and awkward kid I used to be.

Lastly with the relationships, and how they are influenced by paddling, is my relationship with myself. Prior to paddling, I was trying a multitude of sports, as all kids should, to try and discover one I really enjoyed. I picked up lacrosse, and thoroughly enjoyed playing it. I continued to play it after I picked up paddling, so I ended up balancing paddle training and lacrosse practice at the same time (which were both afternoon ordeals). I ultimately ended up only focusing on paddling as a sport, despite pressure and negative connotations from friends and peers. Paddling has provided me an outlet to grow not only athletically and physically but spiritually, emotionally, and mentally as well.  In comparison, lacrosse and other sports I played provided some but not all of these opportunities for personal growth.  The “moral” of the story is that I went with what I enjoyed more over what others thought and, in the end, I am far happier than I would’ve ever been if I had stuck with lacrosse or a different sport. Today, I am content with who I am because of my decision to pursue my happiness and my passion and the means by which I’m achieving said happiness.

That was how paddling has impacted my life, so now we move on to what I would do with the canoe (that rhymes)! As I mentioned above in my “About Me” paragraph, I own a kid specific paddle business that focuses on getting kids out on the water paddling and being active. As of right now, I use stand up paddleboards to teach them and we do all sorts of things with them. After teaching them the proper techniques and safety precautions, we move on to fun stuff and how to actually enjoy paddling. I try to introduce it to them slowly, so the kids don’t become overwhelmed with all this new information.  I stress “fun” because making things about racing and being competitive can sometimes turn off those kids who are unsure, apprehensive, or not interested in competitive sports. Now where the OC-1 comes into play is that I would love to introduce an outrigger canoe into my work with kids and begin using that for lessons and activities as well. My ultimate goal is to turn kids on to being active and being on the water.  Showing the variety of ways to do this with various craft, including an OC, is important and helpful in showing that “time on the water” heals and makes us better people.  It is also important to give kids options because it allows them to think for themselves and to make their own decisions on personal preferences. They can then decide which paddle craft they like more and pursue that craft. Or they can pursue multiple craft like me. In my opinion, an OC-1 would be a perfect option to provide kids with because some may prefer to sit down while on the water.  They may also connect with the historical and cultural significance that outrigger canoes present.

Another way that I would utilize the Huki is by lending it out to fellow paddlers in our local community, or at races when needed. My Dad and I organize a small “race” league every Wednesday night at a local park and there are occasionally people that ask us if we have equipment to lend. With the extra OC-1, we can provide new paddlers with the opportunity to try outrigger canoe and they can be introduced to new ways to enjoy the water. We can also lend the Huki to racers because my Dad and I go to races all over Florida where there are mishaps or whatnot and someone winds up without a craft. I feel that it is best to give back to the community that gives to you, which is why I would be more than willing to allow others to borrow the boat for races when they have no other options.

I would like to thank you for providing me this opportunity to not only potentially continue to share your OC with the paddling community but also for the opportunity to share my personal paddling story with you through this essay. It provided a much-needed reflection on how my life has progressed and how paddling really has indeed changed my life for the better. Cheers!

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< View all entries

The following submission was made as an entry to win a OC1 from an amazingly generous donor, who wanted to see the canoe truly enjoyed, rather than turn a profit. Entrants were asked to submit an essay answering the following:

• Part 1: “Describe how paddling has changed your life.”
• Part 2: “How do you plan to use this canoe, and perhaps someday pass it along?”

< View all entries

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Melissa Cloutier, Quebec, Canada

Hello from Canada!
I could write about how paddling has changed my life… but I think it is more appropriate to write about how paddling saved my life. My name is Melissa and I’m 35 years old. I have been a nurse for 12 years and have found a passion in caring for people. I am currently in my first year of paddling for a premiere team in Montreal. If I am not at work you can probably find me on the water… maybe its because I am a Pisces but most likely because I have fallen in love with paddling.

