PADDLE BOARDING



My neighbor Kim and I went out on a day that turned out to be about 105 --we're in the middle of a heat wave-- and like all water classes, they love to have you stand out in the hot sun, mere feet from delicious cool water, while they keep telling you things that you need to know at some time, but not necessarily right now, like which boards are best, and how you can rent the good boards once you complete the class. After we stood there sweating and dying, one of the young whippersnappers had heat stroke, so they let us all jump in the water for a minute, and then went back to the lesson after they took care of her. There are only a few things to know about paddle boarding: where to put your feet on the board, which way to hold the paddle, (it has a front and a back) and use your core to paddle rather than your arms. There's one more lesson which is how to turn the board over in the water if you fall off and turn it over, but that's really on-the-water training. So why did we have to stand out in the sun for an hour, especially me in my hot shirt?

 Once we got out on the water it was fun. Nobody fell. All of us jumped in, several times, during the course of our evening, because did I mention it was HOT?

 

After talking about it for two years, I finally made it out this year to learn to do stand up  boarding.  This is where you use a board that is pretty much like an old fashioned windsurfer board, except with a very short fin in the back, instead of the two footer daggerbpard a windsurfer has, and you stand up on it and paddle.  I've watched people do it in Hawaii, and it doesn't look all that difficult, especially since it appears to me that the hardest part is balancing on the board, and I should be able to do that after windsurfing.  I'd like to windsurf again, but I'm afraid it would be too much for my shoulder, especially since the last time I tried, about 7 years ago when I didn't have any shoulder problems, the wind just whipped the boom out of my hand. I guess there's something to be said for staying in shape.  

But I digress

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CSUS has an aquatic center which is a bit of a secret, but it's open to the general public.  You can take a class for $45, less if you're a student or alumnus,  and beyond the obvious benefit of learning how to do something, the best part is that you get a certificate that says you're an expert and allows you to rent the good equipment when you go out there instead of the schlocky stuff.  And if you look like an old lady like I do, a nice strong young man will also launch and put the boards away for you.  Age hath its privileges.  

I'm relaxed and comfortable on the board, even if it doesn't look like it.  It is obviously time for me to get a swimsuit that covers more of my fat up, though.  Notice the long sleeved shirt.  This feels good once it gets wet, keeps you cool standing up.  Thought I'd die when we were standing around in the sun dry getting directions.  

Kim is a natural.  No matter how hard I paddle, I'm working to get where she glides.  Maybe 12 years age difference helps?

Cruising down the lake

Here she is cruising, and I'm rapidly getting too far away to take a picture.  

Kim and I went out again about three days later. This time it was kind of windy, which meant we had a really nice time going out, went a lot farther than the first time, and worked our butts off getting back in against the wind. And again, Kim was always 6 board lengths head of me, looking relaxed while I'm working like a slave in the hold of a viking ship.

Paddling into the sunset