On a beautiful Sunday morning in August, 2 kayaks, 3 canoes & 1 rowboat launched at the Pine Street boat ramp in Chase, for a leisurely 20 km ‘cruise’ down the S. Thompson River for the 13^th annual ‘Banana Island Canoe Trip’. With a total of 12 dancers present, it was easy to make a ‘square’, dancing first at the beach off VLA road. Two very friendly ladies who were out for a walk, wanted to join in with us and they adapted like ‘ducks in water’. They had great fun and said they had always wanted to try square dancing. They could hardly wait to tell their husbands of their unique experience.

The next destination was Banana Island. As the one rowboat was heavier and slower than the other water-craft and was carrying 3 people instead of just 2, Sandy & Merv Meyer headed back upstream to tow them to the Island, as the other paddlers were almost there. There was lots of fun and laughter going on with the towing!

After a leisurely picnic on Banana Island and some swimming in the surprisingly warm river water, more square dancing took place on Banana Island beach. Then the dancing moved into the water where Merv called ‘dive through’ lots of times, to keep the dancers cool! Happy that they had earned their ‘Aquaducks’ badge and their banana dangles, the dancers (even Doug Neustaedter’s teenage son Joseph was dancing), once again launched their boats to head for Pritchard.

There were especially large numbers of geese, lots of ducks, some Blue Herons, eagles, Osprey, but no bear on this trip. The water was so calm, quite often one could see large fish swimming below the boats.

It was probably one of the best trips yet, as far as weather. Everyone had a wonderful time and lots of photos were captured for good memories.

For more information, including new dancer sessions starting in the Fall, call
250-376-5636, or email: meyerdance@telus.net.

The benefits of the recreation can be explored at:

https://thompsonvalleystars.squaredance.bc.ca.html

or: www.TakeMeDancing.squaredance.bc.ca

Also, see the online video: www.DancingKeepsYouYoung.ca

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