Tip #27: Go out and try paddle boarding - just do it!

Stephanie of Invincible Summer Farms was nice enough to loan me her paddle board so I could try it out at Sixth Street beach today.  First of all the board is LONG - over 10 feet so it has to go on a roof rack or in the back of a truck.  (And lucky for me, farmers have trucks!) And it weighs about 40 pounds.  But once in the water, none of that matters and paddle boards are incredibly stable.  Especially out here on the Peconic Bay which is very calm and has lots of protected coves to paddle.

To get comfortable you can start by kneeling on the board and paddling - which feels like kayaking.  Once you are ready to stand up, you just lay your paddle across the deck of the board and use it as leverage to stand up one foot at a time.  Within an hour you can become very comfortable in the water and on your board. Although I did read online that stand up paddleboarding is also more popular with women and because of their lower center of gravity, women are often more skilled at paddleboarding than men.  But I couldn't get Chris to test out that theory for me. 

Standing up allows you to enjoy much better views, both to the horizon and down into the water. Along the coast of Pipes Cove I saw two giant Osprey nests and one giant Osprey who swooped down to send me a warning to back off. I also went farther into the bay to get a closer look at some boats that I always see bobbing on their moorings every day from the shore. It is very easy to sit down while out on the water and just float along when you need to rest.  I will say that stand up paddling is an incredible core workout. 
And you can paddle anything from ocean surf to lakes and rivers—no waves required. So not many excuses not to try it for yourself!

In Southold, Eagles Neck Paddling Company rents Stand Up Paddleboards (SUPs) for $35/2 hours or $70 for a full day. They are located at the Port of Egypt Marina off of the Main Road (Rte 25).  They also offer a SUP fitness class every Saturday from 8 - 9am for $35. For more info contact them at 631-765-3502.