Here is a little bit of information about me...I am currently single and have no children, I have decided to delay the dating scene and having children to pursue my passion in dragon boat. My passions include going to the gym, jogging, swimming, spending time with friends and paddling. I am currently working at a geriatric clinic and a big part of my job is to promote health and prevent illness. I often exercise on my lunch breaks and I encourage all my patients to exercise. My goals of paddling are to go to the worlds in France in 2020, I am currently paddling on Arsenal women’s team which is located at the Montreal Olympic basin. It is my first year with this team my personal  goal is to get to the level  required to get to France. Without dragon boat I don’t think I would ever have reached such high levels of fitness.
 My paddling story started in 2010, I decided to take part in a fundraiser for the cedars cancer institute at the McGill university health center after starting my career on a medical floor I was compelled to give back and help in a small way towards the fight against cancer. Seeing so many patients suffer and deteriorate I wanted to give back and fight the cause. After deciding that I wasn’t going to jump in a boat without knowing what I was doing I signed up for dragon boat lessons at the Olympic bassin on a community team. I was able to do the fundraiser without any issues and our team raised over 5000$ towards a good cause. After getting my feet wet I decided I wanted to continue with this sport… it was not enough for me. I was then recruited for another community team. This time it was a women’s team… little did I know that this team would change my life. The Montreal Divas we were called… a bold name… but a team filled with a lot of humble, strong women. It was on this team that I would meet many amazing people… over half that I consider my sisters. It was during my time on this team that my life would take a downhill fall….2013-2014 was a tough year. My mom went into a major depression and it sent a ripple effect throughout our whole family. After having to be hospitalized for almost a week I spent all the time I could back home with my dad. Having to console your father while he cries himself to sleep at night was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. We didn’t give up hope for my mom and were able to power through. Later on that year I took a hit… I was working 12 hour shifts on the medical floor and I started feeling sad all the time. I slowly lost interest in doing things that used to give me joy I was spending my days crying and sleeping and soon was unable to work and was put on sick leave.  Waking up in the middle of the night and thinking that I needed to wrap the phone cord around my neck and end it all… walking to the hospital by myself at three o’clock in the morning because see I didn’t trust my thoughts.. I had hit rock bottom. Throughout this time I never stopped paddling. I would spend my days sleeping but always went to practice because I felt that I didn’t want to let my sisters down. No one really knew what I was going through. paddling was the only time I would leave the house. Little did I know that this is what would save me. It gave me a reason to get out of bed. It was consoling to be around such kind, caring people. I was eventually started on medications for my depression and I slowly regained my endurance. I was able to medicate myself with the natural endorphins from paddling and years later I am still at it and stronger than I’ve ever been.  I train 4 hours a week with my team and spend 2-3 hours a week doing outrigger to improve my technique for dragon boat. I participate in 7 km, 12 km races in outrigger because paddling has not only become a passion but a way of life. Had it not been for paddling I am unsure of how my life would have been. Paddling was the one reason for me to get out of bed, it gave me the strength and courage to continue and medicated me with the natural endorphins necessary to power through.

If I won this OC I wouldn’t keep it for myself…there is another person in this story… my friend Denise.Dr D as we call her… I have paddled with her for 6 years and she is like a sister to me. Denise is a mother of 3 boys, a dentist, a paddler and one of the most generous people I have ever met. She is known as the mother of our team. If you get hurt she is the first person to help you, her energy balls are the only thing we want or need to eat on our competition days. Even outside of paddling she is a person you can go to for anything and everything. She is a humble person with a heart of gold. and you know that she always gives 100%. I’m sure she would give you the shirt off her back if anyone ever needed… as she even gave me a pair of socks to keep my feet warm. She has now started a new adventure and is participating in an oc6 team. She is practicing a lot for this team and I feel this oc1 would give her more chance to practice closer to home as she has an extremely busy life. I am sure there will be many deserving applicants for this contest but I really believe in my eyes that she is the most deserving after everything she has done for me and our team.

If I think about the future of this Outrigger if I am lucky enough to win it I know it will be well cared for, used every day and passed on to another well deserving paddler. I know that Denise will take good care of it and allow everyone that needs practice to use it.  When the time comes to pass on this outrigger Denise and I will both make sure it is passed on to a well deserving paddler who will care for it as carefully and diligently as we will.

Thank you to the donor for this generous opportunity…I hope to meet them someday to thank them.
Regards and a big Hello! From Canada
Melissa Cloutier

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< View all entries

The following submission was made as an entry to win a OC1 from an amazingly generous donor, who wanted to see the canoe truly enjoyed, rather than turn a profit. Entrants were asked to submit an essay answering the following:

• Part 1: “Describe how paddling has changed your life.”
• Part 2: “How do you plan to use this canoe, and perhaps someday pass it along?”

< View all entries

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Carole Robert, Quebec, Canada

Bonjour

I would like to own an OC. I have always been involved in water sports, but I became really hooked when I discovered Dragon Boat 11 years ago.

I then started with a community team, but I discovered that it was not enough, and I moved to a sports team: 2 world championships and many competitions later, I still love it. I started doing OC as a training tool for Dragon Boat, but it soon became as important if not more important.

The OC allows me to go at my own pace and also to enjoy the moment and the connection with the water. Outrigger respects my body and allows me to exercise both sides. I have scoliosis and OC has really helped me and kept me on the water. I'm now doing OC1, OC2 and OC6.

Having my own OC would add an extra dimension to my love of the sport. I could share my passion with my grandchildren and spend time on the water with my daughters who share my love for water and for OC. We could be together on the lake as a family, each with her favorite boat and me with my own OC!

In addition to spending quality time with my family, my own OC would give me greater freedom. I could train at my own pace and discover new lakes and rivers. I would no longer depend on a rental system that does not not allow me to live my passion to a maximum. I could be on the water more often, improve my technique and continue to enjoy my love of the water. The OC will stay in the family and would pass from generation to generation.

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< View all entries

The following submission was made as an entry to win a OC1 from an amazingly generous donor, who wanted to see the canoe truly enjoyed, rather than turn a profit. Entrants were asked to submit an essay answering the following:

• Part 1: “Describe how paddling has changed your life.”
• Part 2: “How do you plan to use this canoe, and perhaps someday pass it along?”

< View all entries

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Priscilla Tran, California

Finding Myself on the Water

Before a few summers ago, I was too afraid to even step foot in  the water. Whenever someone asked if I wanted to go kayaking, I would  say, "Sure, but can you be in a double with me? I'm too scared to do it  alone." Yet even with someone in a kayak with me, I was still very scared and had a hard time relaxing when we would get out on the water.   That's because I was still very much afraid of being anywhere near the water.

