Posts Tagged ‘outrigger canoe’

I have been paddling on a Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe team for about a year. This has become more than a hobby for me — it is a passion. And with almost 50 Canoe clubs in Hawaii, it is a passion shared by thousands of other paddlers.

Outrigger canoeing began as an ancient form of transportation. In 1521 Magellen’s ships encountered Outriggers in the Mariana Islands. Here in Hawaii the canoes were used for fun as well as travel. Betting on canoe races was a form of entertainment until 1820 when it was banned due to the influence of the Islands’ missionaries. However, by 1876 the sport was back and it has been going strong ever since.

I fell in love with paddling the first time I tried it. I was trying to find something active to help me get in shape. A neighbor mentioned a boating club down at Anaeho’omalu Bay near where I live. I thought she meant a kayaking group. I wandered down there one evening and found a number of people putting canoes in the water. They let me go out with them. I had no idea I had stumbled upon a racing club.

The Waikoloa Canoe Club is my second home now. Practices are held 5 times a week and recreational paddling is open to non-racers 3 times a week. The racing season starts in March and continues through September. Last year I was considered “Novice B” as a first year paddler. Now I am “Novice A” level. Next year I will be a “Freshman” and so forth. There is even a level for “over 60 year olds.”  Some of the most valued paddlers are in this group.

I attended practice religiously all last spring and I was clueless as to what was coming. Morning practice starts at 6:00am sharp so that people can get to work on time. Our assistant coach last year had a sharp tongue and a quick wit, both of which I tried desperately to avoid. This proved impossible because I was the steersman for our level. It is hard to not be noticed when you have no idea how to keep the boat from going in circles. Once when he was especially frustrated he yelled, “Johanna what is the shortest distance between two points?!” Ultimately I was able to steer only slightly less zig-zaggy than the other women in my level and so our team was set and ready to race. Sort of.

The first race I steered was in a mixed crew consisting of beginners and experienced paddlers. The race wasn’t until late afternoon, which gave me all day to become increasingly terrified. I would like to tell you that it went flawlessly. Except I can’t. The only way it could have gone worse is if I had flipped the boat. Not only did I zigzag like I was spelling my name, I lost the flag I was aiming for and had to ask another paddler where it was. We placed dead last by a ridiculous margin.

Yet here I am about to start my second season. The first half of the racing season consists of series of short fast races referred to as Regattas. Regatta racing uses Koa wood Outrigger canoes. These are hard, sleek, fast and beautiful. They are also extremely expensive and sacred. As a new steersman I have nightmares of humiliating myself by ramming into another boat during a race, just as one team did to our men’s crew last season. This fear is one reason I am able to get up at dawn to practice.

Another reason is that paddling into the sunrise is one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had. Here in Hawaii it is still dark at 6:00am when we slide our boats quietly into the water. The moon lights up the bay and the stars are just beginning to fade in the sky. The energy of the paddlers is still sleepy and soft. This time of year we see mother and baby whales surface near our boats and we glide by. Even the few early morning surfers are silent as they sit waiting for the waves. Often the scent of woodsmoke drifts across the water as the sun’s rays penetrate into the blue depths. It is magical. And I realize that I am blessed to be a part of it all.

You do not need to be young and fit to enjoy Outrigger Canoe paddling. You don’t have to race if you don’t want to. Most clubs have a recreational paddler membership. They will teach beginners in a way that is safe and fun. Go to this site: http://www.y2kanu.com/links.htm and contact a club near you for more information. You will discover a whole new world.

copyright © 2009 by Johanna Kim