18 Fodhla scouts and two leaders, John and Aine, headed into Grand Canal Dock by DART on a beautiful, sunny July afternoon. They were met by Warrant Officer Brian Welsh, who introduced them to Tara and Dympna of the Irish Dragon Boat Association. The scouts were quickly kitted out with paddles, given instruction and a safety talk before the girls launched the new Dragon Boat. Within minutes, the drum beat was setting the stroke and the girls quickly settled into their paddling rhythm. In no time at all, they were paddling steadily up and down the length of Grand Canal Dock, incorporating paddle bangs and salutes into their strokes, all the time becoming faster and more confident on the water. A fantastic introduction to Dragon Boats, adding a great new variation to our boating activities!