This week in Chaplin Park the Noosa Outrigger Canoe Club farewelled two canoes on their journey to the Solomon Islands.
The club greeted Steve Tomoana from the Poly Va’a club who has spent the last six months working on collecting donated canoes from clubs around Queensland, to provide to the burgeoning Va’a clubs in the Solomons.
The Islanders there have always been familiar with the heavy wooden craft they use for fishing and transport inter island but the sleek modern racing canoes are hard to come by. One of the poorest nations in the region, the Solomon Islanders are keen to be involved in the Pacific Islands competitions and build the sport in their communities.
With the assistance of the Australian Defence Forces, who have provided the transport plane, Noosa’s two canoes will join a handful of others to wing their way to the Solomons for immediate use.
All hands were placed on the canoes for a Hawaiian blessing to farewell them. The solid and reliable canoes were some of the first craft owned by the club, known as ROCs, and they are rapidly being overtaken for racing by newer, lighter technology.
However, they will soon be welcomed to and appreciated by another burgeoning paddling community.
Aloha.
