Taking a trip to the beach soon? Looking to relax, tan and stare out into the beautiful ocean? Looking to do something you’ve never done before?
Why not paddle boarding? No, its not the same thing as surfing. Paddle boarding is a sport that anyone can enjoy. It’s enjoyable and not hard to learn at all, so you won’t have to worry about embarrassing yourself or taking forever to learn how to paddleboard.
Today we will discuss what paddle boarding is, how to do it, and where in Galveston you can learn or rent a paddleboard.
How to Paddle Board
Paddle boarding is an activity propelled by a swimming motion in which a person stands, lies, or kneels on a paddle board. Lying or sitting is something everyone can do but standing may be a little bit harder. Standing requires much core strength as well as a paddle to move you through the water.
Standing up on a paddle board takes some practice and I’m going to give you a few simple steps to get started. Remember, you may not get it on your first shot, but the important thing is to not give up!
- Begin paddling on your knees in order to get a better feel for the board as well as the water.
- Place the paddle across the board in front of you.
- Look toward the horizon and tuck your toes.
- Bring your knees up to your chest one at a time while facing your feet flat on the board.
- Press up like you’re doing a squat and remember to keep your back straight.
Following these steps will definitely help you stand on the paddleboard. Once again, you may not be able to stand on your first try, so get up and keep trying!
Where can I Rent or take Lessons?
A great company in Galveston that offers paddle boards rentals as well as lessons is SUP Gulf Coast. They offer daily paddle board lessons to everyone! The course is two hours. The first hour demonstrates basic paddle board instructions. The second hour gives you free time to show off all of the cool new moves you’ve learned. It is required that you make a reservation and classes go from 8:30-10:30 am.
You must be 12 or older to attend the class and the cost is $45 with provided equipment. There are usually 4 people per instructor per class.
SUP also offers free delivery for full day paddleboard rentals. They are located on 29th street under the blue umbrellas. For more information about their rentals as well as lessons please visit their website here: