SUPB

Today I cashed in on one of my Bloomspot purchases, which is similar to Groupon. This adventure was a sport called Stand Up Paddle Boarding or Surfing.  Imagine standing on a big surf board with one kayak paddle, and you've got stand up paddle boarding.

My instructors name is Wade.  He used to be a stock broker in NYC but stepped out of that scene to help develop E*Trade.  He had kind of worn himself out establishing the website, so he sold his share and moved to L.A.  He's held pretty much any job you can think of in the LA area, from driver/tour guide of a Starline's Tour bus, to actor, pro surfer, maintenance guy, economic consultant, and more.  He seems to live a modest life and just kind of float from job to job.  He also looks like Tony Horton from P90X, you know, this guy..

But much less creepy..  When I saw his muscles, I realized I was in for a beating..

We met in Marina Del Rey.  Initially he showed me the technique and had me practice in the sand.  Then we hit the water.  It is a total body work out.  Your legs are working the whole time to stabilize you on the board, so the paddling is all from your arms and back.  You kind of hold the paddle with stiff arms out in front of you, and hinge at the waist to place the oar in the water, then as you stand back up, the motion paddles you forward. 

This is a picture I took in Santa Barbara of a paddle boarder.  Doesn't it look effortless and relaxing?  

Weellll, it's a little harder than it looks. 

Because of the wind and me being a novice, we just went through the marina, around boats, under bridges, and past docks.  There were a lot of seals in the water.  They were barking and playing and splashing.  We would pass groups of about 5 huge seals just laying in the sun on a dock.  They all would lay in a heap and just look at us while we floated by.  I wish I got a picture of them, but it seemed too risky to take my phone with me.

  This is Wade's van for transporting the paddle boards.  There were six on top total.  And  these things are big. And heavy.  

It doesn't have seats in the back, just a huge stack of paddles and life jackets. 

The deal got me three lessons for the price of one, so I'll be going again.  I hope next time we actually go out on the ocean.  And that I don't fall in.  That water's only getting colder...

Then to make the evening sweet, I made a caramel apple with a kit my sister Andrea sent me, because she knows how much I love them. It was delicious, but not as good as the ones from Indiana County Fairs :)