Annapolis Dragon Boat Club unites cancer survivors through ancient sport

The steady “boom, boom” drumbeat can be heard as we cross the Spa Creek Bridge. The sound comes from the Annapolis Dragon Boat Club as its paddlers practice keeping the rhythm.

The club, originally formed to help breast cancer survivors, has grown in commitment to its members over the years.

On Saturday, the nearly 100-member club will celebrate the start of its new season with a ceremony at Pier 4 Marina in Eastport. Expected are Dragon Boat Club founder Mike Ashford, Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley and State Senator Sarah Elfreth.

“Dragon boat racing is an ancient Chinese tradition, so we’ll stay true to its roots and paint eyes on the front of boats in the morning to mark the start of our season,” said Jonni Adrian-Krafft, Annapolis Dragon Boat Club Chairwoman and member since 2012

Adrian-Krafft, a native of Annapolis, is a longtime friend of Ashford and was one of the people who introduced him to dragon boating. Its history stretches between 400 and 200 BC. and originated in fishing communities along the Yangtze River in south-central China. The custom was originally a folk ritual designed to encourage rain and celebrate the start of the rice-growing season in summer. The 40-foot boats are crewed by 20 paddlers plus a larger paddler who steers at the back and a drummer at the front who keeps everyone in rhythm.

The Annapolis club was founded in 2010 when Ashford, a breast cancer survivor, was looking for something to support her recovery.

“I only suggested it because I had heard it was good for survivors because it helps with lymphedema [swelling in the arms or legs] and many other things, and shortly after that he started raising money to start a club,” said Adrian-Krafft. “I only joined the club a few years later, but he got a group of people to invest and they got their first boat straight away.”

The club’s original wooden boat sank, Kraft said, but the group now have two and are awaiting a third.

“Initially, we were exclusively focused on breast cancer survivors, but as we started promoting our activities in hospitals, our numbers started to grow,” said Adrian-Krafft. “Now it’s about half of breast cancer survivors and members who support our cause.”

Adrian-Krafft is also a survivor. Now 26 years from her battle with stage four breast cancer, she is one of many sources of inspiration on the team.

Adrian-Krafft acts as one of the drummers, aka the team’s “Pulse”, and makes sure everyone paddles in tandem. She is responsible for the rhythmic roar that echoes across the waterways of Annapolis.

Paddling a dragon boat is not an easy task. It takes skill and endurance to compete in one of the main distances they race.

Earlier this month, a fit 34-year-old Capital reporter in a 200-meter time trial (the shortest race) with the team had sore shoulders and a shirt soaked from bay water and sweat.

But the effort involved doesn’t deter participants like Karen Campbell, who only recently discovered the club after moving to Annapolis from the UK.

“I’ve visited a few practices and loved it,” she said. “Coming from Northern Ireland I was looking for something to get involved in and everyone here was so nice it just worked out.”

As the team develops, so does the composition of the paddlers. “This is the first year the team has trained with men and women in the same boats,” said Adrian-Krafft.

“It was only women, but this year we will be competing on our boats with both men and women,” she said. “It just makes the whole experience more inclusive. The men have always been part of the team, helping us on the dock and supporting us in our competitions. So it’s great that they’re fully involved.”

The club has also begun to network with other groups in the Annapolis community to expand their reach and give back. One such connection is with the Wellness House of Annapolis, a non-profit organization that supports cancer survivors.

“We made a connection to the Wellness House,” said Adrian-Krafft. “It’s a place for families and cancer survivors here in Annapolis. We network with them and get some of their members to come over and spend some time with us on the boats.”

If the team doesn’t give back, they train to compete year-round. They are out on the water when the weather permits and practicing their paddling technique in the indoor pool during the colder months.

The team competes along the east coast. About half of the team returned from New Zealand last month after participating in the International Breast Cancer Paddlers’ Commission dragon boat festival. The festival takes place every three to four years.

Their next scheduled event is later this month in Washington DC.

“It started with giving survivors back their agency, but now we want everyone to feel what it’s like on the water. Our club wants to share the fun with everyone,” said Adrian-Krafft.

For more information about the club, visit its website annapolisdragonboatclub.org or email [email protected].