Ever driven along Storrow or Memorial Drive and seen the boats that look like canoes? The ones filled with people plunging their paddles in the river and cutting through that dirty water? Ever asked yourself how you could be one of those rowers? By joining the Dragon Boat Club at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

The UMass Boston club is a part of the Dragon Boat Club of Boston, meaning a student joining will not be on a team filled with just UMass Boston students, but with other people from the Boston area. And they’ll be joining an already-accomplished group.

“We went to Boston, Chicago, Hartford, Pawtucket, and Philadelphia last year and won medals in every competition,” said UMass Boston student Mike Murphy, head of the UMass Boston Dragon Boat Club and one of the few students on the team. Murphy has been with the team for about a year and describes the club as a great way to exercise, get outdoors, and meet people.

Competitions are not just races for medals; they are festivals with music, food, dancing, and vendors. The next is the Boston Dragon Boat Festival on June 8 and 9. The festival features a 500-meter race in the Charles River where 30-40 teams from the US and Canada will be competing.

It’s too late for newcomers to be part of that competition but the club has several more on their schedule.

With UMass Boston sponsoring the club, membership is free for students. Practices are Tuesday and Thursday at 6 p.m. and Sundays at 10 a.m. To see race videos and a season recap, check out the Dragon Boat Club of Boston youtube channel. Interested students should email [email protected].