T-SAR’s All-Female Crew Joins Epic Dragon Boat Crossing of Lake Ontario for a Worthy Cause

This morning, Toronto Search and Rescue Marine (T-SAR) proudly mustered an all-female crew aboard TSAR 2 to meet and escort a truly remarkable mission—a historic dragon boat crossing of Lake Ontario. The event marks the first time an all-women's dragon boat team has paddled the open water route from Niagara-on-the-Lake to Toronto.

The dragon boat team, was escorted from Niagara On the Lake Sailing Club, beginning at 4:30am by the GAMRU South Shore Search And Rescue—a fellow CCGA unit based in the Niagara region. The paddlers set off from Niagara and made their way across Lake Ontario under challenging open-water conditions. TSAR 2 rendez-vous'd with the dragon boat at the northwest corner of the CAN/USA border, to relieve GAMRU (who returned to base) and to provide escort and safety coverage for the northern half of the journey into Toronto Harbour.

"We were cheering back and forth at one point in a way that only women cheer for other women," said T-SAR crew member Jenny Green.

The paddlers themselves couldn't stop referring to the T-SAR crew as the "badass Coast Guard women", a title proudly worn by our team that day.

Having an all-female CCGA escort was not only meaningful to the dragon boat team—it was a moment of recognition, unity, and celebration of women supporting women, both on the water and in service to their communities.

This paddle is not just a physical feat—it's a mission with heart. The team is raising funds for Options for Independent Living & Development (OFILD), a Hamilton-based registered charity that offers housing and support services to individuals with developmental disabilities.

"I'm very glad we were there to experience it. I've been working in search and rescue for 4 years now and was very happy to have experienced something like this, as there hasn't been such an event before in my experience in SAR" Said Coxswain Maya Kozieja "I think there was this bond that was formed between our boat and theirs just from participating together. I felt this fierce need to protect them whenever another boater was making unpredictable, dangerous moves towards them"

Branded under the banner of CLOsure2025, the event brings together a phenomenal group of women from dragon boat clubs and communities across Southern Ontario, including Burlington, Dundas, Hamilton, Mt. Hope, Mississauga, and regional Niagara areas such as St. Catharines, Welland, Niagara Falls, Fort Erie, and more.

Their goal? To complete an epic, cross-lake journey and make a difference for those who call OFILD home.

"This is an arduous challenge, but our team is incredibly determined to make it happen for OFILD Housing & Support," the organizers shared. "Your donation will have a profound impact on the lives of special adults who reside at OFILD."

T-SAR is honoured to play a small but vital part in ensuring this momentous event is conducted safely. We salute the courage, commitment, and strength of every woman paddling today and encourage our community to support this powerful initiative.

Learn more or donate at www.OFILD.ca or visit CLOsure2025 on Facebook to follow the journey and show your support.

Let's unite in celebration of women in service, sport, and community—and help make CLOsure2025 a day to remember.