Getting in sync

LEESBURG — The paddles hit the water in unison, stroking hard and sending the boat surging forward. Ed Campbell wears a satisfied look as he watches from the helm as his crew does its job.

The scene unfolds on part of the Palatlakaha River that runs through the Hawthorne at Leesburg 55+ community off of U.S. 27. It’s practice time for the Hawthorne Dragon Boat Club, and the 20 people manning the paddles in the boat are intent on getting the most out of their boat.

“I was a pilot in the military, so steering a boat comes pretty easily to me,” Campbell said. “It’s something where you get a workout and it’s fun. We’re a small community and this really builds great camaraderie. But we’re pretty competitive, too.”

The Hawthorne Dragon Boat Club will be in action Saturday at the 15th annual Central Florida Dragon Boat Festival at Wooton Park in Tavares. The club has been competing in the races since first forming the club in 2004.

If you thought the strenuous activity of getting a dragon boat to fly across the water at a high rate of speed was perhaps more geared toward the young, think again. Hawthorne’s club has an average age of 71.3 years old, with the oldest member being 81.

In many of the 55+ communities around the area, you’ll find all sorts of sports taking place, from softball to pickleball, shuffleboard to horseshoes, golf to bowling and dozens more.

Dragon boat racing is a little different. First of all, not everyone has a river running through the property, offering a somewhat sheltered environment for practice on windy days and easy access to Lake Harris when the weather is nice.

Then there is the cost. In 2007, three years after starting the club, Hawthorne Dragon Boat Club members decided they needed their own boat. They ordered it from China at a cost of around $10,000.

With 50 members paying $5 a year to belong to the club, it would have taken 40 years to save up for the boat. And that’s not even counting the cost of participating in races, which can run $800 and up.

So the Hawthorne club — which also has members from other communities such as Legacy and Plantation — spends a great deal of time trying to raise money.

“If you have green money, we’re after it in some fashion,” said Gerry Furlong, the club’s secretary.

The residents of Hawthorne have been known to give generously. As a way to say thanks, the dragon boat club staged its third annual Dragons on the River Festival last Saturday just for members of the Hawthorne community.

“A lot of residents say they can’t believe they live in a community with dragon boats,” said Ellen Wersten, who is the club’s historian. “They are really supportive, and when we have races here, the whole area along the river is filled with golf carts.”

The club has done well enough to also buy a pair of 10-person boats that they use along with the big boat. Club members decided to buy their own paddles after using wooden ones that the community provided for a few years.

“One year we were the only boat using wooden paddles,” Furlong said. “It was like trying to paddle with a log.”

For many members of the Hawthorne club, it’s all about getting exercise with a group of like-minded neighbors. Campbell was drawn to the club shortly after moving into the community. He would keep hearing the rhythmic drumbeat used to keep the paddlers in sync and went to the river to see what was happening.

“I saw this crazy war canoe going down the river,” Campbell recalls. “I’d had open heart surgery and the rowing machine was a big part of my rehab. When I saw the dragon boats, I knew it was something I’d enjoy and it would be good for me. It’s like free rehab.”

The club is all business when the boats are on the water. But when they are on dry land, the stories begin and the laughter soon takes hold.

One of their favorites is about when they rented a boat from the Tavares Rotary Club for a month in 2005 so the fledgling club could get some practice. When it came time to return the boat, they decided to paddle it the 13 miles from Hawthorne to Wooton Park. Keep in mind that races are 300-500 meters, so 13 miles is quite a haul.

“We got so many looks when we stopped for lunch and along the Dora Canal,” said John Dobkin, one of the club’s original members. “It was a lot of fun.”

They also laugh about some of the races they’ve participated in when the wind was whipping and the boats got swamped. The Hawthorne club has participated in races all over, including in Tampa, Disney, Deerfield Beach and Homosassa.

They’ve had members standing in waist-high water installing a dock for the dragon boat only to be surprised by curious snakes swimming around them.

“When I first started doing this I remember thinking, ‘this is nuts. We’re old and this is a heart attack waiting to happen,’” Furlong said. “But it's really good exercise and a whole lot of fun.”

IF YOU GO

WHAT: 15th annual Central Florida Dragon Boat Festival

WHEN: Saturday. First race starts at 8:30 a.m. with the final race starting about 3 p.m.

WHERE: Wooton Park in Tavares

ADMISSION: Free

MORE: In addition to dragon boat races, the event will feature a classic car show, food trucks and musical entertainment.

ABOUT THE RACES: There will be 15 club teams and five community teams taking part. The races will be 300 meters and will feature both 20-person and 10-person boats.