The weather was a little cloudy during the day but as soon as I jumped off the bus in Mission Bay, I felt the warm rays of sun, caressing my face. The closeness to the ocean made me feel happy immediately. I made my way along the beach searching for Mission Bay Waterports. After I walked around for quite a long time I figured out that they are located right next to the bus stop and I was just walking into the wrong direction. Finally, I arrived and Rebecca welcomed me cordially.
We learned how to climb on to the board and how to stand up. The most important thing is basically that your have to find your balance by placing your feet shoulder-wide and start paddling directly after standing up because that balances the board as well. However, Mission Bay Watersports uses high quality equipment so the board itself is already pretty well balanced and perfect for beginners. I felt that out on the water. I never had the feeling that I would fall off the board.
We were taught about paddling on our knees, which is also the safety position. So whenever you felt uncomfortable you can go down and do the same moves on your knees, you just have to hold the paddle a little differently. Falling off is no big deal, since you don't have to be afraid of loosing the board because you are attached to it with a leash on your foot. The only thing you have to do is hold onto your paddle and climb back on the board. Moreover we were all wearing safety jackets and Marius and Rebecca were watching us all the time so there is no reason to worry.
After we proved on the beach that we understood what we were told we could finally get out on the water. The boards are really big, but not as heavy as they look like. After I tried paddling on my knees I stood up and joined the lesson Marius was giving. He told us more about the right technique and gave everyone some personal tips how to improve their paddling. I could directly feel how it got easier after he told me I have to bend my knees and not my elbow.
Afterwards everyone had free time to paddle around and practice. I really enjoyed my time on the water and was happy that I learned paddle boarding so quickly. It was a perfect little workout after my workday. Back at the beach I had a chat with Marius and Rebecca and they told me how they love seeing their customers coming back to get better ad better and spend some quiet time on the water after a tough work day. Because after completing a 90min introductory session, you will be included in the Mission Bay Watersports “Frequent SUPer Club” with the added benefits of discounted board rentals.
On the whole, I would definitely recommend trying it. If you love spending time on the water this is an activity you mustn't miss. If you feel uncomfortable standing on a board all on your own, they also offer kayaks. If you'd like to try, you can purchase a ticket on BackpackerDeals.com!