A friend of mine started paddling outrigger canoes.  I remember his friend saying I should go out and give it a try as well.  Are you kidding me? I didn't even know how to swim and now you want to be THAT close to the water?!  I still remember that friend saying, “You should come out and give paddling a try. It’s pretty fun.” My response was simply, “I’ll think about it and we’ll see what happens.”  Two weeks later, I decided I wanted to give it a try.

I remember that very first day I went to recreational paddle.  I was scared and not just because I was about to be pushed out to the middle of the ocean, but because of all the people who were there that I didn’t even know.  For me, meeting new people is hard and opening up to them is even harder. I remember feeling panicked as I was guided towards the table to sign the waivers through the crowd of people I did not know.  That first day I went to rec paddle, I knew only two people. I remember my friend was walking in front of me and as each person we would walk pass, he would introduce me to them. I remember being greeted by so many different people as I was walking towards the table where I needed to sign the waiver.  They were all so nice and welcoming. It was almost too overwhelming for me. I recognized some of the people from the pictures and comments I had seen from Facebook. I was finally able to match the voice and personality to the pictures I had seen.

After signing the waiver and getting measured for a paddle, I walked over to the mini orientation that was being held by one of the seasoned members.  I remember the first time I held that paddle in my hands. Something happened that day when it was given to me. I’ll never forget that feeling. I was scared, but excited all at the same time.

“We don’t step over the canoes, but we walk around them.  It’s bad luck to step over them. We never put the blade of the paddle directly onto the ground because it could ruin them.”  As I was listening to the person giving the mini orientation, I remember almost talking myself out of even going out onto the water and screaming on the inside to not go, but I ended up down by the beach.  I remember how slow I was getting down there. Partly because things were poking at the bottom of my feet and partly because I was completely scared, but mostly because of the prickly things in the sand.

Finally when I got to where all the canoes were, we all got into a circle and some bald guy just starts yelling out what stretches we were supposed to be doing.  I just looked around me and followed the leader, but wait. Where am I supposed to put my paddle? I’m not supposed to put the blade part into the ground! Then I looked around me and saw that people had laid it down behind them and I followed.  “Get a good stretch before you go out so that you don’t pull anything or hurt yourself!” I remember the first time I was in that circle and thinking how some of these stretches are kind of funny and some I didn’t understand, but in the end it was good to stretch because I hadn’t done so in a while.

After stretches, we all stayed in a circle and gathered up into what is called a pule.  The head coach, whom we call Uncle, began the blessing. It was the first time I ever learned what it meant and it was the first time I could feel the love pouring out from everyone in that circle.  After the pule, everyone gathered in closer. Hands on top of each other or on top of someone’s shoulder and we all shouted loudly, “Ke Kai O’Uhane!” After that, they split all the seasoned paddlers and the new people into groups so that they could set the crews.  I remember being told to go into the white and maroon canoe with the word “Mirage” on the side of it and was told to sit in seat two. I was split from one of my friends and already I was freaking out, but there was another familiar face there. The same familiar face who told me to give paddling a try.  I remember walking over and saying, “They told me to sit in seat two,” and I remember what his response was. In a serious tone he said, “No, you’re not.” Instead he put me in seat 6 which is normally where the steers person would sit, but he sat on the back of the canoe instead which is also commonly known as seat 7.

As we paddled out, I remember shaking so bad that I wanted to start crying.  I didn’t want to go anymore. I was practically screaming at myself on the inside for doing it.  I remember feeling pains in my chest, but I didn’t say anything to anybody. I wanted to turn around and just wait on the beach.  All of a sudden I could hear the steers person counting the number of people he had and saying, “Hey, who are we missing?” When we looked back behind us, there was someone waving and jumping up down trying to get our attention.  I remember the steers person saying, “Sorry guys! We gotta go back for Kevin!” There was my chance to escape. That was the moment I could have said I wanted to get out, but there was a voice in my head telling me that I wasn’t allowed to leave the boat.  Not yet. Not until I really gave this sport a try.

As we paddled out for the second time, I remember feeling a little more relaxed.  I was doing my best to follow what everyone was doing. I remember splashing the person in front of me a lot.  I kept apologizing and she kept telling me that it was fine and I didn’t need to keep apologizing. “After all, it is a water sport,”  she would say every time I would apologize. I really think I started to annoy her and everyone in my crew at that point. I also remember I stopped paddling for a quick minute just to look around at what was around me, but was quickly told to keep paddling.  I felt the canoe slow down a bit whenever I wasn’t in time and whenever I stopped, but I kept going. I was feeling so encouraged. When it was time to go back in, there was another canoe next to us. My friend that came with that morning was in the other canoe.  I remember the steers person saying, “Look! There’s your friend! Lets see if we can beat their crew.” Joke or not, I remember feeling myself try to paddle faster and in time with the rest of the crew.

From that moment, I knew I had to get back out on the water.  That was the moment I knew I had to learn how to swim and get back out on the water.  I felt the most me when I was out there, when I am out there. After that moment, I have learned how to swim, I have cried with my new brothers and sisters, felt supported, and surmounts of unwavering love all for the love becoming a better paddler as well as a better version of myself.

