LAKE PADDLE BOARDING
LAKE PADDLE BOARDING
Lake paddle boarding, as the name implies, is the act of paddle boarding on water bodies such as lakes. It is also called flatwater paddle boarding.
Lake paddle boarding is one of the easiest forms of paddle boarding as it is predictable and peaceful. A typical lake usually has calm waters in the morning, a slight breeze in the afternoon, and calm waters again in the evenings. Lakes have no tides, currents, or waves that can take you off your path while paddle boarding.
Top destinations for lake paddle boarding in Canada include Lake Manicouagan, Bruce Peninsula National park, Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, Moriane Lake, Maligne Lake, Kalamalka lake, etc.
BEST SUPS FOR LAKE PADDLEBOARDING
Generally, all paddle boards work well in lakes as frequently calm waters are ideal for any paddleboard shape or design. Although, the inflatable paddle board (iSUP) is often recommended. The iSUP is the best for lake paddle boarding because they are easy to transport to and from your local lakes, easy to store and very durable.
TIPS FOR LAKE PADDLEBOARDING
Before getting on a lake with a paddle board, there are certain things you should know, they include:
- Use a Leash
Before engaging in any kind of water sport, safety should be a priority. Lake paddle boarding isn’t excluded. It is of topmost importance to tether yourself to your board with a leash. While using a leash, your board will become a life saving device if you get tired, lost or find yourself a little too far away from shore.
- Check wind direction
Before getting on a lake with your board, it’s important to always check the wind direction. When lake paddle boarding, your body tends to act like a sail making you move in the direction of the wind. It is much harder to paddle in the direction you want when the wind is moving in the opposite direction. Hence the need to always check the weather and wind direction before hitting the lake for any paddle boarding activity.
- Give yourself space
This is applicable to group paddle boarders. Unless you are taking a group photo, there is no reason why you should be side by side with another paddler. Paddlers moving close to each other will create waves that can either or both of you to lose stability and potentially bump into each other.
- Face the right direction
One mistake you wouldn’t want to make while lake paddle boarding is facing the wrong direction. This is easily made by beginners as the front end of the board isn’t usually obvious to non-paddlers. The easiest way to tell the right direction to face is to look for the fins on your board and make sure they are at your back and not up front. You can tell that you are facing the right direction while lake paddle boarding when you are able to keep your board straight while you paddle and not have it twitching and forcing you to keep switching paddling sides.
- Fall away from the board
One tip every lake paddle boarder should know is to always fall away from your board. It’s very natural to fall from your board even as an advanced level paddleboarder. It is important to make sure that you fall away from your board so that you don’t end up smacking your face or getting hit by it.
Lake paddle boarding is fun and relaxing. With little or no tides and currents to take you off your path it’s smooth sailing and refreshing all the way.