Marina Open To Dragon Boats Only In Daylight

Watersport activities should always be carried out in visible light, not darkness.

Dragon boat training or activities are thus not allowed in the Marina Reservoir after 7pm or in darkness.

The Singapore Dragon Boat Association (SDBA) - which has most dragon boat enthusiasts as its members - received the reminder notice from national water agency PUB on Dec 23.

PUB's catchment and waterways director, Mr Tan Nguan Sen, said the notice updates the current one that says all recreational activities such as kayaking, canoeing and dragonboating must end by 7pm for all waterways and reservoirs, when visibility becomes low.

Mr Tan said: 'The safety of the participants is of paramount importance.'

The notice comes in the wake of a water-activities masterplan. A waterfront loop of nearly 12km is being built around the Kallang Basin, Marina Bay, and Marina Channel where there will be a one-km race course.

The notice to SDBA, its president, Rear Admiral (Retired) Kwek Siew Jin said, is a reminder to those who frequent Singapore's waterways.

It has been listed on its website http://www.sdba.org.sg/, for its 120 affiliate members.

These include schools, government agencies and sports clubs, which reach out to most dragon boat enthusiasts in Singapore, said Mr Kwek.

A routine reminder is sent out every now and then, since new rowers join all the time.

'We just want them to be aware of the rule,' he said.

Manager Isaac Ferdaus, 31, a dragon boat team member for the last six years, said he is not affected.

Boat rentals from SDBA are only possible from 10am to 6pm, and only the rare few who don't use SDBA's boats might be affected, he said.

SDBA has also advised dragon boat rowers to take up personal insurance coverage.