Walk in the Sun: Stand Up! {Get Moving}

Stand up!

Come on, you. Yes, you. Stand up!

What for?! you may ask. Well, a million things but given that this post is part of the Walk in the Sun summer series, it’s for something fun, light and rewarding. 

Standing up means to stand up for oneself, for one’s ideas - most certainly - but also quite literally to get moving (hi there, Pinterest friends!). All year long I have pedaled in the water, remember? This summer though I decided to stand up and face my fears. I decided to reach out to the sun, touch its flaming face and embrace the smooth surface of the Mediterranean  sea differently. 

Snorkling is my passion: taking the time to look down instead of looking up (something I love doing, Instagram followers are aware of this, I am sure), swimming slowly to try and discern a fish here, one there and trying to memorize its shape so that once home I can flip open the book on local species and try to identify it. All this is part of a wonderfully satisfying summer ritual of mine. 

This year, I stood up and looked far ahead instead of looking down and digging into the bottom of the sea: there are new skylines appearing, new suns and lights flickering. To embrace them, I stood up on a paddle surf board (aka Stand Up Paddle - SUP). 

The trick is to choose an inflatable board that can follow along everywhere you travel and everywhere you know you have clear and warm blue seas waiting for you. The paddle surf package includes the surf board (its size depends on your own size) together with its fin, the paddle itself and the pump to inflate it. It’s not a light weight gear, let’s be honest (16kg). So it might be wise to check with the airline company first if that is your chosen means of transportation… 

The other trick is to try paddle surfing before actually buying all the gear, common sense I would say. It gets more interesting if you can try paddle surfing in conditions that are not exactly your dream conditions: if you enjoy yourself in gray weather and on choppy waters, then the rest will be all about happiness and taking it all in! 

The way I paddle surf is the way of the beginner: in the past I did receive a few guidelines and more recently a friend of mine, a surfer, explained some basic rules to me. There are just a few rules to start with, so they’re not difficult to remember. Applying them is a matter of exercise, practice and habits. I was lucky enough this summer to be able to hop on the surf board a couple of times a day for 5 days in a row - that’s not much, certainly, but enough to make me fall in love with the sensations, the effort and the sport itself. Fully aware that stand up paddle comes in different versions, the crazy one in high waves and unleashed conditions, I have to tell you up front that I enjoy the quiet kind: imagine a stroll on the water while it is calm, while waves kindly lap the shore. Harshness and speed are not my lot and I gather it is key in this sport like in any other to understand what is good for you, what it is you are craving and made for.

Given my contemplative nature and my liking for long-term effort instead of explosive effort, I had a hunch paddle surfing (as in strolling) would be my kind of activity: clear blue waters, warm temperatures all the way, blazing sun and rocks hosting schools of fish to look at - nature all around. Nature and my breathing, my muscles, my thirst, the fading sound of the beach and its noisy inhabitants (why are we so loud when at the beach?!) and the quest for balance. The hesitation and the fear I feel when trying to stand up kicks adrenaline up, and that’s life beating at my door. Forget the rules: after a couple of attempts, I just want to keep going, to find my spot, my balance, my pace. The rules will follow. Intuition comes first. Lesson learnt.

Once I stand up, it takes a few minutes to get used to the rhythm of the surface, to look up with conviction and trust so that I don’t feel seasick. Standing up looks easy, right? Well, it is not and stand up paddle is here to remind me that effort, perseverance and willingness sometimes need an extra nudge. Nature extends its hand, whispers encouragements and appealing promises. My mind and body welcome it all.

Will you stand up with me to discover new grounds and possibilities?

Come on!

Credits: snappa (edited by TheDaydreamer)