Dragon Boat Races: Portland, OR

It is often said that a picture is worth a thousand words, and most of us find it to be true. Photographs can represent portals to the past, adventures taken out of our daily lives in a momentary attempt to forget the cares of the day. It is the hope of every artist that their works do one very important thing to the observer: transport. A famous painting can inspire awe and wonder toward a gone-but-not-forgotten artist. Photographer's are no exception to that rule, and like all artists, they long to share a little of their passion with the world.

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The Race is On! Today, we're taking a trip to the Pacific Northwest to get a glimpse of a meaningful and highly-anticipated annual event. Perfect synchronization is achieved as paddlers keep pace with the crew drummer. The flag catcher is perched at the bow close to the dragon's head.

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From the shore, we watch the beautiful alignment of the 40-foot-long and 5-foot-wide traditional-style dragon boats. Considering their weight of about 2,500 pounds, they glide through the Willamette River like professional skaters on ice.

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Crew flag catcher climbing out across the dragon's head to snatch their teams flag from a buoy, which officially finishes the 500 meter sprint to the win. This incredible race is hosted by the Portland-Kaohsiung (Taiwan) Sister City Association (PKSCA) which began in 1989 and remains one of the most popular events in Portland.

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In this case, the race really is to the swift, and well earned! Eye-catching awards, shown below, are awaiting the victors of the Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Race. With perfect summer temperatures and great food, this city offers much to both locals and visitors.

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Photos, and the stories that accompany them, often say to us, "Come on a little adventure. You could use the distraction." Words and pictures can take you far away, and when the quest is over and we're tugged back to reality, the impressions and emotions linger. Like a home-cooked meal or a warm fire ablaze in a hearth, they're part of the small but powerful things in life that get us through. Without these journeys, life would lose some of its color. We hope you enjoyed today's small excursion on the Willamette River, and look forward to seeing you on the next adventure.