Dragon Boats - Sunday May 7 2017

The annual Dragonboat Regatta came and went and is now confined to the annals of history…but what a great day it turned out to be! Over the years one of the main – if not the main – talking points has been “the weather”…but this time round there can be no complaints – a tad chilly to begin with, but soon the warm sunshine broke through, and the crowds gathered.  At one point not only were the “normal” viewing areas crowded, but also across the Docks dangling legs were spotted hanging over water’s edge, and the Llanthony Swing Bridge was on the verge of sagging, so many spectators wanting a clear viewpoint.

Teams rolled up in a colourful array of costumes – young men dressed as Brownies; ladies looking like unicorns; superheroes aplenty; bearded pirates; “Where’s Wallys”; sharks and dragons – together providing a lively spectacle as they thrashed through the waves to the oft raucous commentary.

There were stalls aplenty onsite, plus the Pate’s Grammar School Band and Danter’s Funfair, which kept everyone amused and entertained, and our own bookstall looked to be doing good business too!

For the record the Morning Regatta was won by “Safran Super Sailors” and the Afternoon Regatta by “SuperDry or Superwet”, but, at the end of the Day everyone wins – the teams, the spectators, the Docks, the merchants, Gloucester city too … and, we hope, numerous worthy causes who will, in due course, benefit from the thousands of pounds this popular event raises.

To all our volunteers (and their wives) a big “Thank You”!

Gloucester Severn Rotary especially thank the main drivers of this event (Steve Markham, Roger Barrett and John Barnes) – without their unstinting enthusiasm, drive, and input it just wouldn’t work. And so, after a bit of a rest, on to May 2018…can we have another lovely sunny day please?