Ready, Set, Paddle!

Last night, my friend Gabrielle and I decided to rent paddleboards from a local paddleboard rental company.  This morning, we paid 60 bucks each for a three hour rental of the board, paddle, and a lifejacket.  After signing our lives away and a quick demonstration, we were left to experiment and get wet. 

The boards are longer and wider than a longboard surfboard, and getting up wasn't too difficult, especially if you have ever snowboarded, wakeboarded, or skateboarded.  Gaby and I each got on the boards, starting on our bellies, up to our knees, and after one or two spills, we were both paddling around in front of my house.

I live on the east side of Skaneateles lake, and there was a very strong west wind blowing when we began our adventure.  For those of you who sail, you know how hard it can be starting out going right into the wind.  It was not an ideal location to try out paddleboarding.  The west side would be much more hospitable to us, so we tried to paddle across the lake (about half a mile).  After 10 minutes, we had gone about 250 yards, and we were beat.  Paddleboarding is usually a low impact, relatively easy activity, except when you are paddling into the wind on a blustery day.  We decided that paddling all the way across the lake might not provide the best first impression, and also sap us of all of our energy, so we paddled back to my house (a blast with the wind at our backs), threw the boards into my motorboat, and boated over to my brothers house on the other side of the lake to give it a try on calmer water.

Here's a photo of people paddleboarding on the east side of Skaneateles lake, right across from my house.

Changing locations was the best decision of the day.  We both loved it.  We both found it very east to move the boat at various speeds, turn, etc.  It was also extremely relaxing and meditative.  It was easy enough to do so that you could look around at the houses, look down in the water, have a conversation, and paddle at the same time.  Within 30 minutes of paddling, we both decided that we would eventually look into purchasing our own paddleboards.  

Later this afternoon, I found out that my friend Pete has a board, and he said I could take out his anytime he wasn't using it.  So, my next adventures (and posts) will concern taking a 3 year old on the board with me, boarding with one of my beagles, and the beauty of a 6AM paddle on a beautiful, deserted lake.