Adventure in Paddleboarding
What’s your favorite summer activity? Nine years ago, I was introduced to one that I fell in love with, but took me years to learn… stand-up paddleboarding (SUP). My family and I were in Vieques off the coast of Puerto Rico, and a guide took my children and me into a remote cove with calm waters as smooth as glass. I precariously stood up on the board, found my “sea legs”, and without the fury of ocean waves, or even a mild current, the paddleboarding experience was quiet, Zen and introspective. As a good swimmer, I didn’t concern myself with falling overboard, as I could easily have motored my way to the shore. The placid ease with which we transported ourselves around the quiet cove with views of lush palm trees, tropical flowers, white sand beach and crystalline water was utterly mesmerizing.
Fast forward four years to Provincetown harbor, the next time I rented a paddleboard. I am not sure why it took me so long….was I intimidated by rougher waters? Did I lose confidence in my ability to balance? Whatever the reason, I finally found the guts to rent from a local outfitter, accompanied by a friend who, intelligently, decided to rent a kayak. The skies and water were a brilliant blue, but there was a significant wind blowing. Let’s just say, this was not the Zen experience of 4 years earlier in Vieques. The Provincetown harbor was dotted with sailboats and motorboats. Each time the wind blew, the waves lapped against the sides of the boats….all of a sudden my paddleboard felt like a BOSU ball on marbles. Several times I tried to rise from my knees to a standing position and fell overboard. Thankfully, my ankle strap prevented my board from washing out into Cape Cod Bay. I then “brilliantly” realized that when I stood, my body was like a sail that thrust me out into the depths of the harbor. As I cautiously lowered my body to a kneeling position, and just as I started to get a grasp on controlling my board, the Coast Guard stopped by and asked me if I was alright. When I turned to speak with them, my board again hurled itself into the open harbor. I growled under my breath, “I would have been except you made me turn myself into a human sail”. At that point, I got on my seat, and paddled my way back to shore. In hindsight, the Coast Guard may have been concerned that a few rogue great white sharks, now more common, were roaming the harbor and may have been searching for a snack.
Fast forward three years to last summer….the P-town experience was traumatic for my ego, but I really wanted to try SUP again. A local yoga teacher was offering a SUP yoga series on Forge Pond in Westford for which I did finally get the courage to register. The large pond is not quiet, and has motorboats creating wakes that rock the paddleboards. However, our skilled teacher had us paddle into a quiet cove where we were able to protect ourselves from rough waters. There, I conquered my fear of paddleboarding by slowly folding myself into yoga postures on a 3 foot wide paddleboard. Over four weeks, I was able to get enough confidence to not fear the tremor of the board as my body discovered its “pond legs.”
Fast forward to this summer…I received an inflatable paddleboard for Christmas. I had my first experience two weeks ago on a peaceful summer morning on White Pond. Although the water was calm, I stood up, legs shaking a little as I accustomed myself to my new board. This was my nascent adventure on the pond, and I was determined to ease into it. As time went on, I got more comfortable. I paddled myself into small inlets that I had never known existed, discovered a variety of fluorescent fish hovering around my board, heard and saw birds that I had never noticed. I stopped to talk to a fisherman about his daily catch, and chatted briefly with a swimmer and another paddleboarder eager to find early morning tranquility at the pond. Finally, after 9 years, I experienced the adventure I was seeking…..a calm and uplifting activity which provides me with both good exercise and a different view of the world. “Paddleboards ahoy!”