As I sit here and reflect on the last few years, I do my best to remember how far I have come to be able to reach this point.  Before I found this sport, I had a hard time wanting to be and stay active let alone face the many fears I had and still have. I had a hard time believing in myself and in the people around me.  I still often find myself reflecting on many things and mainly it is of the fears and the anxiety of having those fears that have consistently been holding me back from many things. Yet I reflect on one of the most important things I have learned so far.

We are stronger than we truly believe we are, we are smarter than we think, and we are more loved than we know.

Paddling to me is not just a sport, but a place where I am learning and growing even when times are tough.  Even when we become the worst versions of ourselves, the love we share is something that is unforgettable. In paddling, you are always learning something new and you never stop learning or growing.  We paddle as one to pull the canoe forward. We work together as a team in order to move the canoe through the water. In the famous words of our head coach and our beloved Uncle, “When you’re in the canoe, shut up and paddle.”  When you “shut up and paddle,” you can work together as a team and pull the canoe through any kind of water conditions.

There are not enough words in any language to express the feeling of gratitude I have had during these last few years of paddling.  I have overcome so much in such a short time period. From overcoming my fears to making friends that will last for more than a lifetime, it’s strange to believe that this is my reality.  I keep wondering if one day I wake up and have this only be a dream, but it’s not.

If I win, I would be forever grateful for this gift, but paddling is more than just a sport, it’s ohana and love.  I would want to share this with everyone around me because I believe that it is the true meaning and origins of this sport and culture.  When I am ready to part ways with the canoe, I would give it to another deserving paddler and be sure to share the origins of how I came to own this boat.  I would share the history it has had, the love of the sport, and the fears that one has overcome before owning this boat.

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The first time I paddled was 2 weeks after my 28th birthday at a recreational paddle with Ke Kai O’Uhane in Monterey, CA. I remember being beyond scared of getting into a canoe because I was deathly afraid of the water at the time, but as soon as I got in, something happened. From that moment, I knew I had to get back out on the water. That was the moment I knew I had to learn how to swim and get back out on the water as soon as possible. I felt the most 'me' when I was out there, when I am out there. In the time I decided to become a paddler, I have overcome a great deal of fears. I overcame my fear of the water so that I could paddle, but perhaps the biggest things I was able to overcome was allowing myself to meet new people without being afraid of them.

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< View all entries

The following submission was made as an entry to win a OC1 from an amazingly generous donor, who wanted to see the canoe truly enjoyed, rather than turn a profit. Entrants were asked to submit an essay answering the following:

• Part 1: “Describe how paddling has changed your life.”
• Part 2: “How do you plan to use this canoe, and perhaps someday pass it along?”

< View all entries

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Torrey Jackson, California

My name is Torrey Jackson, I live in Oceanside, California and I paddle for Oceanside Outrigger Canoe Club. When I was six my dad joined a sport called paddling, I was curious as to what it was but didn't have the guts to try it. Soon I turned 8 and decided to give it a try, at this point my dad and my sister were crazy in love with the sport and couldn't get away from it. I remember being scared out of my mind starting this new sport. Throughout my childhood, I had played so many sports like soccer and water polo, and karate, but none of them fit for me, they were just never something I enjoyed or wanted to continue. I remember going to my first practice and It just felt right. I chose my paddle and got into the canoe and it was like nothing was in my way. I knew from then on this was my sport and there was no turning back. This sport gave me a purpose in life.

How paddling has changed my life, as I said before I never really knew what sport worked for me, until paddling. As an 8 year old, I noticed all of my friends were so dedicated to a specific sport but I just never was, so in a way, I paddling gives me purpose. Today I am 15 years old and still love it just as much and if not even more. I am the assistant coach to our Keiki program for the second year in a row which I'm so proud of. One of my favorite parts about paddling now is coming to practice and seeing all of the little keiki’s so excited to go out and paddle. I'm a steersman so watching the keiki’s finally get a hang of paddling is the most rewarding thing about it. Seeing that smile when you've been working with them and they finally get something. Being a steersman is such an amazing seat because you sit back there paddling and instructing your crew and after a while of getting everyone in their grove all the sudden the canoe is just gliding through the ocean and it is one of the greatest feelings in my life, and I just can't get enough of it.

Paddling has not only taught me patience but it has also taught me so much about respecting our ocean. Another thing I have learned is teamwork before I started paddling, I was never really a teamwork type of girl. I was very independent, but if you want to be a good paddler you must have teamwork. Overall paddling has not just taught me things about paddling but it has given me life long lessons.

Why I want to win this one man, as a coach I feel it is so important to give tips, overall that's how people learn from you. In the past few years, I've really been questioning myself. I'm always wondering if I'm good enough to be giving other people tips when I'm still learning myself. The past few years I've branched out and gone to some men and women's practices. But I would go to one practice and not come back out of fear. It was almost like I wanted to learn more but I also wanted to stay comfortable where I was at Keiki practice. But this year I just told myself, I must become a better paddler myself in order to become a better teacher. One thing I really struggle with is that every Keiki practice as an assistant coach I'm always in seat six steering and never paddling so if I'm never paddling how am I supposed to teach them. But this season im taking charge on my paddling career and going for it. I started going to women's practice and a few men’s and I'm learning so much and I take those small tips I hear and use them on the keikis. After I've started doing this I want to do more I want to win this one man so I can start practicing in it so that I can start to do time trials with our women's team and be able to get into top crews by next season. I know it will take lots of time and effort but nothing is impossible. Another reason why winning this one man would be amazing is that it would give me the opportunity to get out and be active and get more exercise in. It would also provide the opportunity to explore our ocean. I want to become the best paddler I can be and not let anything hold me back. Winning this one man would mean a whole new opportunity for me in the paddling world.

