The North Shore Dragon Boat Festival on Saturday, July 28 was fun to watch—from shore, from the lighthouse or from the breakwall. Dragon Boat team members work as one, synchronizing their paddle strokes to the sound of the drum.
Dragon boat racing was enjoyed by all, despite a few frightening moments when one of the long boats capsized. The Spirit of the Wilderness team’s boat tipped over, apparently because of the wake from a passing boat, tossing all 22 paddlers into the water. Cook County Law Enforcement, U.S. Coast Guard and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officers assisted in the rescue. The team was quickly plucked from the water and taken to shore, where they celebrated “surviving” the race.
Who needs the Olympics when you have North Shore Dragon Boat racing and the cute young gymnasts with the Nokomis Dragon Slayers team? The Friday, July 27 parade was enjoyed by young and old alike.
The winning team—Quetico-Superior—was coached by Jim Shinners of Grand Marais. They looked pretty confident as they prepared for the next heat. They completed the 0.5-kilometer race in 2:09.7 in the first heat and 2:13.2 in the second.
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