Paddles Up!

I've recently begun paddle boarding, and I. LOVE. It. I've lived right near the water for more than a decade now. I love walking down to it, watching the sun set over it, drinking cocktails by it, but I rarely go out on it.

Recently, a neighborhood friend decided to upgrade her paddle board, and she offered me her old one. I took it on a whim, and we've gone out on the water a few times now. It's fantastic! You move based on your own steam, but it's so maneuverable that you can investigate all kinds of nooks and crannies you've observed from the shore for years. We paddled out to little islands, off into seas of lily pads, and right up next to the waterfront porches of some really ritzy houses. (The pilot of an ultralight plane even wiggled his wings at us when we waved to him with our paddles! So fun!) We've also seen a couple of alligators from a distance, but they haven't approached us.

When we get tired, we sit down and float a bit with our toes in the water. And on the following day, I can feel the workout in my arms and shoulders. It's fun to have a new hobby!