What would I do with this one man, I will use this one man to become something I never thought I could be. I want to use this one man and really become a better paddler, frequently people ask me if I have a one man so I would be able to go out with them and learn from them. I have been asking my parents for a one man for years but knowing we just don't have the money for it. But now is the time to start my paddling career as I'm a keiki. Keikis are the future of paddling if you think about it, as more and more pour in and get into the sport they grow up to love it just as I did. I would use this one man until I would be able to buy my own in a couple of years. Once I'm finally able to buy my own I would plan on donating it to the Oceanside outrigger Keikis. Every now and then they let the Keikis use one mans and it is the most exciting thing for them, so I would donate it to the Keikis for them to learn from it just as I did. In the meantime, I still would plan on letting the Keikis use the one man but especially our junior crew. Me and five other juniors from our club are traveling to Kona to do the Queen Lili’uokalani Race. I want me and my fellow peers to be able to cherish and learn from this canoe.

Overall, winning this canoe would mean the world to me because all I want to do is become the best paddler I can be. I hear crews from other clubs are going to race in Australia and I want to be open to opportunities like that. I have many paddling goals that I want to meet such as doing the Catalina race this summer with the women crew. Here at our club, you must have a good time trial to be put in our top crews. So as I mentioned before if I could start practicing on a one man and get better and better I believe I could grow and get in a good crew. I plan on paddling for the rest of my life and continue learning this sport. I hope you take my letter into serious consideration, as I could use it for an immense learning experience.

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< View all entries

The following submission was made as an entry to win a OC1 from an amazingly generous donor, who wanted to see the canoe truly enjoyed, rather than turn a profit. Entrants were asked to submit an essay answering the following:

• Part 1: “Describe how paddling has changed your life.”
• Part 2: “How do you plan to use this canoe, and perhaps someday pass it along?”

< View all entries

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Shawn Li, California

Journey Through Paddling

“We are not leaving this place without a medal.” I tell myself. Never in a million years did I think I was going to care so much for something like paddling. And here I am, writing a story about it.

The bell rings, signalling the start of a new school year. I nervously step out of the car and walk towards the school. A fresh new high school student with no commitment to any clubs. My first day comes to an end. A tiny boy walking around aimlessly with absolutely nothing to do. The dean notices me and reaches out, he takes me to the afterschool program where I learn about the school for about a week or so. Although it was boring, it was a way to kill time. Another empty day goes by and I am taken to the school weightroom to clean up. There, I meet some members of the Dragon Boat team, a club I never even thought about joining. After talking for a while, I was coerced into joining by a scary senior who would later become one of my best friends.

First practice comes by, and I am filled with thoughts like: “what if I hold people back? I’m so skinny and weak.” Luckily, I had some other friends who joined as well and were there to support me. It was a cold day. I put on those smelly PFDs and wore a long sleeve which I would later regret as I did not expect to get as soaked as I did. As I took the bus home, I thought: how do people do this on a regular basis? I can never be that strong. I went home and knocked out due to sheer exhaustion. Dragon Boat had earned my full respect and dedication. I go to land training the next day and hit the weightroom. I was put in a group with a junior who trained me. Our group was deadlifting 115 pounds. No matter how hard I pushed off the ground, it was devastating to see that it didn't go up. I decided to weight train everyday just until the upcoming Lake Merritt race.

Lake Merritt comes by in a flash. I felt we had a pretty solid crew. I couldn’t sleep the night before, but it didn’t matter because we had to get up at 5:00 A.M. anyway to drive across the city and set up. I look at the starry skies as we cross the bridge and imagine myself in the boat moments before the race. Seedings blow by quickly along with gendered races, and just like that, it’s time for my D division finals. I pace nervously, telling myself: “We are not leaving this place without a medal!” Adrenaline rushes through me as we approach the start line. I bury my blade and get ready — the first stroke felt as if I was pulling on a cement block. I give that race everything I had — only to lose by one second. This loss was exactly what I needed, though I didn’t realize it at that time due to being so upset. This motivated me so much to workout even more and get stronger to better my paddling.

Although I have only been paddling for about two years now, in a way, Dragon Boat has saved my life. I was extremely underweight (90lbs.) and insecure. Through weight training and paddling, I put on a decent amount of muscle, allowing me to be more confident in myself and talk to people. Dragon Boat has also helped me with my social skills as there are so many people in the community with different stories to listen to. It has also given me the drive to strive for success. I learned to apply my competitiveness from Dragon Boat to my academics as well. Most importantly, Dragon Boat has helped me find a family. All of my closest friends have been met through Dragon Boat and I really hope that it stays that way for the rest of my life.

