TESTIMONIAL

It 2004 when I first heard about dragon boat paddling. I was recovering from a life changing illness. It was described as providing many benefits, including:

• Being non-weight-bearing: there is less risk of injury than weight bearing activities.

• Safe: good technique develops muscle mass; improves bone density and cardiovascular strength.

• Suited to a wide variety of ages and athletic abilities – the stroke intensity can be varied.

• Psychologically positive as it is an exhilarating team sport that builds a sense of belonging.

After one session I was hooked, it’s great to be on the water doing your best as an individual yet moving as part of a team. The opportunities for paddling are many and varied. It can be purely a social experience, regatta racing and other opportunities to participate in events such as the Ord River Marathon or the annual Vogalonga in Venice.

Indian Ocean Dragon Boat Club (IOD) is based in North Fremantle, a little up-river from the Stirling traffic Bridge. We are a small group of passionate Paddlers catering for folk aged 12 to 70. We paddle hard, laugh a lot and care for each other. I love it!