outta order - in typical lamma time

On December 2, the Lamma folks had to return to the scene of the crime from the Round Island Race and retrieve our darling Tai Nui.

These are images from the day, which was low in paddler numbers, but high in great weather, good water and some wonderful photo ops.

No paddlers were damaged in the makings of this website. Yet.

We do so know what we are doing.It was this big and I hit it with my paddle...
the photographer: Supah-Kev.
Yung Shue Wan, looking a little bit blah for no good reason.
You! Get your ass OFF the junk and INTO this boat.
And they listened!
Happy to be resting.
Dudes fishing for local fish monsters in the traffic lanes.
"Ha ha! You think I'm paddling back here?"

And yet we all survived. That is a turbo-jet.
It makes pate of paddlers
Good reach!
Married people with good timing. How odd.
The Western cargo yards. (freelance cargo yards...)
Calm waters outside Sulphur Channel.

Trade and Convention Centre and US!
The IFC2 and new Star Ferry Terminals
ditto
Star Ferry!
We tried, but we just couldn't catch them, and
then they started throwing crap at us...

So we got Tai Nui home where she is happy and contented with her forest bower. We might by her a new wax-job for Christmas. She already has lovely new lashings and such.

Lamma Fun Day

On October 22, the Lamma outrigger-ers decided to participate in fundraising on Lamma Fun Day.

Now lest you think that we were raising funds to have fun, I should explain that it is the other way around. We have fun to raise funds (tough life, no?).

So, along with many other denizens of Lamma, we got together and "sold seats" in the outriggers for the bargain price of $20HK for 10-15 minutes of paddling (most people could only really take about 10 minutes before they got tired or bored or both).

All monies went towards the Child Welfare Scheme, to improve the health, education and opportunities of disadvantaged children and youth. See their site here.

Yeah - so that was our MO for the day (that is, uhm, modus operandi, for them folks who dun't like de latinz).

This is Jon B prepping to steer a boat of charity-supporting folk (and a few regular paddlers). That is Gina, sitting on the ama and explaining the best way not to tip the boat over.

This is Anna - looking glam, as ever.

Katie decides to support the Child welfare scheme by drowning her own child R... A sudden change of heart? No - it's cause there were witnesses. Namely, her other child, Miss Cutey Pants J.
The Lamma Outrigger-er-er-ers: A bunch of clowns.

Gina-meana; the mad French juggler (collected from the beach) and Christina P.

There were two jugglers. A shark ate the other one. Lamma Fun day raised $158,000HKD for the charity. Any kids had fun. Fairly well-named event.

You paddled right round, baby, right round

Start of the Loro Piana Around the Island Race 2006

Lamma on the move

On Sunday, November 21, the Lamma Outrigger Canoe Club participated in the Second Annual Round Hong Kong Island Race.

It was a helluva day: with a 4:30am start for the poor souls on Lamma who had to catch sampans (wee little stinky boats run on the foulest diesel on the planet - cough, cough), to the starter's gun/horn that blew at 8:16am on the water of Causeway Bay.

And hurrah for all! Lamma made it through the astoundingly smooth waters of South Hong Kong, and the foul, brackish, stinking waters of Victoria Harbour with nary a huli (thank the gods - and I mean ALL of the gods), and only a few ripped up hands and bums to show for it. Well, some people had chaffing in awkward places, and armpit rashes, but that's really just a badge of honour. Right Adie?).

All the Lamma paddlers (many of whom had never set foot inside an outrigger canoe 5 months ago) worked like dogs, steaming across the water and leaping in and out of boats like demented seals.

A crew couldn't ask for better spirits or attitudes: 46 kilometers of hell generally takes the shine off cheery behaviour, yet nobody thumped anyone with their paddle (on purpose) and everyone hung together; cheering each other on and doing their best to give the group as much as they possibly could.

