Pirates Dragon Boat Team

Pirates Dragon Boat Team The Pirates Dragon Boat Team is one of the veteran teams of the Fraser Valley Paddling Club. We are l

Early last month (April 4th), I was scrolling through Facebook as one does from time to time and I came across an announ...
05/02/2026

Early last month (April 4th), I was scrolling through Facebook as one does from time to time and I came across an announcement that Danielle Dahlby had passed away the day before. This was incredibly sad news. Danielle was a Pirate and paddled with us up until Covid hit and shut the world down.

My memory is foggy regarding how Danielle found us. It was like one day she just showed up, sat in the boat and became a Pirate. Just like that. She may have come with a friend or with her cousin Sara who was also on the team. I do remember that she was rather quiet compared to some of the others on the boat.

Danielle was a refreshingly sweet person and a coach's dream. She took direction well, was always looking to better herself in the boat and never complained about anything. At least not to me. She had a quiet fierceness about her. She battled hard during every race and had a never give up attitude.

She brought her own cheering section with her to most ever regatta. Her husband Mark and their three children would accompany her to the regattas and could be seen cheering her on during her races. Her family were everything to her.

After Danielle stepped away from the Pirates to fight a much bigger battle, I would reach out to her to check on how things were going. It was nice just to catch up with her to see how she was doing and ask about her family. The last time we texted was back in 2023. She was still fighting and still wanting to win. Danielle lost her battle on the 3rd of April. Our heart felt condolences to Mark and the kids and the rest of her family and friends.

A Celebration of Life for Danielle is planned for today, which would have been her 50th birthday. Rest easy Danielle. Let it ride.

Watch Out Pirates About

It's with a heavy heart that I write this post. I received an email earlier this evening from past Pirate Gary Lee infor...
05/12/2025

It's with a heavy heart that I write this post. I received an email earlier this evening from past Pirate Gary Lee informing me that his father Don had passed away suddenly due to cancer. Our deepest condolences go out to Gary Lee and his family during these difficult times.

Don and his wife moved to Harrison Hot Springs after his retirement and for whatever reason, decided he wanted to try dragon boating. I think he came out to either a Club Open Paddle or a Pirate Open Paddle. Either way, he made his way onto the Pirates boat.

He battled through early fitness issues and at times frustration as he slowly began to understand what was involved in becoming a paddler. I do remember having a conversation with him after one practice where he struggled. I explained to him that the person that gets out of the boat at the end of the last regatta of the year is not the same person that gets into the boat at the beginning of the year and to trust the process. There will be good days and not so good days and you learn from both. He always battled hard to become a better and stronger paddler.

He paddled with the team for 4 years, with many of those years paddling along side his son Gary. He really enjoyed the time he spent on the water reconnecting with his son. It's crazy how a shared interest can do that.

Don was able to experience all the emotions that come with our sport. From the lows of just missing out on a podium finish to bringing home gold and everything in between. I do believe he really enjoyed being a part of a team and being excepted as one of the Pirate family. Don exemplified what it meant to be a Pirate. No quit. No Surrender. Don wore the Pirate colours with honour and with pride. I will remember Don with great fondness and much respect.

Rest easy Don.

Watch Out....Pirates About.

It will be 20 years ago this spring that a group of people came together to form a new dragon boat team in Harrison Hot ...
01/12/2025

It will be 20 years ago this spring that a group of people came together to form a new dragon boat team in Harrison Hot Springs. They would name themselves the Pirates Dragon Boat Team.

Over the years, friendships were formed, races were won and lost and medals collected along the way. Stories have been told of the occasional alcoholic beverage consumed but those stories could not be substantiated.

So many people of differents ages and backgrounds have worn the Pirate colours throughout the years. Some for one year, others a whole lot longer.

Sadly, many have moved on, moved away or found new interests. This spring will see the second year without the team. All that is left now are memories and stories of days gone bye.

Over the next few months I will be posting photos from my Pirates archive. Hopefully these photos will make you smile and bring back joyfull memories of your time on the team.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from your friendly neighbourhood dragon boat team. All the best for 2024.
12/25/2023

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from your friendly neighbourhood dragon boat team. All the best for 2024.

This time of year is always bittersweet. Boats out of the water truely means the end of dragon boat season. Had great we...
10/01/2023

This time of year is always bittersweet. Boats out of the water truely means the end of dragon boat season. Had great weather and a great turn out to make it all happen.

The Pirates had such an amazing weekend of paddling in Penticton. Great weather, great friends and great races. This wou...
09/13/2023

The Pirates had such an amazing weekend of paddling in Penticton. Great weather, great friends and great races. This would not have been possible without the help of some incredible guest paddlers.

A huge shout out to Julissa Goodnough and Sara McIntosh from the Seraphins, Sarah Person from FLCC Dragonflies, the nice ladies from Skaha Thunder and Pauline (sorry, her last name escapes me) for jumping into our boat and helping us out over the weekend. You ladies rock. We also need to mention that Sydney's better half, Robert, also stepped up to help fill the boat. Thanks Robert. It was appreciated.

We would be amiss if we did not express our sincere and heart-felt gratitude to Daryl Innes from the Cranbrook Dragon Boat Club for steering a couple races for us over the weekend. Even after his team finished their last race earlier in the day and with a 6.5 hr ride home, Daryl still stayed around late Sunday afternoon so we could run our last race. Thanks a million Daryl.

We finished the weekend with a 3rd Place finish in Diamond B Division and a nice ribbon for our efforts.

Finally able to relax after a crazy bunch of days in Penticton for our last regatta. What a great weekend. As I was unpa...
09/12/2023

Finally able to relax after a crazy bunch of days in Penticton for our last regatta. What a great weekend. As I was unpacking the car I came across this cool day pack, chalk full of goodies.

There was an umbrella, day planner, highlighters, a paper clip with a built in pen, and a beach ball all compliments of Linda Scharf, mother of Pirates Sydney Grasby. Linda was nice enough to supply one to each the Pirates Dragon Boat Team members that attended the regatta this weekend.

Sydney, please thank your mom on behalf of all the us. That was very nice of her.

There's pulling hard in a race and then there's this. This is Nev from the Thunder Strokers. 3rd stroke into Race 3 and ...
09/11/2023

There's pulling hard in a race and then there's this.

This is Nev from the Thunder Strokers. 3rd stroke into Race 3 and his paddle breaks in half. They don't make them much more competitive than Nev. I can't imagine how he felt as a passenger during that race.

All was not lost though. He was able to get a new paddle for race 4 and help lead his team to a first place finish in Diamond Final B. Well done sir.

All I ask from the team is consistency in every race. Looks like they understood the assignment.
09/11/2023

All I ask from the team is consistency in every race. Looks like they understood the assignment.

Done for another year. Pirates thank you for a very rewarding year. It was a real privilege getting back into the boat a...
09/10/2023

Done for another year. Pirates thank you for a very rewarding year. It was a real privilege getting back into the boat and coaching again. Until next year. Drink up me hearties. Yo Ho.

09/10/2023

Pirates heading into Diamond Consulation. Race 74. 3PM. Be st tent for 2pm please.

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