Paddleboarding

Before getting on the water, we hopped on our boards and learned the basics. Melanie, a former social worker turned seasoned instructor who has been teaching both paddleboarding and paddleboard yoga for 14 years, gave us her tips for stability, comfort, and most importantly, safety. First, we went over how to properly hold the paddle, with one hand on the handle and the other lower down on the shaft. We learned a few simple strokes for moving forward, turning, and slowing ourselves down. “You are the captain of your ship and your paddle becomes an extension of your body so you need to know how to handle it.” said Melanie.

Perhaps the biggest concern for most of us going into this was keeping our balance when standing up. “Understand your paddle strokes and how the water is moving, then try to stand,” Melanie taught us. “Falling happens to the best of us. It's okay to be nervous and have shaky sea legs.”

Melanie’s biggest tip for beginners?

“Safety first! Wear your lifejacket, know the weather conditions, and know at least a little bit about the body of water you are going on.” Lucky for us, we had her and 2 of her team members to guide us and inflatable belts to act as life preservers!

Once we got on the water and balanced on our boards (some of us decided to stay mostly on our knees while others were more adventurous), Melanie suggested we try out a fun team building exercise: form a perfect circle. It sounds simple in concept, but corralling 15 (inexperienced) paddle boarders into a closed loop turned out to be quite a feat. We ALMOST got it, and decided that getting a near-circle was close enough! We finished out the day paddling through the water and taking in the views (including a beautiful patch of lily pads where we took our group photo)! Some were brave enough to attempt a “tip turn,” which is a way of spinning the board all the way around by sinking the tail and lifting the nose.

“I have been paddleboarding a few times, but I had never had such a thoughtful intro tutorial on how to properly paddleboard. I would 100% go again, even considering buying one!"
-Lia S., Designer

“The hardest part for me was learning how to do a "tip turn" I don't think this is a move I will utilize on future paddleboarding trips, but it was fun to try and learn a more advanced turn!”
-Liz H., Merchandiser

“Our instructor was fantastic, so nothing felt too difficult. My kick-turn could use some work, but I didn't fall off the board! It was a great mix of leisurely floating and a full-body workout!”
-Kait B., Print Designer

“I found it to be so peaceful to be out there on the water, watching the birds and lily pads and listening to the water. It was so nice to be physically removed from my phone and land and the busyness of everyday life. I’d love to do it again soon.”
-Claire G., Copywriter

“The hardest part was trying to make a circle with everyone on their board! While it was hard it was also so much fun and got some good laughs out of it. The easiest part was being able to lie back and relax in the nature. It was so cool to see all the birds flying around as well as the lily pad sections!”
-Niko C., Assistant Designer

“I had paddleboarded a couple of times, either on a lake or the ocean, but I had never felt as comfortable doing it as I did during the "We Tried It". The instructors were SO nice and clear and made me feel extremely comfortable.”
-Sarah E., Copywriter

“If I'm out with a group guiding and instructing, my favorite part is seeing how people go from hesitant and nervous to relaxed and more confident. There's a moment when people's body language changes and their whole nervous system down shifts. It loops back to my social work days. Helping people to reconnect with themselves.”
-Melanie S., Paddleboarding Instructor