Now that I have been paddling for around two years, I believed it was time to step into the world of OC. I have not had the opportunity to yet, but it seems really fun. I would like to use it in hopes of improving myself as a paddler. Being a high school student, it has been pretty difficult getting access to an OC1, so it would be pretty nice to have. If possible, I would also share it to other members of the team who might not have access to an OC so we can all improve together. As for someday passing it on, I would love the idea of making another writing contest like this one to continue the tradition

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Shawn Li is a 15 year old San Francisco native. He is currently attending Mission High as a sophomore. Prior to Dragon Boat, he has done various sports like karate and swimming, but never really found it as intriguing as paddling. He enjoys working out everyday in the gym and eating all types of food. Shawn likes to watch anime as it helps motivate him to workout even harder.

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The following submission was made as an entry to win a OC1 from an amazingly generous donor, who wanted to see the canoe truly enjoyed, rather than turn a profit. Entrants were asked to submit an essay answering the following:

• Part 1: “Describe how paddling has changed your life.”
• Part 2: “How do you plan to use this canoe, and perhaps someday pass it along?”

< View all entries

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Anonymous, California

Hi, I’m a second-year paddler on my college’s Dragon Boat team and this is my submission for the Cali Paddler essay contest. In this essay, I hope to explain how paddling, specifically with my Dragon Boat team, changed my life and was an unexpected solution to reshaping my worldview, and how I plan to use this canoe if given the honor and someday pass it along. I hope this essay will inspire others to pick up paddling or dragon boating by demonstrating how it taught me valuable life lessons about trust, working together, overcoming adversity, and focusing on the small things in life

The most memorable moment of my first season paddling wasn’t any of the most fun or exciting experiences I had with the team, from the stoked yet cold-blooded adrenaline of my first race, to the smiley satisfaction of gliding in the water after a first OC stroke, to the welcome retreat party after making the team. It was around midnight on the way driving back from my first race from Long Beach to the Bay Area. It was dark and almost silent, with the only lights outside being the stars and the reflection of red from the sedan ahead us. The desert landscape on The Grapevine was serene and flat. Two of my teammates were napping in the back after an exhausting but fun race day. Another teammate was in the passenger seat talking with me to keep me awake. We would probably get back around 4 am. And as we were talking about life and our experiences, I had this visceral and very raw moment of clarity. Joining dragon b oat was the best decision of my college career.

I was orphaned at fifteen and raised by my uncle and aunt. Growing up in a family that pushed me towards academics as a child, I dealt with my grief mostly on my own by throwing myself into work. I studied hard during my free time, got grades I was proud of and was eventually accepted into a college I’m very grateful to be at. I poured my time into running, trained twelve months a year for four years, and ended up running almost five thousand miles throughout high school and qualifying to race in some incredible meets. I spent all four summers in high school working and secured a summer internship in my junior year. I even threw myself into several side projects from books to businesses. Unfortunately, it was work done with exhaustion, for distraction, and perhaps by a child who was thrown into growing up too quickly. I convinced myself that in order to succeed, I had to do it totally on my own. I justified the time I was taking from myself by measuring my value by the length of my resume when I should have based it on how happy I was. I now realize that’s more important. Work was an excuse to not confront my thoughts or rely on others. And so I was suspended in this odd mental rut between spiraling down, and healing so I could grow as a person.

Enter dragon boat. Dragon boat is a very unique sport with an equally unique community. We race in standard boats of 22 people, powered by 10 rows of paddlers. Although most people, including anyone I knew and grew up with, don’t know the sport exists, the dragon boat community is incredibly passionate and dedicated. I never heard of dragon boat before trying out, and joined because a friend suggested I try out with her when she saw the team’s table on main campus. I tried my best at tryouts and ended up making the team. Now you may be wondering how paddling or dragon boat has anything to do with loss, trust, values, or life lessons.

Dragon boat gave me perspective on what teamwork should look like and what it can do for people. To move the boat forward, everyone needs to be an actively firing piston in the hull’s interdependent engine. Every paddler is equal on the water and feels like they truly matter and make an impact. Because of that, each member wants to do their best to give to the team, and the team wants to do its best to give back to its members. For me personally, joining my college’s dragon boat team forced me to internalize this team mentality. Dragon boat’s environment, where cohesiveness and reliance on teamwork are the only way to physically move forward, taught me the key to moving forward was letting myself rely on others instead of trying to strong-arm my way through a self-created career track.

In this way, paddling with dragon boat also taught me lessons about overcoming adversity in life. On the water, everyone in the boat faces adversity -- through rain, wind, waves, fierce competition, and the challenge of pushing yourself physically and mentally. Paddling is a full body workout that pushes your physical strength and cardio system. It’s also a complex and initially very unnatural movement that requires mental focus to maintain form for, especially in-time with the boat.
Paddling reinforced that overcoming adversity means facing it head on, whether it be by paddling straight through the waves, pushing through non-ideal weather conditions. It also taught me that it means focusing on yourself to maintain form and trusting you’ll do so in races, and focusing on the full boat and trusting everyone else will help you glide forward. Paddling with a finely-tuned team where cohesiveness is the difference between gliding and capsizing taught me that overcoming adversity means facing it head on and embracing the team mentality to surpass challenges that couldn’t be done nearly as well independently.

