Blind Canadian steersperson in Australian Dragon boat races…
Dave Samis our correspondent reports
Our Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team member is in Sydney Australia, for their dragon boat races.
I am posting Dave Samis' stories to share with GHFC team members, other dragon boater, and our readers.
Dave's reports have even discovered by an Austarlian paddler who left a comment.
Dave gives us a very interesting report this time, regarding the
challenges of steering…. if you wear corrective lenses…. glasses or
contacts.
I can relate, In 2001, I travelled to San Francisco to race
with GM East Meets West, with organizer Greg Lamb. We had
paddlers mostly from different Vancouver teams, but we were joined by
paddlers from New Jersey and Boston.
I had broken the temple of my glasses the day before, but I had gotten new demo disposable contact lessons for the trip.
Guess what? You don't have to “clean” these new contacts each day by
rubbing them between your fingers with solution. I discovered this by
habitually cleaning them, and ripping a lens.
I had to paddle
on the Friday practice with my glasses taped up. On the Saturday I
went to a local mall between races, to try to get my glasses fixed
(they didn't have a matching temple), and to get another replacement
lens.
They didn't have my prescription – so we had to phone
back to Vancouver. The next day we got the prescription – but he only
had sample demos in stock, as it would take a week to order new lenses.
. I worked out a deal to purchase the demo – and had them to race with
by the finals on Sunday afternoon.
Read Dave's very interesting story below….
Cheers, Todd
Another short bit of info for Gung Haggis.
The Canadian team in the Australian Dragon Boat Nationals flew into
Australia on the 1st of April and have had a busy schedule since.
On the 2nd some of us were at the famous Bondi Beach in Sydney when the
lifeguards began to herd all the people out of the water because there was a
TSUNAMI warning. I was out in the waves when they were warning people and
didn't get the word until later.
It wasn't a tsunami wave I'm sure but it was a huge wave and it carried away
my
glasses…..
Blind, well almost, without them.
I did bring a second pair on the trip so I can see to steer on the 7th in
200 m races.
On the sixth I am paddling (right side because of my injuries in Hawaii) in
500 m races.
Tomorrow there are 1000 m races and our Clearly Canadian women will be
competing. They are a very strong team and should do well. We don't have
our mixed team racing in the 1000.
Thunder down Under
I am the tour organizer for the Canadian team and yesterday we had a large
tour.
First Featherdale Wildlife Park then Penrith for Practices, then on to the
Blue Mountains. In the Blue Mountains we got into a gondola for a trip down
into a canyon and rain forest. Then thunder shook the gondola. Lightning
flashed all around and rain poured down. They would not start the gondola
in this deluge with the lightning flashing all around. Finally after about
45 minutes waiting in the gondola
we were led out and will be getting a
refund for this cancelled part of the tour which also included a ride on the
world's steepest railroad.
We went on to a winery and later to a night Parramatta River cruise back to
Sydney.
Hawaii wounds
My road rash from the motor scooter accident is healing but my ribs on the
left side are still pretty sore – hence my switch to the right side to
paddle in the 500 m race in Penrith on the 6th.
More news later
GHFC paddler and Steers reporting from under the world.
Dave