0801 dragon stuff

Ching picked me up around noon and then picked up her cousin, Anthony, and his wife, Remi. We then headed to the Dragonboat Festival, which was being held in the Long Beach Marine Stadium.

Getting there called for some creative navigation, as there was congestion and blockages on some of the local freeways. Let me put it this way ... I live in Long Beach and so does Ching’s cousin, but we passed by Cerritos College on the way.

When I was growing up, my parents would take me to the Marine Stadium to see drag racing boats. Later, in the 90s, I would kayak through the local waterways and watch dragonboat crews and outrigger crews doing exercises and practice paddles.

After parking the car, we made our way towards the southern end, where there were seating and concessions. It was interesting to watch the races, as five or six dragonboats were in each heat.

You could tell which were the experienced crews, the way all of the paddles hit the water at the same time. There was a pacesetter at the front of each boat (not the bow, but about six feet from the bow), marking a cadence with beats on a drum. The inexperienced crews were like watching a caterpillar walk.

We stayed for a few hours. The races were fun, but the conversation was very enjoyable. I found someone else who had “Ching” stories to tell and share. The food was good, too. Ching and I shared some lobster balls. Don’t ask.

After a sort pit stop at home, Ching gave me a ride to SBCC.