A Bizarre Way To Enjoy The Winter

 The last of the dragon boats were coming in while I was on the ice for this part of the Ice Dragon Boat Festival during Winterlude 2020.

It comes time to turn the boats around for the next teams.

Dragon Boats Upon The Frozen Lake

In 2020, Winterlude again saw the return of the Ice Dragon Boat Festival to Dow's Lake. I caught some of it when I came down to the lake. 

Dragon Boats

In 2019, the Ice Dragon Boat Race returned to Winterlude again on Dow's Lake. I was down on a sunny day during the weekend it was held and found one of the heats being prepped for the various teams that take part in this bit of fun lunacy.

As is the case with the summer version, there's someone sitting in front of the boats, with a team of rowers (well, using sticks instead of oars). At back is the last crew member steering the whole thing. The summer version of the races is well established in Ottawa, and the winter version has become a popular addition to Winterlude.

And they were off, the rowers using their sticks to propel the boats, mounted on skate apparatuses, across the ice.

I headed down the ice.

At the far end the boats are turned around and the next set of teams are called in for the next heat of the races.

The Dragons Upon The Skateway

The Ice Dragon Boat Festival was back at Dow's Lake for Winterlude 2018, and it was a pleasure to watch. And for the participants, many of whom no doubt take part in the larger summer dragon boat racing down at Mooney's Bay, a harder thing to do on the ice than rowing through the water. I approached the starting line.

And they were off.

At the far end, the next heat of the races would soon start.

Teams were easily identifiable.

The Ice Hogs were around to pose for photos.

It's quite something to see in person. And crazy to do. But in a fun way.

One last shot from the north end of the course.

The Dragons

Ottawa has had for many years a Dragon Boat Festival in the summers, drawing many visitors and participants to Mooney's Bay on the Rideau River, where the event is held. For Winterlude 2017, the organizers of that event decided to try it on ice. It turned out to be wildly successful, held on Dow's Lake one weekend along the Canal skateway.

Here we have the front of a boat in profile.

Many people came out to see it on what was a mild day. This dog was there too.

I've seen the summer version as well. This looks harder. The dragon boats are placed onto an apparatus with parallel skate blades. The rowers aren't using oars, but sticks to propel themselves along the ice. It's quite something to see in person.