Dragon boats compete in Port Jefferson Harbor

Twenty-three dragon boat racing teams hit the waters off Port Jefferson Village on Saturday in a competition that celebrates Asian American culture and sportsmanship.

With each thrum, crew members dipped their oars into the harbor and paddled forward.

A drummer was perched at the bow of each boat, guiding their crew along the 250-meter course. A steersperson navigated from the back and three boats competed at a time. 

Antoine Chiu, 23, a first-year Stony Brook University medical student who recently moved to Long Island from San Francisco, said he started racing in high school and even made the U.S. national team last year.

“In terms of technique, timing is always number one. It doesn’t matter how strong you are or how big you are, the goal here is to make sure everyone is completely synchronized with each stroke. That means entering the same time, exiting the same time and recovering at the same time,” said Chiu, who was competing with the university’s medical team. “I was told, it’s 20 hearts, one heartbeat.”

Each team has 20 paddlers, one drummer and one steersperson. 

Participants in the annual race festival hosted by the Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce ranged in age and skill level, and came from local hospitals, Chinese educational institutions, banks, and more. Some teams trained all summer while others practiced yesterday for the first time.

“For a sport like this there is no LeBron James … everyone is on the same page together and that aspect really keeps me coming back every year,” Chiu said.

This centuries-old sport traces back to the legend of Qu Yuan in southern central China. According to the ancient tale, Yuan was a politician and poet who killed himself in the Miluo River after being exiled and slandered. Villagers rowed out to the river to try to find him, and an annual celebration was later born.

The boats are adorned with dragon heads and tails that are blessed before the race.

On the ground at Jeanne Garant Harborfront Park, there was plenty of fanfare to mark the local event, now its in eighth year. Led by soprano Lingyan Zhou, members of the Sound of Long Island Chorus sang various numbers, including "From Afar," "Empty World" and "God Bless America."

Among the festivities, members of the Long Island Chinese Dance Group  did a traditional fan dance. The Authentic Shaolin Kung-Fu school in Holtsville performed a Lion Dance, which is rooted in martial arts. Spectators also took turns tackling calligraphy and watercolor painting.

“At the end of the day it’s for fun. You get to enjoy so many people and enjoy the beauty of the water. Winning is extra,” said Qingyan Ma, 42, of South Setauket. Ma was competing with Hidden Dragon, sponsored by the Center for Chinese Learning at Stony Brook.

“This is the best part of American culture, you get the best of sport, food and cultural activities from all around the world," Ma added.