First Time for Everything: SUP, without making a splash

Whatever happens, I have a gut feeling I’m going to be drinking half of this body of water. But I don’t tell this to my guide — at least, not right away.

It’s my first time on a stand up paddle board. As far as water sports go, I consider myself a middleweight. I’m not going to set any world records in much of anything water-based — or on land for that matter — but I’ve done a bit of kayaking, canoeing, waterskiing (two skis), wakeboarding and the like.

What has me a bit uneasy is my very limited experience with surfing (one afternoon, tried and failed to get up multiple times) and my knack for sinking like a rock.

But stand up paddle boarding — or SUP, as the kids say these days — seems like a nice way to ease myself back on the water. An offshoot of surfing that originated in Hawaii, SUP combines the physical activity of moving one’s self atop the water via a board and single paddle with one of my favorite recreational activities: standing and looking around at this ridiculously beautiful place we live.

My guide for the afternoon is Shanon Dell of Given to Glide Paddle Sports. Dell has agreed to take this novice out onto Sequim Bay and see if this late 30s journalist will float, sink or maybe catch on to this stand up paddling thing.

First things first

Before we hit the water, Shanon goes through the basics and they start with safety first.

That Shanon says, starts with footwear. Since our beautiful Washington beaches are prettier to look at than to walk upon, I’m doing sandals today.

Second is the personal floatation device, or the PFD. My guide says the U.S. Coast Guard needs the PFD to be at least on the board but he has his students/guide-takers wear them at all times. I’m in the safety-first boat on that one.

Third is the leash. Surfers are familiar with the velcro strap that goes around the ankle so that, in case one falls from the board it doesn’t wind up floating to Canada.

Shanon keeps his whistle and card on him, along with a pack that has a first aid kit, tow rope and marine radio inside — just in case anything goes wrong.

“Haven’t had that happen yet; hopefully it never will,” he says.

Like a pilot who trains for the worst …

Then, we cover a key part of staying dry: getting up on the board. Start on your knees, Shanon says, with the paddle across the board. Then either step your way up with the paddle in the water or yoga-style-walk up to a standing position.

All stability comes from the paddle, he says, much like a walking stick.

And if that doesn’t work and you find yourself in the drink, he says, stay calm, grab the board, reach over it and kick your legs. That moves you up onto the board.

“People think they have bad balance,” Shanon says, but he notes it may be just a lack of confidence.

I know the feeling.

Sea legs

Shanon puts the board in to an inlet just south of John Wayne Marina and Pitship Point. It’s protected from winds and currents coming from the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

“It’s a perfect spot for beginners to try it out,” Shanon says. “Most of the boats don’t come through here.”

My guide says he’s seeing a lot of couples in their 40s who are new to Sequim trying out stand up paddling.

“You can be almost any age (and enjoy this),” Shanon says.

I negotiate the rocks and barnacles and hop on the board, straddling it and pushing away from the shore. It’s a blazing hot afternoon — for Sequim, anyway — and the water is perfectly cool underneath.

As instructed, I carefully walk up the board and, after a bit of wobbling, I get my sea legs under me.

At first it’s a little disconcerting standing atop the board, but after a few moments I realize I don’t have a mouthful of Sequim Bay and my confidence grows. Shanon’s right: keeping the paddle in the water adds to my balance.

My borrowed board is a bit wider and heavier than my guide’s; at about 32 inches wide, 11.5 feet long and 31 pounds, this feels like a cruiser, while Shanon’s board is thinner and lighter (27 pounds), built for more speed and maneuverability.

Now, we get moving and take on the turns.

Hanging in the balance

This looks like a (massive) surfboard but it feels way more like a kayak. As I paddle, I feel my feet struggle a bit to keep perfect balance. Slight movements in my core help.

Shanon notes this is a great exercise for one’s core muscles. Like kayaking, the movements come more from one’s middle and less from one’s arms and shoulders, if done correctly.

“I got a lot of people from the kayak side who don’t like sitting in a kayak all day,” he says.

Kayaks can go farther and faster, but SUP seems a lot less complicated to get on the water.

Shanon shows me how to reach almost past the board with my paddle, just back level to my feet, and again. My instinct is to paddle past my feet, which can turn the board away from where I want to go.

We work on basic turns, with a wide, quarter-circle sweep that gradually moves the board left or right.

Hardly anyone else is in the little cove and we paddle past buoyed boats, the occasional bird and a couple of kids in mini-kayaks.

Then we cover some tricks and techniques in case things go awry, such as in stormy weather or boat wakes or currents taking us where we don’t want to go. Shanon points out that currents from the north tend to take SUP-ers toward Schoolhouse Point, with a return trip taking twice as long.

We try out a kind of SUP-kayak style, with us kneeling on the board and using both sides of the paddle, and then getting down low and using our hands as if a big wind were bearing down on us.

“When in doubt,” Shanon tells me, “paddle.”

Leaving the rat race

During a break, Shanon tells me a bit more about his business. Turns out we have some things in common. Shanon left a career in media with, most recently, NBCnews.com, to come to the peninsula. A few years back, a friend encouraged him to do a stand up paddle lesson and it just stuck.

“That’s when things changed,” Shanon says.

Shanon’s a media tech for Peninsula College’s Port Hadlock campus for part of the year along with his SUP business.

Now he’s in his second year of tours and lessons here on Sequim Bay. He paddles a bit near the Dungeness Spit and Port Williams but sticks around here so he can know his “office” better.

With the wind a mere breeze, we work on speed. Trying to make my desk-jockey abs do at least some of the work, I try quick, over-the-head strokes that really get the board moving. Sweet!

We finish the lesson with pivot turns. Shanon shows me how to (carefully) step back on the board and bring one foot to a side, which pushes the front of the board slightly up and out of the water. While this compromises balance a tad, turns become much more pronounced. Along with the foot placement, I practice sweeping the paddle across the board and finishing with a half-circle on the other side, which produces a significantly sharper turn.

“I usually save this for the end of the lesson,” Shanon notes.

Good call, as three or four times I nearly end up tipping over.

In the end, it was a dry, enjoyable day out on Sequim Bay, with a new sport to consider and a new perspective from my view atop a stand up paddle board.

Reach Sequim Gazette editor Michael Dashiell at editor@sequimgazette.com.

Stand Up Paddling on the Olympic Peninsula

• Given to Glide Paddle Sports

Located next to John Wayne’s Waterfront Resort

Stand up paddling tours, lessons, rentals; also provides kayak, canoe rentals

(425) 422-4085

www.giventoglide.com, www.facebook.com/giventoglidepaddle

• GoXpeditions

Located just north of John Wayne Marina, 2577 West Sequim Bay Road

Stand up paddle board and kayak rentals; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Sunday

360-300-7544

www.facebook.com/GoXpeditions, www.facebook.com/GoXpeditions