EXPLORING THE SHORE with Kellie Larson
Explore the Shore
My second lesson to tackle was SUP – Stand-Up Paddle Boarding.
I have read about it over and over in Channel, and I have said to friends over and over how much I want to try it. Yet, over a year later I still hadn’t done it.I don’t know why (okay – it was a bit of nerves), but it was just one of those things that I knew I would continue to put off, if I didn’t just jump in and do it. The location: Stand Up Takapuna – a new store that provides rentals and lessons for all things SUP on Takapuna Beach.
And, to ease the pressure of trying something new, I lured my friend to come with me. There was something less daunting about doing something I was nervous about, knowing that the person I was with was nervous too. Plus, we told Mark Jackson, the owner of Stand Up Takapuna, how nervous we were – so he took it very slowly.
In fact both he and his wife made us feel comfortable from the very beginning – offering vests, wet suits (which we didn’t need) and just some general conversation to put us at ease.
The weather was off and on throughout the day, typical of the summer, but we were lucky that the sun decided to shine, as we walked the 200 steps from the shop on Hurstmere Road down to
the beach.
At the beach, it was simple and straight forward. Mark showed us step by step how to get on the board, basic strokes, and a few acronyms to remember these basics, while assuring us that he was there to make sure nothing went wrong.
And, it was literally as simple as that!
Both of us got on the board without a hiccup, by just stepping up on the board in shallow water. This was not what I had envisioned. I had envisioned myself falling and making a big splash in the water, but no – it really was fool proof.
Our first exercise was to paddle from the lifesaving stand to the boat ramp and back again. Mark was looking to make sure that we didn’t get pushed too far from the beach, due to the high wind, and that we could navigate a straight path. This, apparently, is the key to SUP. And, despite the wind, we did okay – so then we headed down to the opposite end of the beach.
By the time we came back, while our arms were definitely tired, we were no longer scared, and rather we felt like SUP professionals. And, it was as easy as paddling a kayak – only standing up.
It was a great way to spend an hour or two in the sun on a weekend afternoon, and it was even better to do it alongside a friend. I will definitely include SUP in my lifestyle from now on – it was fun and I felt fit.
This lesson was a success, partly because I tackled it with a friend.
Dedicated dentists
