Earlier this month, I bit the proverbial bullet and ordered myself an inflatable paddle board. It was a somewhat impulsive purchase, but one which was approached with a level of forethought.
First, I polled friends to learn what they liked about their own equipment and did some online research of various brands to determine what might be best for me. I realized my budget would have to increase from my hoped for <$500 if I wanted a board with a solid warranty and an electric pump.
Anticipating a final paycheck from BCSD for the professional development work I had done in the past year, I decided to devote that windfall towards getting a paddle board that I would enjoy, hopefully, for years to come.
Additionally, the idea of investing my compensation for taking classes to improve my professional skills into an item that is purely recreational, tickled me.
Taking advantage of Memorial Day weekend sales, I ordered the Isle Pioneer 3 which was on sale and included a bonus electrical pump at no additional cost. Three days later, my board was delivered. The pump arrived a couple of days later and I was ready to hit the water.
My friend, K, and I made our way to Glass Lake’s boat launch and began the process of inflating our boards. This was the first time I had actually removed all of the gear that had come neatly packaged for shipping. I unrolled the board, figured out how to attach the nozzle for inflating and watched with wonder as my board filled and became my vehicle for exploring this new to me body of water.
Inflating the board was not without problems. Transitioning from using the pump to fill the board and sealing the board requires a fast and deft hand aka things I don’t necessarily have available. My first attempt was a bit of a fail since I didn’t have the cap in the precise place I needed to quickly grab it and get it closed.
I lost a good bit of air in a breathtakingly short amount of time.
My second attempt went quite a bit better. I inflated to the suggested maximum PSI, ensuring the cap was nearby and situated to go into its slot with minimal delay. Even with my careful preparations, I lost a bit of air in a burst so powerful that my baseball cap was blown off my head during the process.
Nonetheless, I was good to go.
K helped me to get my fin in place and we gathered our things to launch. And we were off! Sort of. My fin initially got bogged down in the sand and I paddled a few strokes without an iota of progress away from the shore. Problem diagnosed and resolved, we headed out to the depths of the lake.
Almost immediately, K pointed out a bald eagle dive bombing to the water’s surface in a failed attempt to catch a fish. Without any further exchanged words, K and I settled on our boards and for a full two or three minutes, simply watched the magnificent bird swooping around the lake and up into the trees.
It was incredible – this beautiful creature and the sheer luxury of being able to devote a few minutes to simply taking it in. Moments like this are why I retired.
My board handled well, was plenty firm and provided me with exactly the experience I was seeking. There’s nothing like floating in quiet while watching a hungry heron fish or turtles sunbathe. Bliss!
I can’t wait to bring it to Wellfleet this summer,something easily enough accomplished since the neatly packed board is in my trunk and ready to go. Until then, though, I’m going to be checking out some nearby bodies of water – maybe Thompson’s Lake or Burden Lake for starters.
Other ideas, friends?
I’m convinced that the best way to remain healthy and youthful, is to be active. Quality sports equipment such as a solid bicycle, cross country skis and a paddle board help me to explore and stay fit – and have fun!
DelSo 