I was not a water person by nature. I didn’t learn to swim until I was in my early 30s, and then only because I wanted to compete in a triathlon. But then I married a water person.
I came to stand-up paddleboarding in 2014 after my husband Randy fell in love with it. He lives for weeklong SUP trips with high-mileage days. I grew up backpacking and camping in Colorado, so that part, at least, seemed doable. Then, last summer, I took my first overnight SUP trip: three days on the French Broad River in North Carolina.
I learned a lot through that experience. For instance, the main thing with SUPing is to pay attention to the water just ahead of you in order to spot any hazards that may damage your board. Although you are on what seems to be a flat board, you have a rigid fin hanging down about 8-9-inches beneath the back of your boat. You need this to be able to move the board in the direction you want it to go, but you also need to be aware of it as you navigate over debris.
Ready to go?
There are a number of fun overnight paddling trips to plan along Chattanooga waterways. Visit getoutchattanooga.com for some itineraries. And be sure to flip to page 44 for a unique blueway paddle in our region.