Yesterday the Ōtepoti Dragons held their first have-a-go day on the Otago Harbour by the Otago Yacht Club in Magnet St.
Event organiser Alicia Harwood said so many enthusiastic people turned up they were able to run two boats.
‘‘We’re thrilled.
‘‘It’s just been amazing to see this kind of response,’’ she said.
‘‘Everyone’s smiling and everyone was raring to get going.’’
There were 20 people in each boat.
In Dunedin, dragon boating was a female-dominated sport, so it was good to have a small handful of men in attendance, Ms Harwood said.
‘‘This is like picture-perfect conditions, stunning.
‘‘That’s the beauty of winter paddling as well because we don’t get the wind as much as in summer.’’
About 40 people showed up to have a paddle.
Ms Harwood hoped many of them had fallen in love with the sport as a result of their experience.
She hoped many of them would stick around for the start of the dragon boating season in October.
