The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Up the creek
Gayle reacquaints herself with the joys of messing about on the water with only her feet getting wet – on this occasion!
Gayle Ritchie goes up the creek with a paddleboard as she re-aquaints herself with the water.
The sun breaks through the clouds and a light breeze causes ripples to form on the surface of the glassy water. I’m on a paddleboard in the middle of Knockburn Loch and, by some miracle, I haven’t toppled in. In less than an hour, instructor Jason Topley’s had me turning, twisting, reversing and in his own words, “looking cool”, and despite some serious wobbling, I’ve yet to get anything other than my feet wet.
It’s not that I’m an amazing paddleboarder – heck, no! It’s more to do with the fact that Knockburn is an ideal spot to learn the sport and hone your skills.
It’s calm, sheltered and free of hazards such as jellyfish and huge waves and I’m reliably informed there are no pike lurking (oh, those scimitarlike teeth!) but I do notice a few fish jumping.
I’m on an inflatable board which, incredibly, deflates into a rucksack, meaning you can take it with you on your travels, as Jason frequently does.
My board – which is like a surfboard but longer, wider and more buoyant – is tethered to one of my legs to ensure it doesn’t float off and disappear, but Jason warns me the paddle might sink if I’m not quick to grab it.
Having paddleboarded a few times in the past – at Stonehaven Harbour, on Clunie Loch, Loch Faskally, Loch Lomond and on a river in Florida – I’d imagined I’d be reasonably decent at the sport.
And while it’s a wee bit like riding a bike – once learned, never forgotten
– if you’ve not done it for a while, the tendency can be to tense up.
The worst bit, for beginners, is progressing from a kneeling position to standing up, although some folk are happy enough to remain kneeling.
As it’s been at least a year since I last paddled, I stand up very shakily, my legs quivering, and assume an unflattering, hunched stance.
But Jason, a jolly, happy, friendly chap, is full of encouragement.
“Well done – you’re a natural!” he enthuses. “That’s brilliant balance!”
Back on dry land, he had shown me a cool wee paddling technique – basically, a flick of the wrist.
If you master this gentle, sweeping manoeuvre, it avoids splashing and makes the whole business look smooth and streamlined.
It also enables you to approach wildlife you don’t want to disturb, or perhaps fishermen, silently and with stealth.
I do my best to grasp this move, but I reckon it’ll need a bit of work.
Another trick is to keep a slight bend in your knees. This gives power to your stroke and encourages you to relax and be less rigid.
In essence, tension is not your friend when it comes to paddleboarding!
Soon, we reach a scenic island cloaked in woodland and wildflowers at the far end of the loch and pause to drink in the beauty of our surroundings.
Wildlife is here in abundance – we spy ducks, geese, fish, dragonflies and a huge bird of prey, possibly a buzzard.
But Jason’s instruction is not over, it seems.
It’s here, next to the island, that he challenges me to try the “step back turn” which he describes as a “quicker than normal turn on the board” and “quite advanced”. Hmmm.
“It takes skill and balance to complete this turn,” he warns me. “Many fail in spectacular fashion!”
To do this, you stand at the back, or tip of the board, and paddle while turning your body slightly.
It feels hugely unstable (the best balance is achieved by standing in the centre of the board) and I come very close to getting a dunking.
A few squeals and shrieks emit, and possibly a few swear words, but I’m proud to say I remained on board.
As we head back to base, the light breeze turns into a strong side wind, and I find myself being swept towards the shore.
I battle on, using my core muscles to power on, until we reach dry land.