Dragon Boat in Shenyang?

[lakesandrivers]

Is there really no such club? It would be so ironic, if indeed so.

I have dragonboated for 13 years across Singapore, Sydney and Melbourne only to stop upon arriving in China.

[abcdefg]

If they exist, they probably have a WeChat group. Maybe someone else who is better with Chinese social media can tell you how to check. 

[Publius]

China is a hugely diverse country, both geographically and culturally. Dragon boat is a southern thing. You're not likely to find it in Shenyang. On the other hand, you have a lot of Jiaozi, which isn't such a big deal in, say, Guangzhou.

[feihong]

I must be uniquely qualified to respond to this as both a native of Shenyang and avid dragonboater. Being quite familiar with Shenyang's weather, I have to say that this is not the season for dragonboating, unless it's unseasonably warm to the extreme. That said, just searching for 沈阳龙舟比赛 in Google yields a lot of results, so it's safe to say there's plenty of opportunities for dragonboating during warmer months. You apparently missed out on their big annual race which was held on September 22.

 

If you do decide to do water sports, be much more diligent about cleaning your hands after you get out of the water. Water pollution has been a big problem in Shenyang for years. Bring a bottle of hand sanitizer with you. I would not bring a conventional water bottle with me, as that could get contaminated when put at the bottom of the boat. I've never used one personally, but a hydration pack seems like a good idea. I guess see what the other people in the boat are doing and copy the ones who aren't having coughing fits.

 

I hope you enjoy your stay in Shenyang! It is an underappreciated Chinese city. Great food, culture, and history, but admittedly kinda terrible if you don't speak Chinese. Maybe it's changed, but the Western expat community doesn't seem very large. I can't give you any recommendations since things change so quickly and I haven't lived there for years, but make a few local friends and they'll show you some good spots.