The Chronicle‘s adventurous editorial staff dropped by Transfer Beach Saturday, May 4 to take a pair of stand up paddleboards (SUPs) for a spin around the harbour. Here’s how we fared.
Our investigation into paddleboarding’s recent explosion in popularity begins with a visit to Sealegs Kayaking where Bud Bell introduces us to a pair of SUPs from Estonian manufacturer Zegul.
Bell assigns Chronicle editor Lindsay Chung to a blue Revolution while pointing me in the direction of a red Rhapsody.
After teaching us the basics ― how to steer and stand up ― on dry land, Bell helps us carry our boards out onto the water. Following his instructions, we climb onto our respective boards and kneel in ninja-like fashion as we slowly paddle away from shore.
As we venture farther from the beach, the rocky bottom recedes until we can no longer use “too shallow” as an excuse to remain kneeling. Gripping the shaft of my paddle with both hands, I bend down and place it across the deck of my board. Slowly, I inch my feet forward until I’m teetering in a comic approximation of down-dog.
Fearing the worst, I prepare myself for a chilly swim, plant my feet and stand: Success!
I look back at Lindsay and see that she’s been equally successful at avoiding a chilly dip.
We regroup to review the paddle strokes we’ve learned on shore ― shuffling to keep our balance while repeating the same moves on open water ― before venturing south along the harbour.
As we coast along the water, the muscles in my lower legs twitch repeatedly as they adjust to the subtle pitch and roll of the board.
We paddle along for a few minutes then turn back, swapping boards on our return trip.
Now onboard the Revolution, I’m surprised at how much more stable it feels than the Rhapsody.
The Revolution is longer and wider than the Rhapsody and its flared edges make it both more buoyant and less tippy than its smaller cousin; an ideal beginner’s board. The Rhapsody, meanwhile, is geared towards smaller or more experienced paddlers.
After a brief warm up I part ways with Lindsay and paddle north, following the shoreline of Transfer Beach and Slack Point until I reach the navigation channel bisecting Ladysmith Harbour. With no powerboats in sight, I leisurely cross the channel to the Woods Island and turn east. Below me, schools of fish dart off into the green depths of the harbour as the shadow of my board advances across the island’s submerged rocky shelf. A pair of Black Oystercatchers and a leery heron eye me suspiciously as I drift by. I pause for a moment to take in the scenery, looking back across the water at the snowcapped peaks of Mount Hall and Mount Brenton looming above town. A juvenile bald eagle perched on a Douglas fir beats its mottled wings and drifts out over the harbour, reminding me of a roommate’s morning mantra: “Another day in sunny paradise.”
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Sealegs Kayaking ― located at Transfer Beach in Ladysmith ― offers stand up paddleboards from Zegul and Hobie for rent, and inflatable boards are soon to follow. Rates range from $20 per hour to $55 for a full day on Ladysmith Harbour. For desk jockeys looking for a post-work adventure, hour-long SUP rentals are available Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5-6 p.m. at a special “SUPpertime” rate of $15 per hour. Reservations are required for full-day and Tuesday-Thursday SUPpertime rentals and can be made by calling Sealegs at 250-245-4096.
