Sunday SUP session was back in effect today. I got home from a girls breakfast and trip through the market for the weeks supplies and was sitting on my patio with two options before me - a nap or a paddle. It was as if Stimo knew what was going through my head as my phone beeped with a brief text 'thinking of going for a paddle you keen?' and my decision was made.
Twenty minutes later I was out the door and tying my SUP to the roof of my car. It was a great afternoon for it as well, light wind, sunshine, warm.
Met Stimo at Deane St. in Cottesloe and threw my board into the back of his monster of a truck - aptly dubbed "The SUP mobile" and we headed over to Port beach. Quickly launched and had an nice easy warm up in the shadow of the Groyne. The water was unbelievable clear which for me I'm not sure about - sometimes I think it's better not to know what's lurking beneath you.
As we passed the Groyne and started our turn with landmarks noted in the distance I spotted a fin just beyond Stimo - thankfully I quickly say 3 more and realized that a pack/pod (what are a group of dolphins called) of dolphins. It was stunning to see and made me realize how at times the world that we live in is just stunning. Two of us on our boards easily paddling along and being passed by these magical creatures of the water. Paddling with dolphins is still so awe inspiring to me even after years spent so close to the seals of English Bay.
The waves/wind were perfectly sized for a day of figuring things out and that's pretty much all I did. Where to be standing on my board to get the nose going "downhill". How to adjust my stroke to get the full power when the wave was picking me up. How to not paddle so hard in the in-between sections, conserving my energy for the required bursts. All of this - all this theory is so deeply ingrained in my head from years of outrigger surfing but the application of it now on another toy is proving to be a bit more difficult for me. That being said I know it will all just come with more water time.
I managed to get a really sweet ride, I was forward on my board, linked a few waves and had a bunch of speed going but couldn't get to the back of my board fast enough (at all?) before I lost my balance and dumped myself into the warm Indian Ocean. It was good for a laugh as Stimo witnessed it all. Definitely worth it though.
On our way back in I suddenly realized that it'd had been a long week. I was tired, my entire body ached and though tempted with the thought of surfing the small beach break I knew I'd had enough. Eight workouts in 7 days (including one full rest day) had caught up with me. I know this week will be just as crazy so I'll probably dial back the weights I'm using just to get through it. I wouldn't have it any other way though - it's been a fantastic week full of great workouts and even better great people.
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