A long-standing Thanksgiving Day weekend tradition saw paddlers take to the waters of Bedford Channel to grab floating pumpkins and bags of cranberries on Saturday, Oct. 12 in Fort Langley.
As the Cranberry Races, hosted by the Fort Langley Canoe Club's (FLCC) Voyageur Division, got underway that morning, Denise Arbuckle, the club commodore was explaining the event was in concert with the annual Cranberry Festival.
"It's just for the fun of racing," Arbuckle told the Langley Advance Times.
"We've done it for at least 14 years, 15 years, as far as I can remember."
For Cranberry Festival the Fort Langley Canoe Club is holding Voyageur races in Bedford Channel. They are the people who paddle canoes to the historic fort during Brigades Day. pic.twitter.com/nXKd4JX4ah
— Langley Advance Times (@LangleyTimes) October 12, 2024
Teams of 10 paddlers competed in the morning to decide their placing before the afternoon, when the pumpkin drop and cranberry juice run events took place.
Competitors had to retrieve pumpkins while paddling from marker to marker – and each crew had to have a member jump out of the canoe to get a glass of cranberry juice and carry it on their paddle, without spilling, to a spot where they could exchange the juice for a bag of cranberries.
"A lot of the local dragon boat teams come down and it's their last regatta of the season," Arbuckle said.
"And then we have some local groups that like to join in as well."
A team of young paddlers from the Fort Langley Canoe Kayak Club emerged as the overall winners.
Full results can be viewed at https://www.fortlangleycanoeclub.ca/cranberry-races.
FLCC, which paddles Voyager canoes, dragon boats and outrigger canoes, has more than 600 members, and has been in operation for more than 30 years.
"It's a big family," Arbuckle commented.
"Getting out on the water is so peaceful and calming. And it's something that we enjoy."
