Highland water shinty

To be perfectly honest, I've no idea what this game is called, who was playing it, or why. It seems to take place once a year on the bit of the canal between the Muirton Locks and the road swing bridge. I tentatively call it shinty, as it has some violent aspects, with canoes charging each other, and paddles flailing. There seemed to be  a few warnings for unsporting conduct. It may be a unisex sport, though it was hard to tell.