Paddle Boarding - My Safe Haven

Paddle Boarding - My Safe Haven
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Feb 11 2022

I was on vacation in Banff, Alberta, in the fall of 2017 when I first stood up on a paddleboard. As we drove towards Moraine Lake, I looked out the window of my cab at the ocean and noticed people out on the water on what I assumed were surfboards, but they also had paddles?! So naturally, I Googled it and discovered a local paddleboarding coach with her touring location only a little distance from where I was staying.

Since it appeared to be a simple task, I decided to give it a shot, and who doesn't like a good challenge anyway. A few days later, it was time to put this to the test.

After ten minutes of training, I began paddling on my knees out into a tiny flat-water lagoon teeming with fish. I gathered my confidence and took the needed measures to bring myself to stand still.

The instructions were not that hard, so I eased into position and took off with only a slight wobble or two. It was instantly captivating. Paddling and soaring across the water made me feel free and alive! There was no noise or commotion of any kind. It was peaceful.

After returning from my trip, I told everyone I knew about my SUP experience: family, friends, people I worked with, the bartender, and anybody else who would listen. I knew having my board was what I wanted to do in the future, but I didn't know when.

Fast forward to four months later when my dad passed away, and I was shattered from head to toe. It was devastating. I poured myself into therapy, which was beneficial, but I needed something more to fill that empty hole in my heart.

 

Summer had arrived, and it brought back memories of my first paddleboard excursion. I was lucky enough to be introduced to the brilliant Quest Q1 10'6" Paddle Board Yoga through a friend of my colleague who previously had a wonderful experience with WOWSEA and was sure that this specific board would suit me.

Now that I look back and think about it, this newfound love would have died on the spot if I had wasted my money on a lousy paddleboard. The vivid colors were not the only thing that attraMoraine Lakected me. As a single woman, who planned on spending a lot of time traveling on this board, I needed to make sure this was a perfect fit, and to my delight, it was.

Not only did it come with adjustable paddles but other essentials like a very handy repair kit, gauge spare part, an extremely lightweight but useful hand pump, and a waterproof bag pack which I appreciated because It saved me the hassle of finding somewhere convenient and reliable enough to store my things in.

My package got delivered in due delivery time to my parent's place, and from there, I stacked the board on top of my cushioned car rack, which I had purchased only a few days prior.

Panic-stricken feelings and a tight-knuckle grip on the steering wheel accompanied me for the 30 miles it took to drive back to my house, hoping the board wouldn't fly off and smash something behind me.

Amidst all this anxiousness, I was still a little skeptical of my purchase and had my fingers crossed because if this paddleboard was as good as the reviews said it was, why was it still so affordable and not costly like it should be?

 

 

The following weekend, I took my new investment out on a nearby lake. It was too late to turn back; I remember reasoning with myself. This was something I intended to accomplish. I was determined to heal, and that's what I did.

I paddled around different areas and became acquainted with sites along the water where I felt I could take time off and rest, process all sorts of emotions, have a picnic, listen to music or just my heartbeat, watch the sunset or rise, and rediscover myself.

Being out on the water in nature was critical to my rehabilitation process. Rivers of tears flowed into the lake while I paddled through them. That is where I caught my first fish too. I wish I knew what it was called. Heh.

With each paddle stroke against the wind, I let go of the numbness I felt. What I didn't know at the time was that my heart was re-filling with love. I spent the next few summers on this high-quality and exemplary paddleboard which I had grown very fond of by now, out on the ocean. As they say, I was alone, yet I wasn't lonely.

Paddleboarding helped me rescue myself during difficult times. I learned not to be afraid of falling and how to balance a new life ahead of me. Quite literally, thanks to the coal ankle leash that came with the board, which not only provided a soft yet firm grip but turned out to be a fantastic travel partner as well.

 

My physical health and my emotions have drastically improved. SUP is now a lifeline for me when I need some perspective. My head clears while I'm on my board. The peace of mind and freedom I feel on water pushes me to be creative and inspired. Ideas start to flow, and motivation rises. My hyperactive brain begins to quiet, and I can focus on the thoughts that matter.

 

 

Can you think of a better way to rejuvenate and feel alive than out on the water in the sun? Maybe it's the Vitamin D; perhaps it's the air; maybe it's the serenity and tranquility of nature.

Along my journeys, I have made numerous friends who like to paddleboard, and I cannot emphasize enough how grateful I am that I didn't get scammed into buying a horrible paddleboard like many of them did. The life-altering experience I underwent wouldn't have been possible without my Quest Q1 10'6" Paddle Board Yoga.

I always recommend my fellow boarders choose wisely and trust WOWSEA to make paddle boarding a memorable experience.

WOWSEA measures up to their name because wow indeed!

 

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