Summer Bucket List: Stand Up Paddle Boarding!
A few weeks ago I shared my Summer Bucket List and one of the things on the list was to go stand up paddle boarding. This week I checked it off the list! Y’all should probably know a couple of things about me before I tell you about my SUP adventures…
1. I am willing to try almost anything at least once. There is not guarantee I will be any good, but I am at least willing to try!
2. I am not the most coordinated person and I am not even going to elaborate further on this because it will not help anyone’s perception of me lol!
We got off to a little bit of a rocky start as my sister’s paddle got away from us and I had zero ability to steer my paddle board in the direction of her wayward paddle. After eventually collecting the paddle we navigated our way out from the dock and out into the open waters of the bay. It was time to check this activity off the summer bucket list!
What I quickly learned about SUP is that I should probably not enter any competitions any time soon! Here’s what was going through my mind while we were heading out…
Where in the world is my paddle supposed to go to steer me in the right direction?
How in the world am I supposed to keep up with the rest of these girls who seem to be cruising along like professionals?
How do I avoid running into any one of the boats docked along the channel?
Is my sunscreen wearing off or am I still protected from turning as red as a lobster?
How do I stay balanced so I don’t tip to one side or the other?
And then a boat approaches. At the same time as all of these thoughts are swirling through my mind. People this is going to be a problem because I was so busy thinking I didn’t even notice what trails behind a boat.
It’s wake.
Y’all as soon as I hit the wake I toppled right into the water and came up sputtering! But here’s what’s important to note…I managed to keep my sunglasses on!
But I recovered, got back up and back out into the water. And it was going okay until we tried to navigate back into to the dock to return our paddle boards. And I once again toppled right into the water. Like fifteen feet away from being safely back on land. Ugghh!
After my second time falling into the water, my sister looked at me and asked, “Why do you try to catch yourself with your face?” Well I surely wasn’t trying to catch myself with my face, but remember how I said I’m not super coordinated? I don’t know how to catch myself any other way!
Despite falling into the water twice, I had a good time and I would definitely try it again!
Have you tried SUP before? Do you have any tips for me? Any other outdoor summer-time activities you’d recommend adding to the summer bucket list?
11 Comments
Lisa
Haha! I so try to catch myself with my face as well. I once caught myself with my face on a towbar. Good on you for doing the bucket list thing btw – those sorts of experiences make for a life well lived.
jmdenouden@gmail.com
Glad to know I’m not the only one who catches myself with my face!
Seana Turner
At least you tried it — I’m too chicken. Not because I think I couldn’t do it, but I know I would wipe out a couple of times, and the water in CT is TOO COLD for me!
jmdenouden@gmail.com
That would be way too cold…definitely another reason to be thankful I live in SoCal!
Akaleistar
I’ve never tried it, but it sounds like it could be fun 🙂
jmdenouden@gmail.com
Definitely worth trying at least once!
Madaline
AHHH this is one thing I really want to try! However, I’m deathly afraid of sharks… !
jmdenouden@gmail.com
There is no way I could do this if I was in water that had sharks!!! I was in sharkless water!
Caroline
This is so fun!! I’ve done it twice, the 2nd time was SUP yoga!!!! It was so fun!!
Jamie Cody
I would love to try it! I’m going to start working on a bucket list and this will be on it, along with learning to surf………… Only, there is no surfing here in OK.
jmdenouden@gmail.com
If you ever come to CA come and visit me because I live in Huntington Beach which is known as Surf City USA!