PADDLING in a very BIG PADDLING POOL

Kevin Costner is an American actor and filmmaker. You probably remember him starring in Dances with Wolves, Waterworld and more recently in the drama series Yellowstone. Waterworld is a movie set in the distant future. The world is mostly covered in water and centres on an antihero, ‘The Mariner’, who sails the earth in his trimaran. 
Well, in the Raglan harbour we have a lot of water too and a variety of water communities, surfing, swimming, kitesurfing, kayaking, kiteboarding, etc. I belong to the Whaingaroa Whanau Hoe Waka Club (The Raglan family waka ama club). Think outrigger canoeing/paddling. Unlike Waterworld the club isn’t fighting to survive. The club is a community of people from many countries and ethnicities, young, middle aged and older, male and female, people of all shapes and sizes, disabled and able bodied. For adults, your work status and background may be interesting, but isn’t important. Everyone is welcome and everyone is equal on the water. You can be a social or competitive paddler. Mentoring is a feature of the club culture.
When training we paddle for each other, for the team. Synergy with each paddler (6) is vital to get us home, especially when the seas are rough. Synergy, stamina and honesty of effort is very important when we race in harbours, oceans and rivers. 
Like the swimming community in Napier, there are lots of hugs, handshakes and laughter before getting into the water. It is a club with members that care for each other. A sense of belonging pervades this club that I am proud to belong to. It is my kind of community.

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