Learn to paddleboard
...learn to paddleboard Rachel Follett prefers her holidays to be full of risk and reward
Feeling the waves bobbing gently beneath me, I push off the quay and try to steady my balance on the board. Moments later, I’m doing a headstand in the middle of the ocean. Even though I’m 42, and certainly no gymnast, it feels easy – and gives me a thrill like no other.
Growing up I always loved sailing and swimming, and other extreme sports – like skiing and snowboarding – and it was one of the major things my partner Oz and
I had in common. We both liked to explore, never sitting still for long. Even after we married in September 2009, we weren’t the type of couple to just spend their honeymoon on the beach. Instead, we did watersports, windsurfing and parasailing, and hoped to pass our adventurous natures down to our kids, Reubyn and Thea.
That’s why, in May 2014, we arranged a holiday to Turkey with a travel company that specialised in active holidays. Seeing as how a year earlier I’d started my own PR and marketing business, to us that sounded like the perfect way to relax. At the kids’ club there, Reuben, three, and Thea, 18 months, spent their days on trips in speedboats or snorkelling in the sea. They had the chance to enjoy some adventurous activities and then join Oz and I on some of ours, too.
Mountain biking, wakeboarding and paddleboarding were all on the agenda, and every day we ticked off an activity, some of which I’d done before. But when it came to paddleboarding, I was practically clueless. Though I knew it was a type of
‘I FELT ELATED AND SURPRISED’
water sport, I had no idea what I had to do. Thankfully, though, our instructor was quick to explain it didn’t matter what age we were or if we were complete beginners. ‘You’ll soon get the hang of it,’ he smiled.
Getting on the board wasn’t a problem, both Oz and I had tried surfing and snowboarding before, so we found our balance quickly. It was only when our instructor encouraged us to try a headstand that we became sceptical.
Oz and the other participants looked at him like he was mad, but I figured I’d try to give it a go. Putting my forearms on the board, I tried to push my legs into the air. The board wobbled slightly under my weight and I readjusted so I was more central. With one final kick, I found my balance, tilting my body in anticipation of the waves, and to my surprise, once I was steady, it was actually a lot easier to hold than it looked.
When I dropped back down to my knees, I felt elated and surprised at what I’d just been able to do. From that moment on, I was hooked. I knew I had to try to find a way to keep doing this once we were back in the UK.
Soon we were spending almost every weekend making our way down to the river or sailing club near where we lived in
Southampton, to go for a paddle. Each time I stepped on that board, it felt like all my worries and stresses would melt away.
It works my core and has improved my fitness overall – but best of all, it’s good fun. It’s not Oz’ favourite sport, he’d still prefer to be sailing, but he encourages me to do it, and the kids, now nine and seven, love it, too. Paddleboarding is for anyone, at any age. Don’t worry, you don’t have to do a headstand on your first try, but you can do Pilates or yoga when you feel more confident. Or you can simply use it to explore the waterways near where you live. And even if you fall off, like I have once or twice, get straight back on.
I promise you won’t regret it.