Stand Up and Paddle, and Here’s Why

Of course I’d seen them. The last ten summers, more and more stand up paddlers have appeared on Narragansett Bay (and along most other coastlines too). I still remember my first view of a bare-chested guy paddling around the outside of Goat Island in Newport. My first thought was, “Wow, what’s he doing way out here?” My second thought was “That looks really boring.”

Well after almost two months on my own board, I am now completely addicted. Stand Up Paddling (or SUP, as it’s called) is so much fun, it’s hard to stop when I get to the edge of the harbor. I too have been known to venture “outside,” into the West Passage of Narragansett Bay, which probably looks like the open ocean to anyone watching from a boat with an actual cockpit. Yes, Mom, I’m wearing my lifejacket… and a paddle leash, in case I fall off and the board is blown away from me.

Stand up paddling, like sailing, is way more fun to do than to watch. Even so, I’m not really sure why it’s so addictive. There are no wind-harnessing skills required, though constantly updating the vector of where the board is pointing vs. where I’m actually going (pushed by current, wind, or both) does provide a mental challenge. It looks so boring… And yet I find myself mesmerized every time I go out, extra eager to get out of bed on those mornings calm enough for a paddle.

Of course, it’s an activity on the water, which is great. And it requires almost no preparation or rigging, which is also great. And it also requires a coordination of limbs that challenges me on each stroke. Maybe I’ll be tired of it in a few months… but maybe not. There will always be the challenge of going faster, and maybe when I really get confident—waves.

The other reason I like stand up paddling is that it’s a great workout. Again, I’m not sure why; nothing hurts afterward, there’s just an all-over body fatigue. Arms, core, legs—all are engaged in each stroke, along with every muscle that keeps me standing on top of the board. It’s a great new challenge.

Morning, workout, on the water, quiet… that’s a tough combination to beat. So to all those stand up paddlers I’ve laughed at over the years… I get it now. I’ll see you on the water!