I spent the past week in Ocean City, Maryland with my family. We swam in the ocean, walked the boardwalk, flew kites on the beach, went crabbing and had lots of fun together. For me, the highlight of the trip was the morning I snuck away and took a Stand Up Paddle Boarding lesson. I have wanted to try SUP
for a few years now, but never got around to it--until now!
I did a little search on Google and found
Walk on Water SUP company. I gave them a call to get their schedule and choose a Wednesday morning class. I got up and got dressed for the class while everyone was still sleeping. I quietly snuck out of the house--nervous but excited! I was not sure what to wear so I wore my swimsuit with capris and a tech shirt over top.
It was a chilly, windy morning. As I pulled up to the meetup location, I could see the rising sun shining off the bay. The group had already gathered and we got started. After a brief lesson on
shore, it was time to get started. The instructor asked for someone to volunteer to get into the water first. I looked around--no one else volunteered, so I did! I kicked off my flip flops, took a deep breath and climbed down on the floating pier. This was it--it was time for me to SUP! The instructor told me to slide on my knees from the pier to the board. I was very wobbly at first, but I found my balance and started paddling into deeper water. As the rest of the group got on their boards and paddled out, I was starting to get the hang of paddling. Then came the scariest part--standing up. The instructor told us the easiest way to stand up. I was most nervous when it was my turn to stand up, but I did it.
The instructor was great. As we paddled, we gave us tips and tricks, but did not criticize. He made his students feel comfortable and confident. I was very unsteady for the first half of the lesson, but I caught the hang of it quickly. My biggest tip for someone new to SUP is to never stop moving! The instructor kept telling us to keep moving, keep moving--it is easier stay standing on the board if you are moving. Boy was he right! The morning was very windy. A big gust came and my board came to a stand still. I came very close to falling off the board several times, but when the wind stopping me in my tracks--it almost did me it! From that time on, I learned to paddle harder and faster when the wind blew.
As the hour lesson came to a close, it was time to go back to the pier. I was sad my lesson was over, but I was so proud of myself for what I did. A few years ago, I never would have had the confidence to even give SUP a try. If I had never started my weight loss journey and never started running, I would never have given this a try and I would have miss out on an amazing experience. I still can not believe that I did not fall, not even once! After my lesson, I felt like I got a good work but I was not sore. The only part of me a little sore was my toes--from gripping the board so hard. I am so happy that I gave SUP a try. I can not wait to go back for another lesson next time I visit OCMD!
Have you ever tried SUP? How did it go?
A dream is a wish...
--Amy
