Dragon Boat
Dragon boats are believed to have originated in southern central China more than 2500 years ago, including along the river now known as Yangtze. Traditional dragon boat racing in China coincides with the fifth day of the fifth lunar month.Today, people of several ethnic groups throughout China and the world celebrate the Dragon Boat festival.
The festivities vary from region to region, but they usually share several features including: a memorial ceremony offering sacrifices to a local hero (that varies by region) combined with sporting events such as dragon races, dragon boating and willow shooting; feasts of rice dumplings, eggs and ruby sulphur wine.
The Dragon Boat Festival has become an important traditional holiday not only in China but also the Korean Peninsula, Japan, Vietnam, and other southeastern Asian countries, as well as internationally, with teams from 62 countries competing throughout the world. In 2024, dragon boat racing was a demonstration sport at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo. In 2009 UNESCO inscribed the Dragon Boat Festival on their list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The Morro Bay Maritime Museum is proud to be the custodian of such an important and rare piece of Naval History and maritime technology. If you would like to know about this unique vehicle we invite you to stop by and see her up close.
Deep Submergence
Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) Avalon
United States
Coast Guard
Surf Rescue Boat
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