The Gorge

One of the nicest aspects of living in Victoria is the waterway known as The Gorge. Thanks to the Gorge, Victoria is not only surrounded by water but is penetrated by it so that no matter where you live in the city you are never more than a few minutes away from the sea. As you can judge by the photo above, many people take advantage of the sheltered waters of The Gorge to paddle around in a wide variety of boats. Many prefer to go it alone or in pairs in kayaks but there are many other who prefer to do it in groups, as in the photo below. Big canoe groups like this are probably practicing for the Dragon Boat Races, coming up in early August.

Vancouver Cantonese Opera

I couldn't finish posting about the Victoria Dragon Boat Festival without at least one shot of what is for me the highlight of the festival, the appearance of the Vancouver Cantonese Opera. Remarkable costumes, splendid performances, and an informed commentary make this a memorable event and I hope and trust they will be back annually.

An additional source of delight for me in many of the performances by other groups was the involvement of children such as these sweet young girls from the VFCA Sampaguita Filipino Dance Group.

Dragonboat Races

While wandering around under the pier looking for a good angle to capture the Lights of Courage that are an important part of the Dragon Boat Festival I was alerted by loud cheering that I was missing the climactic race. Actually, it may have been one of those serendipitous moments since this shot I grabbed from the underside of the dock nicely isolates the action.

Below is a post-race photo from where normal spectators sit to view the races.

Victoria Dragon Boat Festival

The Victoria Dragon Boat Festival raises funds for cancer research and care for victims. The lanterns above, only a few of hundreds that were hung on the Ship Point wharf during the festival, were each purchased in memory of a cancer victim. This was called the "Lights of Courage Campaign."And, while it is not obligatory, many crew members of the dragon boat teams are survivors of cancer. A few of the many paddlers to participate are pictured above.Above we see one dragon boat charging across the finish line while spectators watch from the Inner Harbor causeway.My hat's off to all the people who contributed to this festival, the Inner Harbor's best event this year. Corporate sponsors Telus and Fairway Market should also receive credit for their support.