I have been board the last two weeks. No, don't bother to check my spelling, I don't mean BORED, I mean BOARD. The first board is a Stand-Up Surfboard. Popularly known as SUP, Stand-Up Paddling, Dixie and I spotted them most recently while competing in the Chattahoochee Back to River Race last month. Intrigued, we found out about a SUP race and demo event organized by the Atlanta Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation. We traveled to the Clarks Bridge Olympic Rowing Center on Lake Lanier and tried out some SUP boards. Imagine trying to stand up on the deck of your kayak and propel yourself with a giant canoe paddle. A little shaky at first, but once you get the hang of it, you can cruise around without much trouble. The motorboat wakes added some excitement.
Wow, board again. This time it is at Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. Dixie thrilled me with a two hour surfing lesson for my birthday (October 10), which I got to redeem over the July 4th holiday. The waves were rolling in 3-4 feet and the water temperature was just shy of bathtub. With the help of Ben, my surfing instructor, I caught a good number of waves on a 9.5 foot soft top board. Whether you are surfing a longboard, boogie board or just body surfing, there is nothing like the feel of being lifted up by the force of the ocean.
What begins as a bit of fear gives way to exhilaration. It is what makes surfers return to the ocean again and again.
Both sports are great bodybuilders. Look at the physique of most professional surfers, and you will see that they have good core strength and development of their upper and lower bodies. Balance, grace and a bit of a dare devil attitude tempered by a healthy respect for Mother Nature. So slap on the sunscreen and get BOARD this summer.
