I am the first to admit that I am a very uncoordinated person. My triangle pose is always a little wobbly, I habitually wipe out while playing in the ocean and I tend to walk into doorways that have been there all my life.
For these reasons, I tend to shy away from outdoor activities that rely on balance and skill.
When I was talked into giving stand-up paddleboarding a try, I was convinced I would arm my boyfriend with enough material to make fun of me for a lifetime.
Driving to work, I often see people bobbing up and down on their boards while they paddle to a popular surf spot off of Wailua Beach.
SUP regained popularity when professional surfers such as Laird Hamilton, Brian Keaulana and Dave Kalama breathed new life into the old sport.
The difference between the novice paddleboarder and these adrenaline junkies is that these pros paddle into giant waves.
Hamilton was quoted on “Good Morning America” saying he wants to stand up paddle in a hurricane.
I opted to give my first try at paddleboarding in the calm waters of Kalapaki Bay.
It was a beautiful Kaua‘i day and the tradewinds were light.
I scouted the bay for other paddlboarders in the water. Every so often, I would see someone flail their arms about in the hopes of not falling of their boards. Most of them failed.
“OK, Andrea,” I thought. “Just remember to have a sense of humor.”
Pushing off into the water, I paddled 15 feet out before attempting to stand on the board.
With the paddle in hand, I steadied myself to find my balance.
A couple of small ripples made me wobble back and forth, but I was proud I was able to stand up on my two feet.
I began to paddle toward the right side of the bay. I thought I was doing really well until a fellow paddler shouted, “You’re holding the paddle wrong.”
Oops.
After flipping it around, he suggested that I loosen the death grip I had on my paddle because it could cause elbow strains.
With that, the much more experienced paddleboarder glided away and left me alone to cruise the water solo.
What struck me the most about SUP was how peaceful it was to glide over the water. Standing up on the board gave me a whole new perspective of the ocean below. I watched small fish dart beneath the board and crossed paths with a sea turtle.
I successfully navigated a few small waves. My confidence was growing. Maybe I’m not as uncoordinated as I thought.
On cue, a wave wiped me out and I plunged into the cool water below.
• Andrea Frainier, lifestyle writer, can be reached at 245-3681, ext. 257 or afrainier@thegardenisland.com.
