We went paddleboarding today over in Millennium Park. Some or you may remember a post when Sally, Sam and others went paddleboarding.

Pam’s thought was that it’d be nice to do that again and maybe we’d benefit from the extra practice.

I pushed the board out from the beach so that it would float freely and then climbed on. I figured that I’d start on my knees and then worry about getting on my feet later.

I paddled a bit and…
“Whoa!Sh1t!” <splashing sounds>
… fell in the water.

I struggled to get back on the board, then onto my knees and…
“Whoa!Sh1t!” <splashing sounds>
… fell in the water again.

I struggled to get back on the board and just sat on my tush with my feet in the water. At least this was stable if not very useful.
“Whoa!Sh1t!” <splashing sounds>
Maybe not.

I struggled to get back on the board. As I lay there, face down, with my head toward the front of the board, I got my knees under me as far apart a possible. I leaned forward, using my hands for balance on the board, put my feet where my knees had been, and brought myself upright.

I paddled about for a while, getting used to the thing with only the occasional (“Whoa!Sh1t!” <splashing sounds>) interruption.

There were moments where one side of the board was inexplicably dipping (“Whoa!Sh1t!” <splashing sounds>) into the water. After a while, I found that I could come back from this by bending my knees and back to lower my center of gravity while the board stabilized. Maybe I was learning something.
“Whoa!Sh1t!” <splashing sounds>
Maybe not.

I was getting pretty darn good at getting back on the board: grab the board by the cutout in its middle, lay my body flat on the surface of the water, forming a “T” shape with my body and the board, slide onto the board, swivel around to point toward the front of the board, knees, feet, and I’m up. Easy-peasy.

“Whoa!Sh1t!” <splashing sounds>

When we got back to the board rental place, Pam let me know that she was still dry except for her feet.

I wasn’t.