by Michelle Lapointe, KAB Member

Dragon boating is an exhilarating sport. As with all water-related activities, safety is paramount when our team, Knot A Breast Breast Cancer Survivor Dragon Boat Team, is out on the water. The water, wind and weather conditions can be wild or unpredictable. As paddlers, we must have the knowledge and skills to react efficiently to ensure the safety of ourselves and everyone in the boat.

The Knot A Breast annual safety “dunk” is a dragon boat capsize drill that all of our members must successfully complete before being allowed on the water each season. It is a simulation of the boat capsizing. One of our members, Donna Reise, oversees the safety dunk at a few of our winter pool practices so that every team member has the opportunity to practice this important drill. She goes over the importance of knowing this drill and the elements that keep each of us safe in the event of a capsize.

The “dunk” consists of Knot A Breast team members sitting on the side of the pool dressed in full paddling gear, dropping their paddles away from themselves, falling into the water, swimming across the pool with their buddy, then ducking under the water as if they were ducking out from under the dragon boat. Key safety messages include:

• Stay calm and quiet
• Find and stay with your buddy (seat partner)
• Stay with the dragon boat

No one likes to go swimming fully dressed in their paddling clothes, but each of us understands the importance of practicing what to do should we find ourselves in the water.

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