Enjoying a first-time glide on a paddleboard
Nothing says summer like super-fun water sports. Surfing, jet skiing, kayaking, tubing, dragon-boat racing, and paddleboarding are some of the many water sports to choose from. Personally, I love water sports very much. The first time I took a canoe ride was several years ago out in the Marsh Lake area. For the most part, the canoe ride was fun, but then heading back to the boat launch I might have caused the canoe to capsize and plunge myself into the water. However, that little incident did not deter me from going back to water sports.
Lately, paddleboarding has become quite trendy. Not only can you glide across the water on a paddleboard, but doing yoga on paddleboards has become a much-talked-about and Instagrammable experience. While I am no stranger to yoga, I am a stranger to paddleboarding. So, I thought it best just to focus on the basics for my first time trying it.
(Paddleboarding 101 for Noobs)
- First thing to consider is wind. If you are a paddleboard noob, then you want to be in calm waters. Wind should be below 10 kilometres per hour. Less wind will allow you to balance better, and balance is definitely key when on a paddleboard.
- Second thing to consider is size. You want a paddle board that is wide, so this way you can better familiarize yourself with what standing on it feels like.
- Third thing: don’t try to be a know-it-all. It may look easy getting on a paddleboard and floating calmly across the water, but I can assure you it is not that easy.
Your first task is to set your paddleboard’s handle height. The handles are adjustable. You want it to be no higher than six inches above your head. The paddle is key, so you need enough handle space to guide your paddle in long strokes. - Fourth: you tether yourself to your board. Next, you want to start by getting on the board in an upright kneeling position. By doing this, it is a bit easier to balance yourself, as well as to become familiar with the paddling motion. Once you get the hang of it, you can start to slowly stand up. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart for the best balance.
For myself, I would say that the paddling part went well. I managed to stay on the board (looking cool with my shades on) and staying in perfect balance. I was even able to go from standing to sitting down on it, and just hanging out in the water for a bit and enjoying the view. The only part that was challenging for me was getting on the board. I did flip myself over a few times. Not a great experience, especially when you wear glasses … but I was determined to get on that board. Once I did manage to get on successfully, all was well. Next up, definitely going to try paddleboard yoga and the party paddleboard experience, which is a larger board that can fit four to six people.
