Goal: Enjoying a new challenge…
Last month I was successful in completing Bucket List #5! On May 15th I tried Stand-Up Paddle Boarding!! (holding for applause… applause… applause…) I really have Leslie to thank for it because when she read it on my list back in April, she was immediately on the war-path to making it happen ASAP… mostly for her own selfish desire to try it then for the benefit of my bucket list, but regardless, it got us movin’ on doing the research for it and setting up the date. It turned out that one of the owners of Yoga Loft (the little yoga studio I work at) is a SUP stud and was trying to promote his little side business of SUP lessons. Well we immediately jumped on that opportunity and got really excited and pumped up doing all kinds of reading on the subject and renting our wet-suits… it was seeming like this was going to be such an exciting adventure up until the morning of the event. Suddenly the idea of jumping into the freezing cold, murky, rough pacific seemed like a bad idea. Had I forgotten all about the fact that I have a very abrasive love-hate relationship with the ocean? I get violently sea-sick and sea creatures and I would have a war of epic proportions if we ever crossed paths… I would mother-f**king ninja chop a jelly fish if it got near me! So now I’m in my little apartment a few blocks from where I would embark on the “adventure” and I’m really thinking of reconsidering. I thought about it though, and figured, more than anything, I did want to let Leslie down… so I walked down to meet up with our little SUP group only to find that Leslie looked a little uncertain too! Sheesh!
Here’s the good news. Fred, our SUP instructor, was super rad. Total beach rat, ex-lifeguard, world adventurer, super-dad extraordinaire. He was totally supportive and understanding of our concerns and was great! Best part about him: When we were gearing up, why did he strap a diving knife around his waist!? I was like, “Hell YES! Take that, crazy ass Jellies and Sharks… but mostly sharks!” I felt immediately better about the sea creature part.
Leslie, went first and was totally awesome! She totally got the hang of it right away and looked like a pro… sort of. I have to say that there were times that she would go flying off the board like a spaz and Myra and I almost dies laughing… but hey, at least we were having fun! I went next and I was surprised at how warm the wet-suit actually kept me. I wasn’t cold at all! After spending a few (very few) minutes learning the basics near the shore with Fred, we hit the waves (large tubes of water rushing at the shore) to get out past the break (the area that is semi-calm before the waves start forming). This was the hardest part. I felt like we were swimming forever, not to mention that the largest board know to man is strapped to my ankle. No joke, this thing is 8 feet long and 2.5 feet wide, and is a beast to maneuver! Finally we got out to the break and I got to spend about 30 minutes trying my knack at SUP-ing. It was exhausting to get back on every time I fell off, but I started to get the hang of keeping my balance when I was up. The core workout was awesome and definitely part of what I could really see as appealing about the sport, but about 20 minutes in the more obvious problem began to take over… I was getting sea-sick (very sad face). I half-expected it, but not so soon. I think it was just the rolling nature of the break area, and for most of the time I spent sitting on the board you’re just out there bobbing around. It sucked! I was so disappointed that this was going to have to end really fast if I didn’t want to attract a pack of dolphins that I was sure to lear our way with the amount of puking I would inevitably do in about…. (three…two…one…), “Fred!!! We need to go back in… NOW!” I yelled. I felt bad because I think he thought at first that I wasn’t having fun or that I was scared. I explained quickly that this could get ugly pretty fast, and he in turn said the same for the fact that we just had to jump on the boards and ride the gauntlet in! Yikes… that was intense! Totally got destroyed coming in, but nothing beats the feeling of solid land for a person that gets severely sea-sick. It’s Heaven!
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Our little instructor Fred!
In the long run, I had a lot of fun and I’m really glad I tried it! I would totally do it again under these conditions: 1) It’s sunny out... it seems like the gloomy weather adds to the psyche and under nicer circumstances, things would feel “brighter”; 2) I didn’t have to wear a life vest… did I mention that? Well we did, and I get why… he doesn’t know how we swim so he was just being safe… but ugh! That did not help when you’re trying to hoist yourself back up the board everytime; 3) I took just one Dramamine, wore my bracelets, or got the patch for motion sickness. I would rather be a little more tired after then feel that feeling… it’s just awful!
Anyway, overall really excited to be able to check off another 30 bucket list item!
#5…check!
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