Lastly, paddling with dragon boat helped me realize the small things in life are often the most important. I spent much of high school chasing achievements that are mostly irrelevant now that I’m in college. In contrast, I’ll never regret the memories I had and know that they’ll never become irrelevant because of that. To be a member of the dragon boat community means to be part of the friendliest and most giving group of people I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know. I could tell in the first week of paddling these people lived their lives with thought and heart, and were happier for it too. The little things dragon boat gave me -- spontaneous cookies, the freedom of gliding on glassy water, stupid poop jokes, loud chants before a last race -- taught me how important and liberating living in the moment is and how much less meaningful living without these little things can be. Paddling with dragon boat taught me valuable life lessons that helped me heal from my most difficult challenges and experiences and helped me move on from a mental rut I had been stuck in for years. I hope to continue paddling for some time, and that others find something similarly meaningful in their own lives.

If given the honor of receiving this canoe, I plan on taking it out to glide as much as I can this summer, and then bringing it to college in August so my team can enjoy it too. After I graduate, I plan on donating the canoe to the team so future generations of dragon boaters and paddlers can enjoy it. Giving the canoe to the team would also give future paddlers a chance to experience other forms of paddling and give them a more full and diverse range of experiences.

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The following submission was made as an entry to win a OC1 from an amazingly generous donor, who wanted to see the canoe truly enjoyed, rather than turn a profit. Entrants were asked to submit an essay answering the following:

• Part 1: “Describe how paddling has changed your life.”
• Part 2: “How do you plan to use this canoe, and perhaps someday pass it along?”

< View all entries

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Jimmy Luong, California

1: Describe how paddling has changed your life.
Surging. Flowing. Gliding. Building. These are the feelings that all paddlers know and what I’ve come to love. Surging as you build momentum to catch the wave. Flowing as you round the peak and start to sync. Gliding as you surf and go faster than you ever thought possible. uilding camaraderie and community with your boat and your team with every stroke.

My paddling journey takes place in two parts: the first as a high schooler looking for something fun to do, and the second as an adult looking for a sense of community.

I discovered paddling on a whim as a teenager. A friend of mine told me about her dragon boat team on the other side of town in Cerritos, California and I checked it out. Little did I know that I would end up joining one of the most competitive U-18 dragon boat teams, known as JAWS, in the United States.

This team took paddling very seriously - the end goal was to win the annual championship at Treasure Island in San Francisco. JAWS introduced me to a world of serious athletes juggling high school responsibilities with intense paddling practices. I became much more disciplined in order to keep up with school, which in hindsight helped me become a better student.

Come race day, the beating of the drum and the stroke counts in perfect unison got my heart pumping. The feeling of surging towards the finish line pushed my body past its limits. The aftermath of celebrating with my team of 40+ paddlers gave me a feeling of intense pride. To this day we still keep up with each other and some of my teammates have even gone on to join the USA national team!

Fast forward many years later and I found myself living and working in the Monterey Peninsula. Despite living in Monterey for many months, I was struggling to find a sense of place. My whole life I had lived in big cities with thousands of things to do and a multitude of distractions.

Then I discovered the Ke Kai O’Uhane Outrigger Canoe Center. I’ve learned so much since joining the team. I learned to appreciate the beautiful water of Monterey Bay, to be grateful that we’re able to return safely to the shore after each padde, to appreciate the hard work of everyone around you, and to embrace ‘ ohana’ or ‘family’. In the past it’s taken a long time for me to feel part of the community around me, especially in a new city, but the family at Ke Kai made me feel supported and welcomed from day one. No matter how stressful or challenging the work day can be, I know that I can find peace on the water with the team.

In sum, paddling has given me the opportunity to become part of communities that make me a better person. Whether it be through intense race sessions in grueling conditions or relaxing recreational paddle outs in calm water, I know that paddling will continue to be an anchor point in my life.

2: How do you plan to use this canoe, and perhaps one day pass it along?
The competitive spirit from my dragon boat racing days still lives strong within me. I’ve had my eyes set on OC-1 races for quite some time now and I want to get out there and compete! My gym workouts have been tweaked to improve my performance on the water. I’m watching videos on YouTube on paddling technique.

I’d also love to have this canoe be available for anyone to use and train with in the Ke Kai Outrigger Canoe Club. The upkeep and maintenance of the OC-1 would be primarily up to me. In the future, I’d like to use my engineering background to research and develop ways to improve outrigger canoe performance and design. Current designs are streamlined and beautiful but I believe there’s always room for exploration!

There are many young students in the Ke Kai club. I can see the canoe serving as a teaching tool to talk about how the canoe shape, weight, and material can affect the drag, buoyancy, and feel in the water. I hope to eventually find a student/parent combo who would one day be the next caretakers of the canoe :)

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Hi! My name is Jimmy Luong and I want to thank you so much for your generosity to the paddling community. I’m 25 years young and I’ve been paddling since I was in high school in Long Beach, California. My whole life I’ve been fortunate to live by (or in) the water - in high school I was a competitive swimmer, water polo player, and dragon boat racer. I spent my undergrad years at UC San Diego where I would sneak surf sessions at the beach in between lab sessions at Scripps. Currently, I’m paddling in Monterey with the fantastic Ke Kai O’Uhane Outrigger Canoe Club!

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< View all entries

The following submission was made as an entry to win a OC1 from an amazingly generous donor, who wanted to see the canoe truly enjoyed, rather than turn a profit. Entrants were asked to submit an essay answering the following:

• Part 1: “Describe how paddling has changed your life.”
• Part 2: “How do you plan to use this canoe, and perhaps someday pass it along?”

