NEW THING #51:
STAND UP PADDLEBOARD
Did you know that there are at least 5 types of water-related fears?
- 1Aquaphobia - fear of water in general
- 2Bathophobia - fear of depths
- 3Kymophobia or Cymophobia - fear of waves
- 4Limnophobia - fear of marshes, swamps, or lakes
- 5Thalassophobia - fear of deep, dark body of water, being far away from land & what might be hiding below the surface
Not to even mention fear of sharks, fish, or human-made objects under the water. Yes, this damn water is dangerous! Am I right?
So with my mild combination of almost all of those fears, I took my time thinking about renting a SUP (you know, those large paddleboards that you stand on).
Stand Up Paddleboard: Getting Ready
So I was watching people paddleboarding, and what I was thinking? There must be a safe and easy way to do it! I need to find a quiet spot where I can paddle not far from the shore, water that's not too deep & so clear I can see all the potential dangers below. That's pretty reasonable, right?
Luckily, we found a perfect place. With the rental shop really close by to the quiet beach with a calm lake. We rented the boards, put the sunscreen & life jackets on. And finally, I DID IT!
How was it?
Way easier than I though.
I mean, let's be realistic - I'm not a Stand Up Paddleboard Pro by any means. I managed to move the board in the direction I wanted it to go, stand up (see the pic), and survive waves caused by boats. And that's a massive win if you ask me!
The awesome part is that you don't need waves or wind to go paddleboarding. And it's becoming so popular that it's really easy to rent a SUP and give it a try. So that's a good part.
What I did NOT manage to do is to feel relaxed.
Because let's be honest, those damn fears are something to be worked on. But I can totally see myself having way more fun with it next time.
Because sometimes trying new things is not all fun and rock&roll right from the start. But I think that the more intentional I am about being more playful, the easier it is to be "less professional" with stuff that is supposed to be fun. Well, it's work in progress for sure!
Now, raise your hand if you have fears that sneak up on you when you're simply trying to be playful.
What you need to know before going paddleboarding
Obviously, I'm no expert, but these are just a couple of pointers I figured out:
- Observe people doing it first or ask someone to give you a lesson
- Start in calm water (as little wind & waves as possible)
- Watch out for the fin in shallow water
- The board is quite big, so it's pretty easy to keep it afloat
- Start in a kneeling position (hey, it's awesome even if that's all you do)
- Only if once you are ready, start standing up. The way to do it is a bit similar to doing a downward standing dog pose and trying to stand up from there. It's all about balance
- Keep your feet parallel, not in a surfboard position
- Watch out for the waves
- It's no shame in going back to kneeling or sitting whenever you feel tired or just don't feel safe
- Try to relax & have fun (even if water is scary AF)