Canoe polo pass begins with a ball held beside the nearest player's shoulder. He turns across his short red kayak toward a teammate with one hand raised, while a third player watches from farther back. White helmets with wire faceguards and fitted buoyancy vests keep the sporting equipment clearly visible. A suspended goal hangs above the water between them. Behind the court, a brick boathouse, stone bridge and leafy banks give the game a substantial setting rather than an isolated field of action.

The water court action is concentrated in a few connected gestures: the lifted ball, the receiving hand and the direction of the players' faces. Paddles rest across the boats as small splashes and ripples show their recent turns. The suspended goal provides a simple rectangular counterpoint to the low curved hulls. Red, blue and yellow equipment stands out against the reflected green of the trees. Open water in the foreground gives the players room, while the background architecture establishes the sheltered character of this urban recreation basin.