[dropcap]S[/dropcap]o, what’s all the hype with paddle boarding? With very little equipment and a small investment, you have your fitness, vacation and social calendar filled for the year.
I admit, I didn’t get the hype myself until I bought my first board. I don’t think you get the same enthusiasm from renting a board as you do when you own a board.
One of the best reasons for owning a board is that you have freedom to explore any waterway at any time. Sometimes I have to travel a short distance from West Palm Beach to Miami for business and when I travel, I always have my board, paddle and board shorts with me. It’s great to be able to leave a meeting and jump in the water and head over to Monument Island in Miami. Just a side note, it is always best to have two boards with you at all times, because it’s a great way to make new friends.
Paddle boarders have a tight community that stretches worldwide and there is always a SUP enthusiast that would welcome you into their paddle board world. When traveling, it’s best to check with local paddle board shops on events that are happening in their town. You can bet that there is a weekly local race sponsored by a paddle board shop and not to mention full moon paddle evnts, obviously held on the night of a full moon. Full moon events are more of a party than a paddle tour. I host a full moon paddle each month and this past month we were lucky enough to have it fall on the Sunfest Fireworks show. It was a pretty incredible night for us. In Palm Beach County, there is always a weekly race event sponsored by Blue Line in Jupiter and Palm Beach Paddle Boarding in Riviera Beach, which offers friendly competition for beginners and advanced riders. At these events, you can greatly improve your skills and try out other people’s boards to see what fits you best when purchasing your next board. To find out what events are taking place in your area, visit www. supracer.com or www.paddlefaster.net.
So, you’re just looking to explore and get away but you don’t know where to start your paddle board journey. You’re in Florida, water everywhere, of course the obvious choice would be head to the beach. However, there are many incredible springs and many is an understatement. I would start with www.floridasprings.org. This site will link you to many of the parks and springs and give you details from hours of operation to camping facilities. Some friends and I went to Weeki Wachee Springs and we were accompanied by the many manatee during our trip down the river and that is just one of the many adventures that you will encounter when traveling with your paddleboard.
Chris Anders
RivieraBeachPaddleboards.com
255 E. 22nd Ct., Riviera Beach, FL
(561) 840-1901