When I paddle, I am rarely thinking about past failures. While paddling, I am rarely considering the checklist of tasks I have to accomplish, or that brief I still have to write. I don't think about the hurtful thing someone said to me, or the time I spoke too harshly to someone else. I don't … Continue reading Finding Flow
Tag: Standup paddling
What the Fog?
I had not been on the water for a few weeks and it felt good to put my body into the old familiar stretches. I leaned out with the paddle so far that it felt like I would fall forward, but then the blade hit the water and stabilized me. The stroke, which had been … Continue reading What the Fog?
Marathon Paddle (Part Two/End)
I woke up feeling sticky on the floor of the boat. The outside of my sleeping bag was covered in dew, but I was hot and sweaty on the inside. I felt like a soggy ham sandwich in a Ziploc bag. I sat up and looked over the boat's railing at the water in the … Continue reading Marathon Paddle (Part Two/End)
Marathon Paddle (Part One)
The Captain answered my phone call with "Hey-O." Without preamble, I said, "So I have this idea." "Yeah?" I continued, "We rent a boat, motor out to Avalon, sleep on the boat, and then paddle back the next day. Hoover can drive the boat and track us back. I'm thinking like a 24-hour deal." The … Continue reading Marathon Paddle (Part One)
Exploring with Old Friends (Part Two)
I could see a pile of sea lions from the parking lot when we pulled up to the dock in the morning. The first thing I heard when I got out of the truck was their raucous barking, which made me smile. I took a deep breath, smelled the sea, and looked at the fog … Continue reading Exploring with Old Friends (Part Two)
Exploring with Old Friends (Part One)
The four of us have been friends, solid friends without pause, since 1989. Because we have remained close over the decades, we have stockpiled thirty years of stories, which inevitably come up every time we are together. When we settle down on a couch or around a dinner table, the old tales always worm their … Continue reading Exploring with Old Friends (Part One)
Making Memories
I love that Kate feels safe on the water. So many don’t. “Daddy, let’s look for spouts.” That’s what she said to me today, as we loitered at the end of the harbor’s jetty. The endless Pacific stared at us, and we bobbed, undecided. I observed the swell direction, boat traffic, wind, and the chop. … Continue reading Making Memories
Enjoy the Journey – a paddle story from Laguna to San O
Five paddleboards laid on the grass at Heisler Park in Laguna Beach, paying tribute to an ebullient morning sun. The sight of the boards themselves, pointing out to sea, and strewn with gear, made my heart swell. Morning walkers with their dogs seemed to linger with curiosity. They looked furtively at the boards, the paddles, … Continue reading Enjoy the Journey – a paddle story from Laguna to San O
Top Ten Tips for First Timers
You’ve seen people standup paddling as you sip your margarita at your waterfront restaurant table. You‘ve said to yourself, “Hey that looks like fun. I’d like to try that.” If you’re finally going to try it for the first time, here are some tips: Do not take your maiden voyage on a SUP in the … Continue reading Top Ten Tips for First Timers
Dolphin Rescue
The sea had been flattened and becalmed, with only gentle undulations of mild swells on the surface. With virtually nothing to check my progress, the board paddled smooth and therefore fast across the water. A long straight-armed stretch, a twist of my torso, a long lean forward, and the plunge of the paddle’s blade made … Continue reading Dolphin Rescue
Adventures in StandUp Paddling 