< View all entries

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Denise Jaeger, Pennsylvania

It was the darkest of times, a fall into a deep, black cave.  It was the most frightening period of our lives.  There was no light at the end of this tunnel.  All of the clichés could ring true.  Except they don’t. There are so many more pieces to the story and mere clichés trivialize the discoveries that were to come.

At the time my husband Art was successively diagnosed with three primary cancers between Christmas and Valentine’s day, our youngest had just graduated college, our middle had just married, our oldest was building a successful business. And we had discovered kayaking.  Oh, the sheer fun of it! Oh, the adventure! Each weekend we loaded the car and gleefully ventured into literal and figurative new waters with our kayak cohort, a diverse group of people dedicated to adventure, nature, and loving life. Often since, we have talked about how quickly we became family to strangers connected solely by a love of paddling.  We camped, hiked, ate, and spread cheer together – but mostly, we paddled. Our fellow paddlers taught us to roll and rescue. They taught us to pack light and dehydrate things never imagined dry.  They took us to wild places and brought complete joy to our world.  It was a beautiful time of camaraderie and discovery for Art and me.

The cancer diagnoses were so shocking that there was no time to wallow. We set our purpose: cure, restore.  We did not enter a tunnel sans light or even a cave. We had no time to feel dark and sullen. I was, however, frightened. But not for long. While the march to cure consumed five and half years of our life together and Art endured multiple revisions of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, we found hope, once again, in shared community. University of Pennsylvania Hospital became our new home and the fellow patients and medical staff enveloped us in a world of hope that left little doubt we would come back from this experience and take to the waters once again.  My role, aside from caregiver, was manager and researcher.  I studied the latest research in all modalities of treatments from holistic to medical; I Ninjaed the hell out of kale; I was psychologist and taskmaster.  Together, we approached this journey as another adventure, another challenge to revel in.  We paddled on.  Sans water. With the spirit we had developed on the water.

Once the shadow of the cancer demon diminished, we set into routine. But without the focus of the past years, I felt adrift, uncertain and unstable. My caregiver role had once again been disintegrated. Thankfully, of course.  Art was healing and understandably needed time and space to do so. I loved my work as always, but I felt I was lacking an identity.

Fugues of fun times slowly crept into my daily thoughts. I would stare at the sleek, graceful 18-footers dangling temptingly from our garage wall.  I longed to pull through the water once again.  But it was clear Art would not return to the water in the same way.  Both his lungs and his confidence had taken a hit. He legitimately hesitated to test his lung capacity in water.  And I could not load and transport a 50 plus pound boat alone. Ultimately, I bought myself a smaller, lighter kayak and headed to local venues for solitary paddles that, despite the time for reflection and quiet contemplation, were lacking in camaraderie and personal, physical growth opportunities. I felt defeated and quietly acquiesced.  But Art, in an exceedingly unselfish act challenged my acquiescence; he clipped an article from the local paper introducing an information session for a dragon boat team. Timidly and with my sister accompanying me, I attended.

Four years later, my life resonates again with the joy of paddling! Once again, I am venturing into literal and figurative waters!  I have found camaraderie in a community of paddlers who have become a new family.  They challenge me to push harder, tap my unseen potential, and embrace the unfamiliar.  They provide laughter, acceptance, and security. I even experienced huli on a lake for them. More. Than. A. Couple. Of. Times. My commitment to them drives me to lift, to push, to pull. Stronger, stronger I become in body and spirit.  There is nothing that compares to pounding water with heart in synchronicity with 19 others and then quietly sharing dancing gleam on sunlit waters as we breathe in this life. There is nothing like feeling the tightness of muscles after working the swing of a paddle and the connection to a boat – dragon boat, OC, or kayak – and the electricity of water.  I am renewed. I am engaged. My paddler’s back can carry any new challenge presented. The physical demands of paddling coupled with the life-giving aura of nature have built a better person.  I am whole.

Why would I not want to share this incredible gift as others have so generously shared with me?  I believe unequivocally that Art’s adventures in paddling allowed him the strength to win his battle and me the strength to steer his victory.  I continue to thrive and grow in the joy of paddling and the community of paddlers. I am grateful for those solitary, quiet paddles where the lapping of water on the hull of my boat fosters contemplation and reflection.   If I were to be gifted with this beauty, I would feel gratitude beyond words and would celebrate life molded to its movement.  I would continue to better my stroke in concert with the water in the hopes of broadening my paddling experiences. I hope to be selected to represent my team in international competition in 2020, something my younger self never imagined for me!  I would have access to waters and territory that lift my soul.  And when the day comes that I can no longer glide across the water in her grace, I would pass her to another to feel such inspiration.  She is a symbolic vessel of storytelling and of all the stories to come that bind our disparate, connected journeys in this paddling world. 

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Hello!  I am Denise Jaeger, an adventurer just a tad into my sixth decade.  I am sincerely full of gratitude for the opportunity to add my story in honor of this beautiful vessel and generous donor.  I am the mother of three awesome human beings, wife to a man of courage, high school teacher for the past two decades (came to this late as well!), and an avid paddler of any vessel. I work with teens on environmental issues and bridge them with the most experienced of our society.  I love my family, my students, my work, and most assuredly my time on the water. Thank you for this opportunity.

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