Joanna's Joy On Display at Morro Bay Maritime Museum

On April 16, 2025, Morro Bay Maritime Museum (MBMM) volunteers and Central Coast SurviveOars (CCSO) paddlers gathered to celebrate the completion of the Joanna’s Joy dragon boat exhibit at the museum. MBMM volunteer Roger Allen performed the ceremonial ‘Dotting of the Eyes’ to awaken the dragon, giving Joanna’s Joy the power to bring good fortune, health and prosperity to the community. 

CCDBA retired Joanna’s Joy and donated her to the museum in 2022. Museum volunteers worked diligently to get permission from the city for display space, design and build a display, clean and shine the boat, and create permanent signs to inform visitors of the history of dragon boats and Joanna’s Joy. After joyfully carrying paddlers from 2009 to 2022, this special dragon boat will now delight visitors to the Morro Bay Embarcadero; she is displayed next to the busy road to Morro Rock. 

CCSO founder Rose Marie Battaglia shared information about Joanna Frawley, namesake and donor of Joanna’s Joy:

“Today, we gather to marvel at the new home of our beloved Joanna’s Joy and to honor its namesake, a truly remarkable woman, Joanna Frawley.

Joanna was many things: intelligent, accomplished, humble, and full of joy. She was a woman who made her mark on the world quietly but powerfully. She held a degree in physical chemistry and went on to do pioneering work in computer programming at the Pentagon and later at Aerospace Corporation. At a time when women in tech were few and far between, Joanna didn’t just participate; she led.

However, It was not her amazing life and pioneering spirit that Joanna would share. Rather, she shared  her love of the water, of this team, and of being in the boat with her SurviveOars community.

Joanna was radiant in the boat and on the water; giddy with happiness as the boat cut through the water. Always ready to help, to adapt, and to encourage others, she brought not just strength and skill, but a spirit that lifted everyone around her. When you were with Joanna, you knew you were in the presence of greatness; not because she told you, but because you felt it.

That’s why it comes as no surprise to us that she left behind a bequest that made our second dragon boat possible. It’s a gift that speaks not just to her generosity, but to how deeply she cherished being part of this community. She didn’t just paddle with us; she believed in us. And now, thanks to her, we grow, thrive, and welcome even more survivors into this healing, empowering space.

Joanna's legacy lives on in every stroke we take. Her memory is in the rhythm of our paddles and the strength of our team. And with every race, every practice, and every moment of joy on the water, we carry her spirit with us, and her unwavering belief in the power of our community.

So it is with great pride and joy that we show our appreciation to this display of Joanna’s Joy. We thank the Maritime Museum for their work in memorializing Joanna’s Joy which will forever be connected to our dear friend and fellow paddler.” –Rose Marie Battaglia