What’s SUP?

In my hunt for The Great Outdoor activities, my husband told me that “REI” clothing and sporting goods store offers various out-doorsy classes, many of which fill up quite quickly. Weeks ago, I registered for a Women’s Beginning Stand Up Paddleboard class that was scheduled for this weekend. I’d never thought much about paddle-boarding, but was open to a new experience.

The class was to be held at Lake Pleasant Regional Park (just North of Phoenix AZ) starting at 7am… which GPS informed me was about an hour and 20 minute-drive. After a little bit of backward math, I figured I’d set my first alarm at 4:45 (to wake me up), a second alarm for 5:15 (to tell me I’d better start leaving), and a third alarm at 5:20 (to let me know I really had to leave the house), all of which would ensure I had enough time to get to my class on time. Knowing I struggle to get moving in the morning, I made a conscious effort to identify where my intended paddle-boarding attire was before I went to bed…and stayed up coughing for another hour, thanks to a lovely sinus and allergy convention I have been hosting for the past several days.

I was a bit impressed with myself that I actually got out of bed when my first alarm started chirping…a bit less so when trying to identify my bathing suit bottoms and desired work-out bottoms amidst a pile of other clean clothes still in a hamper that were also indecipherable shades of black and blue. I was, after all, getting dressed in the dark as I was trying not to wake up my husband. Then I went back to being impressed when I actually remembered to bring a towel, change of dry clothes, and alternate pair of shoes to get wet.

I ate a banana in the car whilst happily listening to my audio book and arrived at the first toll booth to Lake Pleasant at 6:30am. Perfect. I followed my GPS a bit further until it told me to go down a road that was barricaded. Hmm…that didn’t seem like such a great idea at a regional park. I re-read my email confirmation (which said “Fireman’s Cove”), the REI website, and my visitor’s map…I saw Fireman’s Cove on my visitor’s map, but my GPS didn’t seem to know where that was. I stopped three people before someone was able to direct me to an employee of the park…who, in turn, knew exactly where I was and assured me that, yes, I needed to go back out to where I paid the parking toll, travel further north, and come in through the North Entrance.

The time was now 7:00. So much for being early. Nope, no phone number to call to say I was running late because I’m in-the-vicinity-but-not-exactly-lost., either. Also, splotchy phone reception. Luckily, I found the second toll both and the nice lady assured me that the $7 parking pass that I bought at the first toll booth did, indeed, work here at the north toll booth, too. Small favors. I also asked her how to get to Fireman’s Cove (which, I hadn’t thought to ask of the first toll-booth attendant, but hindsight is 20/20, right?) and, thankfully, she knew what I was talking about and her directions got me there in no time.

Sure enough, I saw the REI signs leading into the parking area nestled next to the lakeshore and immediately spotted a truck and trailer with “REI” life jackets draped across the side rail. At least I was at the right spot and only ten minutes late. I greeted the REI instructors at a table in front of their truck and they assured me that we were still waiting on a few other people, so I was able to shake off the “crap-I’m-late” jitters. I even had time to visit the convenient port-a-potty. 

Once my class was assembled, we did some brief introductions (during which I explained my coughing was merely allergy related and I was, in fact, NOT infected with COVID) and went over basic safety protocols and paddling procedures, including how to get on your board, kneel, stand, and squat back down. They also covered the meaning of the different hand signals, most notably, if (ahem, when) you fall off your board, if you are okay, you are supposed to pat your head three times so the instructors know you are okay. Anything other than the three-tap-pat and your instructors will be booking it double-time to drag you up out of the water and make sure you aren’t dead or dying.

Then it was time for the hands-on practice. We each velcro’d our board leashes to our legs and waded out into the water. The instructors had told us we would be roughly calf-deep before we were deep enough that the fin on the bottom of our board could clear the lake bottom…I had to go in knee-deep for enough clearance. The first few paddling strokes seemed virtually ineffective, but once I got a bit of momentum in the right direction, I felt pretty confident that I didn’t completely suck. In fact, I concentrated on making slow, steady swipes with my paddle as my group got further offshore. I was able to stand up on my paddle-board, although a bit shaky at first.

The instructors had mentioned they offer a yoga/paddleboard class and I imagined that could be quite entertaining to watch, but definitely above my skill level. I was practicing my turns, trying to keep my knees bent and my weight low. I’m not sure exactly where I went wrong, but I felt the shift and knew something was amiss…I do know that whatever mis-step I took happened at the right rear side of my board and I remember seeing more of my life vest as the blue sky enveloped my field of view and I took a deep breath before my face was covered in water.

My first thought was that the water was not nearly as cold as I was expecting. My second thought was that this is yet another demonstration of why I wear five dollar sunglasses. I can confirm that, while hats float, sunglasses do not, which is why my sunglasses are now somewhere at the bottom of Lake Pleasant. Once I secured one arm — and my paddle — atop my board, I looked in the direction of the nearest instructor and, scraping together as much dignity as I could muster, calmly pat my head three times to give the “A-OK” sign. Then I grabbed my hat. I could hear the instructor calling directives to me on how to get back on my board — just like getting out of a swimming pool, she had said. Did I mention I’m not particularly graceful at that, either? After a few pitiful attempts to get back on my board of my own proficiency, I accepted her help to steady the board so I wouldn’t capsize it. In hindsight, I think I needed more kicking to propel me out of the water as opposed to relying more on my obviously inept upper body strength.

Not even thirty minutes in the water and I had already gotten literally IN the water. What was left to do but own it? I only hoped that my backward fall into the water helped my fellow students relax instead of become more worried about falling in themselves, although I assured them the water was actually quite nice. As it turns out, I was the only one to fall in the water…as it turns out, I was oddly grateful I now had one less thing to worry about.

My top half dried surprisingly quickly, but my pants were still wet. Our group paddled downstream, sometimes chatting amongst ourselves or bumping into each other’s boards in our steering attempts, other times sitting in silence listening to the water go “fwop-fwop” against the board. It was a beautiful sunny day with a very light breeze. I got slightly better at turning (or at least I didn’t fall in again) and was able to both sit and stand at will without total fear of overturning. The time went by quickly and we had to paddle against the current on the way back. Closer to shore, one of the ladies demonstrated how she had just learned to get back onto her paddle board. She intentionally (and very gracefully) transitioned from a seated position on her board into the water and then back up onto her board with barely a splash. She explained that her technique included more kicking your legs at a 45-degree angle (and less under your body vertically). I shall have to try her method to get out of the water the next time I take an impromptu swim.

I could have stayed out for much longer, but alas, our time was up. Enjoyable activities never seem long enough, especially when you’re fortunate enough to find yourself in good company. I thanked my instructors for a great class and said goodbye to the wonderful ladies I met this morning before my long drive back home.

Once home, my husband’s first question was “How’d it go?” while my daughter’s first question, on the other hand, was “Did you fall in?” It’s like she knew! Of course, I promptly and proudly admitted “yes, I did.” Now that I am properly showered and dried, I’m off to buy a new pair of five dollar sunglasses.