Dragon Boat West

Hey Everyone,

5 of my paddlers got sick this weekend and we think that the False Creek water may have been a factor.

One paddler got in touch with the health inspector at the Vancouver Coastal Health Region and suggested that in future, water contact events in the Creek be required to supply hand washing stations for the participants. The health inspector agreed that it was a good idea but asked that we give her an indication of how many people actually got ill where water contact may have been a factor.

So, I thought I'd put it out there and see if anyone else may have had a similar experience as our team did. Feel free to pm me if you're not up to posting! :)  

cheers,
bella

i was a little sick on saturday night but i thought it was due to me running around in the rain.

Hmmm.....I wasn't sick but then again I drank enough alcohol to kill the bacteria  :shock:

I'm sure hand sanitation stations would be helpful, but I doubt it would solve the problem of paddling in a lake where the "chloriform" or something like that forgot what it's called is like 100x higher then the safe limit.

Almost everyone knows how infested with bacteria the creek is and how we're basically paddling in sewage. It sucks that we have to.

But yeah... sanitation stations would help. I've gotten sick from the creek I believe multiple times already. Occasions where my water bottle got in false creek water and I end up getting a sore throat the next day. I've gotten ear infections, eye infections... you name it. I kinda just accepted it as a matter of fact.

 Vancouver should clean up False Creek. Dono if that will ever happen tho. It's kinda sad tho... for us to be living in a city as beautiful as Vancouver, and have one of our bigger creeks or well water "facilities" to be in the condition of a third world country. It's sad... very sad...

I've been sick all week. Total loss of energy, fever, stomach, headache etc...
Sucks after such an awesome week-end.

Not sure if it was from the festival, but didn't hit me until Tues!  Was stuck in bed the entire day!  Not sure what it peaked at, when I checked I was a couple degrees over 100.7°F.  Absolutely miserable!  Tylenol and cold packs were my best friends that day!

After being around False Creek water for 4 years, I believe I have developed an immunity to it somehow.  :lol:  

However, I do occasionally get sick from it. I would love if we could clean it up somehow. Until then, I think handsanitizers are an excellent idea!

now if only there was a way to keep it out of our mouths and off our faces during messy starts.  :?

Wrap yourself up in a bubble. Like bubble boy.

haha that would give a new meaning to rotate now wouldn't it  :P

I got hucked overboard and fully submerged during my last practice before Alcan.  I didn't get sick  :D

yeah it was pretty disgusting.

i bet you smelled just lovely

 :sick:  :eh:

sick of study'n for exams... couldn't enjoy the festival
while racing, for each stroke i was recalling bio terms T_T