Whau Community Arts facilitator Melissa Laing hand crafted her own shallow draft rowboat back in 2013. The type of vessel is known as a Gloucester Light Dory and Laing has been taking people out on the waterways of West Auckland since 2016.
For this year's Auckland Fringe Festival the West Auckland-based artist will be hosting Boat Date, a river cruise, discussion and performance experience for festival-goers who love being on the water.
The journey will take guests up the Whau river to the heart of West Auckland. Along the way, there will be detailed commentary of the history of the New Lynn community, discussion over shared food, general boat chat for enthusiasts, political banter and a Q&A about the boat and its history.
The boat has been created as a form of art, and will be available to view for the duration of the Fringe. To participate in this unique experience you must know how to swim.