Dragon Boating on 20 Sep 2025

By Kangaroo Sixer Isaac Lee 

I woke up to a day full of excitement—we were going dragon boating! I had tried kayaking before and wondered if this would be a similar experience. 

When I arrived at school with my father for the family bonding event, I saw some of my friends and quickly caught up with them. As we walked towards the KidZone, we realized we were the first ones there. Soon after, we were split into groups for the boats. I was part of Boat 6. Sadly, none of my sixmates were in the same boat, but thankfully, I was with some P5s who were also my friends. 

We boarded the bus and set off for the Singapore Dragon Boat Association. I sat with a friend, and we chatted throughout the ride. 

After some time, we arrived. We gathered at an empty area where we were briefed on how to hold the paddle and put on the PFD (personal flotation device). Then we dropped off our bags, collected our paddles and PFDs, and got ready to head out onto the water. 

At first, our boat struggled to coordinate, but after some practice, we found our rhythm. Our first challenge was a race to see which boat could go the furthest in 50 paddles. It was intense—boats kept taking the lead, but in the end, our boat came in second. Some groups tried to get ahead by leaning forward, since the instructions didn’t forbid it. 

We continued paddling and reached the Benjamin Sheares Bridge, named after Singapore’s second president. That’s where our boat learned a funny way to say “hi” and “bye.” We’d splash another boat and yell “hi,” then quickly paddle away while shouting “bye”—we called it the “hit and run.” 

Past the bridge, we reached the F1 pit stop. Since the F1 race was happening that year, we could see the pit stop and the stands where the audience would be seated. 

Before heading back, we had another race—this time with an added twist. We had to invert our paddles and paddle backwards. The goal: cover the most distance in 80 strokes. We gave it our all and finished in 3rd place, even though some boats leaned forward again to gain distance. 

Then came the final race. After a short rest and some prep, we set off. The energy was electric. Boats kept taking turns in the lead. But in the end—victory! Our boat came in 1st place. Triumph filled the air, and we knew we had earned bragging rights. 

We returned to land, tired but proud. After changing out of our wet clothes, we boarded the bus, headed back to school, had a quick debrief, and finally went home after an unforgettable day.