Travel NC With Kids: August 2015

Rowan Chamber Dragon Boat Festival 2015 © Katrena

High Rock Lake was transformed to a wet and wild racetrack at 9:00 a.m. on August 1, 2015. The 2nd Annual Rowan Chamber Dragon Boat Festival brought lots of folks to cheer, drum, paddle, and enjoy a beautiful day and a bit of competition. Twenty-six teams signed up to face off under a beautiful Carolina blue sky dotted with cotton candy clouds on the shore bordering the Rowan Shrine Club.

2015 Dragon Boat Race at High Rock Lake © Katrena

Teams consisted of about twenty folks, who were ready to try their hand at working together to compete for the fastest time. Some teams brought lots of experience and their own folks who could steer. Novice teams had the opportunity to learn a bit about the sport prior to the event and were provided with an experienced person to steer the boat. The person steering stands at the back, or stern, of the boat, gives instructions, and keeps the boat on course and hopefully afloat. Instruction, boats, oars, life jackets, and other supplies were provided by High Five Dragon Boat Company.

Fun Family Activity at the Lake Near Salisbury NC © Katrena

Team members would grab a paddle and head to the boat on cue. It's a bit of an art form to load a dragon boat. Before the event, teams were given tips regarding distribution of weight. The front of the boat was positioned on shore and those who would sit in the back would load the boat first. Then folks would wade into the water to push the boat a bit farther into the waves.

Rowan Chamber of Commerce Dragon Boat Race © Katrena

After the boat was partially loaded, several more team members would take their places, repeat the process, and finally the fully loaded boat was in motion and heading to the race area. A few teams were a bit timid about getting into the boat...until the person steering mentioned they would have more time to rest if they were the first boat to the starting line!

High Rock Lake Dragon Boat Race 2015 © Katrena

One of the most distinctive parts of a dragon boat race is the drummer. If I had to pick a position on a dragon boat, I'd probably like that one. The drummers sit in a chair at the bow, or front, facing the entire team and strike up a cadence to keep everyone on task and in rhythm. Some teams would also yell something together like "Row...Row...Row..." or "Beer...Beer...Beer" as they began to glide across the lake. I didn't see any boats capsize or anyone go overboard, but a few of the boats needed to have some water bailed out before the next team entered the boat.

Rowan County Dragon Boat Racing © Katrena

This year featured a drummer parade during the lunch break in which drummers from each team competed to see who could raise the most money for the 50/50 raffle. This event was a fund raiser for the Rowan County Chamber of Commerce in North Carolina and also served as a great opportunity for families to come out and enjoy a beautiful day together at High Rock.

Fun Water Sport in Rowan County NC © Katrena

The morning races were timed to see which teams with similar abilities would face off in the afternoon. Three boats were usually racing while another three were loading. Boats with similar previous times would compete with each other until the fastest four teams competed for the final round. Prizes were awarded for a variety of categories after the last race concluded around 3:00 p.m.

Some teams had quite a few fans, some of whom made banners for the occasion. Spectators had lots of food vendors from which to choose. Although temperatures were in the 90s, much of the shore was shaded with a slight breeze. Free trolley rides to and from the parking area were provided for the event.

If you missed the 2015 Dragon Boat Festival at High Rock Lake, I would venture to say there is a good possibility that this event might be held in future years as well. If you are interested in learning more about this year's event, team names, and history of dragon boat racing, visit the Rowan Chamber Dragon Boat Festival page.