I know this summer has not been the greatest in terms of weather, but as a positive thinker, I am choosing to be an optomist take on a new water sport because August is supposed to be warm and gorgeous! Along with skimboarding, the other water sport I’ve been seeing a lot of at Vancouver beaches, is stand up paddle boarding.

When I first saw a person stand up paddleboarding at Jericho Beach, I was thrown off. All I could see from the beach was someone rowing by, but standing up. The person did not look as though they were struggling to stay balanced on the board, in fact they looked very comfortable and at ease. Not what you’d expect when someone balances on water. Stand up paddle boarding is like a cross between canoeing and surfing.

A stand up paddleboard is a lot like a surf board but:
• It is longer and wider
• It has edges and a grooved out area for your feet
• You use a long paddle to propel yourself through the water

The hardest part of stand up paddleboarding is getting on the board, so here are some tips for getting on your paddleboard and staying on it:
• Start in knee deep water and climb on with your knees first
• Position yourself at the centre of the board and make sure neither the nose or tail dip into the water.
• After you feel balanced, stand up with your feet in the same spot your knees were
• Keep both feet facing forward
• Balance with your hips
• Keep your knees bent but your back straight
• Look towards the horizon (not down)
• The faster you go, the more stability you will have

Once you’re gliding along the water, you will be getting a great workout. It is awesome for building core strength and your whole upper body gets a workout from all the paddling.

Paddleboards are not cheap to buy, so I’d recommend renting one to try before investing in one. Here are a few places around the city where you can rent paddleboards:

• Windsure – www.windsure.com Located at Jericho Park West, inside the Jericho Sailing Centre Compound
• Ecomarine Ocean Kayak Centre – www.ecomarine.com Two locations : Granville Island and English Bay
• Deep Cove Canoe and Kayak – www.deepcoveoutdoors.com Located in North Vancouver

If you are looking for a unique day at the beach, why not give stand up paddle boarding a try and get in a great work out while catching some rays! (Photo Courtesy of M.M.M Meek’s)