This week we were joined by Elizabeth’s sister, Rebecca, for a morning of learning how to Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) at Rotary Sunshine Park!
It was a pretty early start, and while the weather did get warm and sticky as the morning wore on, it was slightly chilly and drizzly when we first showed up. That didn’t stop us though; after sorting out our equipment and learning the basics on the shore, we were out on the pond in no time.
At first, standing up was a pretty strange sensation, but we quickly got our sea(?) legs and paddling around came very naturally. Before learning any proper skills, our instructors challenged us to a few tricks like walking around the board, doing jumping jacks, and lying down, to help us get comfortable with standing up...and falling in.
While it was pretty straightforward to get started moving around on the pond, it really helped that the instructors then ran us through a few of the more important stroking techniques. By the end of our lesson we were paddling much faster, and straighter, and were safe in the knowledge that if someone went unconscious, we could haul them back onto their board and tow them to safety.
We also had a chance to try out some paddle-ball, a game invented by our instructors. It was lots of fun, very chaotic, and a great way to get really comfortable moving about. Luke’s dedication to the game resulted in him falling off of his board many, many times. Elizabeth somehow managed to stay completely dry.
The City of St. John’s puts off a number of lessons at Rotary Sunshine Park, such as the wilderness survival course, throughout the year. The courses always seems to be of great value, and our $16.50 paddleboarding lesson was no exception!
Curious what we were doing this time last year? Well we went camping with some of our friends to La Manche Provincial Park. Lots of hiking (including over a suspension bridge!) and fun was had.
And this time two years ago, we checked out the St. John's Farmer's Market for the first time. It's a good one.
And this time two years ago, we checked out the St. John's Farmer's Market for the first time. It's a good one.