A very special thanks on the day goes to Oliver and Claudia for captaining the escort boat with our surprise guest driver - none other than a Lamma Ferryman! (Lady luck was smiling that day!). Also thanks to Claire - for her massage genius, kind words and encouragement, First Mate Greg - the master of the GPS and communications director (Greg discovered none of the "gates" had been set by the yacht club, as the outriggers apparently were shockingly fast! Roughly translated, I think this means, they forgot about us.). Thanks to Mabel for her supergirl translation powers, and thanks to Jessica, Laura and Christina P for their care, massages, tea-making and boat arranging on the day.

As for the paddlers, we had:

• Iron-woman Katie
• CK - the mighty
• Dolphin David
• "Ouch!" Adie (great reach!)
• Jumpin' Jasper, bail captain
• Simon the powerful
• Mel the magnificent (did her own 'bailing' in the last few sets!)
• Mysterious Michelle (we have no idea where she gets her strength)
• Screamin' Gina (always working on reach exceeding grasp)
• Super-Hugh the patch master (fantastic effort all around)

All in all, it was a brilliant day of paddling, though the Hong Kong Air was absolutely disgusting! The sailing vessels had a distinctly less pleasant time of it (no wind - ouch). Two of our international guest teams: Hawaii and Poksai from Guam, did marvellously. It took team Hawaii just over 3 hours to complete the race (and they likely lapped us for giggles). Also, the IPC women made a spectacularly strong showing.

But Lamma enjoyed a fantastic first. Our first international race. Our first international marathon race, and our first international sea-change race... and what else? Ah: our first mixed team!

Looking forward to much more to come. Congratulations Lamma OCC!

Everybody paddles! Some paddlers' reach is longer than others.... not to name names!

Finished! Alive! Not eaten by sharks or ferries!
Front, keft to right: Jasper, Hugh, CK, David, Michelle, Gina, Mel, Adie and Katie. Back, Left to right: Mabel, Laura, Oliver, Simon, Jessica, Christina P, Greg, Claudia. Missing: Claire, who was off becoming even more terrifyingly glamorous.

The end! Praise the little baby jesus and his mates

Did we mention the air pollution? That ain't mist

Captain Claudia and Laura

Escort-Boat Angels, Claire and Christina P

Greg - Mr. GPS-Master

The competition stalks the LOCC. But they don't catch us!

Lamma Lemmings hit the ocean

Lamma Lemmings Leaping

Katie assumes control of the good ship Ta Nui after the change

Lamma Lemmings Lined up for the Sea Change

We've got that racing feeling...

whoa, that racing feeling.

On Saturday, August 5, the Lamma Outrigger Canoe Club (LOCC) entered its first race: The IPC Middle-distance Sprint Regatta, held in Deepwater Bay, Hong Kong.

There to fight the good fight for the Lamma men's crew were Oliver Armistead (point), Hugh Chow (2), Paul Davis (3), David Harris (4), the brave and glorious Christine Chester (5) and the crazed - "just paddled 10 kilometers to get here" Jon Buford (Steer).

For the Ladies' crew Undine Bischoff (point), Christina Kui (2), Katie McGregor (3), Arja Masson (4), Laura Bryant (5) and Gina 'please hydrate' Miller (steer); challenged four other ladies' teams for a chase and a fight on the water.

Following the 5km relay, where the LOCC got to perform their first-ever sea changes as a team (and we were slow, but clean!), the ladies crews hit the water for their middle-distance race.

As anyone who knows the Lamma Ladies Dragon Boat Team can attest: this is a crew made up of exceptionally determined women, and everyone in the boat poured their hearts into it. From Undine's hammering to Laura's grunting (as only Laura can!), everyone up and down the boat made a brilliant effort to chase and keep their placement in the race. And were they happy with 3rd place on their first day out?

You bet your ass they were!


The Start to the 5km Change-race Relay

The Lamma Men's crew (and the brave Christine) have had even less time than the women to form a coherent team, and they fought throughout their race to keep up with the pack. Arriving in under an hour (and a minute faster than the Lamma Women), they were ready for cold beer and a few hours or relaxation.

And the results were:

It's only August: there are many more races to come.