Queensland Media

Mackay Dragons Abreast is a group of cancer survivors and supporters who've spent months getting their paddling skills up to scratch for the launch. They're renowned for their creative fundraising activities such as the celebrity bras auction and hosted a colourful, spiritual launch at Mackay's Harbour beach, complete with a Buddhist blessing.

But it wasn't the first time the boat had hit the water. The girls couldn't resist giving it a trial run in recent weeks. The group's enthusiasm is clear and they're a committed team who've come together from a shared experience. "We're very new at this and every week we've got new paddlers - we've had it out about five times so far but this is the official launch," explains President of Dragons Abreast, Cheryl Machen.

Cheryl says that dragon boating is the perfect activity for breast cancer survivors because it provides the chance to meet fellow survivors and in more physiological terms, it exercises the upper body. For the novices, Cheryl explains how dragon boating different to outrigging or kayaking? "You sit two abreast and there's room for 20 paddlers and you just paddle on the one side," she says. "You have a sweep at the back and a drummer at the front and the boat is about 12 metres long and has a dragon head on the front and a tail on the back. And it's good exercise for breast cancer survivors," she adds.

it's good exercise for breast cancer survivors

But it's not only breast cancer survivors who are involved in Mackay Dragons Abreast. Some of the husbands took to the water on the weekend to help celebrate. "They've been great," says Cheryl in appreciation. "They also help in other areas like building a trailer to launch the boat."

But the team is also looking at it as a competitive pursuit as well as being out there, being active and telling people there is life after cancer. "It's all that but as well as that we are looking forward to September 2007 [when] there's a big 100 per cent survivors regatta in Caloundra so we aim to take a team down there," explains Cheryl.

Spectators turned out in force at Harbour beach to watch the spectacle. The symbolism of the dragon is best described by Buddhist nun Nam Dag who conducted the official blessing. "The dragon is a protective symbol, it protects against loss and poverty and it's a symbol of balance," says Nam Dag. When she officially blessed the boat she said, "We bless this dragon boat and all who you use and see her. May the joy and pleasure she brings be treasured by all."

After the initial verbal blessing, rice was thrown on the dragonboat, the symbolism is explained by Nam Dag, "We use this rice as a symbol of long life and healing". As she cast the rice out on the boat, Nam Dag continued to recite the mantras and the blessings "that we send out will go to the surrounding country, particularly to the people in the area of Mackay and in particular to this group, both the members who are here now, the ones who have been past members and members who will be here in the future".

The dragon's head donned a silk scarf around its neck which are considered blessing scarves in Buddhism. "We place them so that the blessings that have been received remain with the boat," says Nam Dag. "As it goes out into the water, the blessing will go with the boat."

And with the words... "the boat is now blessed, rejoice" it sailed out to the applause of the onlookers and carved her way through the pacific waters of coastal Mackay against a steady drumming and the sound of water lapping alongside it

Dragons Abreast boat launches