AeroDragons News

Friday, August 24, 2007

Hi Everyone -

The 21st Annual Oar & Paddle Regatta is this SAT 8/25.

The regatta starts at 9AM at Granada Beach in Belmont Shore.

Of course, to get to Granada Beach we will have to paddle our dragon boat there, so we'll be meeting at Mother's Beach BRIGHT AND EARLY at 7:30A SHARP to warm up and get to the starting area for registration.

The course runs from Granada Beach back through the breakwater from the ocean and around Naples Island twice.

This will be lots of fun - Vince says bring your squirt guns and water cannons so we can blast our way through the kayakers, outriggers and other paddlers . . .

This is the current roster (please let me know if you've changed your mind and WON'T be paddling with us!):

1. Jerry Melton

2. Mary Melton

3. Michelle Ebio

4. Iris Dulay

5. Josh Hwung

6. Anthony Luna

7. Ming Chaung

8. Vince Luc

9. Dee Lowe

10. Derf Tubadeza

11. Judy Shimamura

12. Jonathan Ly

13. Joel Landi

14. Brad Chinen

15. Stephanie Tucker

16. TK

Steer - Mike

If you haven't already, please make sure you make out a check to me for $30 or give me cash on SAT morning for your t-shirt, certificate and grand buffet lunch at Kayak Kafe (the finish line).

That's it for now - don't forget: meet at 7:30A SAT MORNING at Mother's Beach!

--- M.

posted by About Mary # 8:53 AM 0 comments

Friday, August 17, 2007

Hi All ---

Just a quick reminder about the BBQ tomorrow - Killer Guppies will also be bringing potluck dishes to share - remember Beach Clean-up - meet ~9:30A and sanding/varnishing our boat w/Electric Dragons and volleyball.

Attached is the 2008 Waiver of Liability Form. Given the unfortunate accident at the festival and subsequent lawsuit against Dr. Chen, no-one will be allowed on the water after September 1st without completing and signing this form. Please complete and sign and give to me tomorrow if you can!

ANYONE WANT TO PADDLE 8 MILES NEXT SAT? The Oar and Paddle Regatta is next SAT starting at 9AM going from Granada Ave. Launch Ramp (Belmont Shore Pier) and going back to Naples, twice around the island to the Kayak Kafe at Bay Shore Beach. IT'S $30 PER PERSON and you get a free t-shirt, a certificate and a grand lunch buffet. This is a fun event for kaykers, paddleboarders, any human-powered crafts. Go to http://www.longbeachseafestival.com/seafest-paddle.html for more info. We'll be taking the small boat - WE NEED AT LEAST 10 PEOPLE TO GO - LET ME KNOW ASAP IF YOU WANT TO DO THIS! --- This event will replace normal SAT practice . . .

That's it for now - see most of you tomorrow!

--- M.

posted by About Mary # 8:52 AM 0 comments

Monday, August 13, 2007

AeroDragons ---

Just a reminder that the only practice this week will be on WED. Please respond to this e-mail if you'll be there on WED. No practice SAT or SUN this weekend.

Dr. Chen wants to express his thanks to all of you who donated monies for Michael Cheng and his family in the name of the dragon boat community. AeroDragons donated $200 - we collected over $2500 in donations from the Southern California Dragon Boat Club and also the teams from San Diego and Northern California. The focus for our festival in the future will be safety and "growing" the Long Beach Dragon Boat Festival to become a better event next year . . .

BBQ/Volleyball/Beach Cleanup on SAT is still happening - meet at Mother's Beach around 9:30A ---

We will also be pulling our boat (Boat #3) out of the water to do annual maintenance (sanding and varnishing the gunwales). IF YOU HAVE SANDPAPER lying around - bring #80, #150, #300 grade, sand blocks if you have them and 2" acrylic brushes.

ALSO, don't forget your potluck dish - RSVP w/what you're bringing here: http://www.evite.com/app/publicUrl/meltonm@earthlink.net/aerobbq

MIAMI IS A GO for October 13 & 14. We are trying to get a hotel (Beach House Hotel has closed) close to the venue.

You may also want to bring beach chairs, towels, sunscreen, etc.

That's it for now --- hope to see you all WED and/or SAT!

--- M.

www.aerodragons.org

www.ladragonboat.com

posted by About Mary # 8:50 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

AeroDragons -

MICHAEL CHENG

Thanks so much to all of you who have pledged donations for Michael Cheng and his family. I think a voluntary $5 contribution (or whatever you can give) if you want would be great --- please bear in mind this is ENTIRELY VOLUNTARY.

AeroDragons as a team will be pledging $100 for flowers and any leftover monies will be given to the family. Just give me your donation when you see me next.

Again, no worries if you don't feel comfortable attending the funeral - Dr. Chen is looking for as many paddlers as possible to be there as a show of support from the dragon boat community. So far there are 8 of us AeroDragons attending - about 50 total from the other teams of the Southern CA Dragon Boat Club.

ELECTRIC DRAGONS NEED SFO PADDLERS

For those of you who just HAVE to paddle another race, Electric Dragons is looking for paddlers to help them in San Francisco on September 22 & 23. They have rooms at Parc55 for $114 w/double beds. Let me know ASAP if you'd be interested!

That's it for now - remember BEACH CLEAN UP/BBQ/VOLLEYBALL on SAT 8/18 and SOUTH FL DB FESTIVAL 10/13 & 14 . . .

Please remember Michael Cheng and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

--- M.

posted by About Mary # 8:49 AM 0 comments

Friday, August 03, 2007

AeroDragons -

Just wanted to thank all of you for your hard work and perseverance this last weekend. We had alot of races, tough competition from the Bay Area teams this year, and you all kept up, powered up when called, and "emptied the cup" when we needed it. Again, given the changes in coaching staff this year, changes to our stroke, loss of paddlers and brand new paddlers, we did well!

Hopefully we can settle down to some consistency for the 2007-2008 year and concentrate on strength (need more MEN) and technique.

Special thanks to:

Dee & Pat for realizing what a dreadful mistake it was to leave us and coming back to us,

Judy (and her knife and cutting board) for helping with food,

Lorie for the Albertson's sandwiches,

Anthony for the nutritional tips (see video at www.aerodragons.org),

Renal & Carla for the tamales on Sunday,

Debs for being statistician this year,

Tina for finding $20 so it could be returned to Iris (so Iris could buy some shorts),

Jerry (as always) for putting up with me and,

All the friends and family that came out to support/cheer us on

Still working on getting pictures up to the website, but in the meantime, Jonathan has posted "dunking" videos on his website (link on www.aerodragons.org) Final stats for our races are also posted on our website.

Links to pictures for purchase from the "official" photographers are here:

http://windanseaphoto.com/cgi-bin/store/imageFolio.cgi?direct=Dragon%20Boat/2007%20Long%20Beach

http://www.pbase.com/cbss/lbdbr_2007

SAVE THE DATES!

August 18th - BEACH CLEAN-UP DAY and BBQ/Volleyball at Mother's Beach - family and friends are invited!

October 13 & 14 - South Florida Dragon Boat Festival (Miami, FL)