Coral Sea Outrigger Canoe Club

There are many things that bring us together on a canoe.  There is a mutual and deep love for the ocean and how she makes us feel.  There is a strong feeling of family (Ohana), of connection, cohesion and togetherness.  There are amazing opportunities to travel the world to paddle in extraordinary places, with extraordinary people.  There is a pride and loyalty unsurpassed, when the team operates as one unit, whether on, or off, the water.  Paddling brings people together.

We mentioned 'Ohana', the Hawaiian word for 'Family'.  There is also a spirit within our sport.  The spirit of 'Mana'.  In oceanic cultures, 'Mana' is the spiritual life force energy or healing power that permeates the universe in Melanesian and Polynesian mythology.  There is a sense of peace, tranquility and calmness when we embrace both Ohana and Mana in our lives, but particularly when we come together in our sport.

We must treat our canoes with the respect they deserve.  We don't step over the canoes, nor do we stand up in the canoes (if you want to keep good Karma in your life).  Always enter the canoe from the side of the ama (the left side when the canoe is facing the water).  Please don't swear or curse in the canoes.  If you do, please very humbly, apologise to her.  When we approach the beach, we should do so at slow speed, stop gently at the shore and avoid dragging the canoes across the abrasive sand.  The canoes are always placed forward-facing the ocean.  We should sit in a canoe, only when the canoe is in the water.  Protect and care for your paddle by not digging it in to the sand.  After we have finished paddling, an important part of the protection of our canoes and gear is to wash them with fresh water and place covers on them, where possible.

In terms of each other, every person in our club deserves to be valued and respected.  This encompasses the language and tone we use, the way we treat each other, the way we speak about each other.  We are all unique, we all have differences, we have different reasons for paddling, but we come together for the same purpose week in, week out.  We come together because we love the ocean and we love paddling.  

We upload our Code of Conduct here as it needs to be read from time to time to refresh our memories.  When life gets in the way and clouds our day, we sometimes need that little jolt to bring us back down to participating in our sport with respect.

Thank you for reading this document and abiding by it.