During the Dragon Boat Race: Lightnings Strike!!!

We were waiting for ages before we could get on the boat. They said there were lightnings and thunderstorms five miles away. In fact, we could see and hear it. After 30 minutes, we finally got to get on with our second race (we came seventh out of thirteen teams in the heat by the way, not bad). We began to paddle to the starting line, it was pouring rain, and after 200m or so we were told that we had to paddle back to the dock because of the thunderstorm. We were kind of cool and chill to begin with, until the steerer at the back yelled "Do not panic!!! Drummer, keep your head down!!" The scariest moment came when the lightning literally stroke right next to us, I could see it on the my left with my peripheral vision. No kidding, it was a very close call and I was terrified. Then everyone just clicked and paddled really hard, we were all in syn, paddling for our lives, trying to get back to the dock as fast as we could. I've never paddled THAT fast in my life! By the time we got back to our canopy, the Potomac River had already turned into an angry sea, and it was raining so hard that we had to stay under our canopy for at least 10 minutes. In the end, we were just so grateful that we were not stroke by lightnings.
What a lucky escape!