"I'm so pumped! I feel like a puppy who's tail is wagging and it won't stop!!!", Megs after her first race.
Earlier this year, Cali Paddler had its first exposure to a Dragon Boat race when we attended the Long Beach Festival in July as a vendor and spectator. We were stoked on what we saw, and invited by many in the community to get in a dragon boat race and learn first hand how exciting it can be. So, this past weekend, we did just that. But rather than just send one or two folks, we entered a whole team, from every walk of paddling life we could find throughout the state. And their response? Read for yourself.
Paddle Articles
Dragon Boat - Cali Paddler Answers the Call
Pacific Paddle Games - What was it like for the rest of us?
Race Recap - MBX 2015 (Monterey Bay Crossing Outrigger Challenge)
An epic race that goes from Santa Cruz to Monterey, along one of the most diverse and lush marine sanctuaries in California, deserves our attention. Join our contributors with their tales of their journey at MBX!
We are stoked to share the perspective of a SoCal Paddler who made the trek to experience some awesome NorCal Waters. A novice oc6 crew who decided to tackle the challenge. And an oc1 paddler who made the crossing and might have been the youngest on record to do it solo.
Enjoy their stories! And be sure to check this out next year in 2016
The White Canoe (a story of a Molokai Hoe crossing)
[This was written by Team Writer Clarke after his Molokai Hoe journey across the Ka'iwi Channel in October 2014. Good luck to all the Cali Paddlers who will be taking on this special journey in the coming days and years. ]
I didn’t really set out to do this race when teams were first being discussed months and months ago. In fact it took some pretty amazing support and encouragement for me to even think it could become a reality. But it did. Conditions were described by several local Hawaiian clubs as “challenging” “fun” “rough”. I had some amazing teammates, some were in the canoe, some back home, help get me across. And I will be putting this down as one of those achievements that makes me a better person, nevermind just a better paddler.
MBX 2015 - OC1 Crossing Recap
MBX 2015 - A SoCal Paddler Perspective
MBX 2015 - Whattacrew Novice Team Tackle the Crossing
[Join Jocelyn and this novice group (nicknamed "Whatacrew") as they take on their longest race yet, the Monterey Bay Crossing. After an amazing season, this ended up being the final bang to go out on!]
This past weekend "WhattaCrew" faced their biggest challenge yet. A full novice crew, who decided to take on the Monterey Bay Challenge, Ironed the entire 26 miles. As I sit here, not sure how to even start describing the entire experience from beginning to end, I go back to the first day we were all tossed into a canoe together and knew immediately this was about to be one EPIC ride! Let me tell you how we earned our vacation...