As a family situated on the East Coast of Florida, we’re only a stones throw from the Intracoastal Waterway, aka the Indian River Lagoon in our area, the swamp is literally right behind our neighborhood and we’re a really just a short drive from the beaches. There’s no way to live here and not spend a LOT of time on the water. Canoeing, kayaking, surfing, boating, fishing, swimming-you name it and my family either does it or will do it!
Now that my kids are no longer babies, spending time on the water is less stressful. They can all swim and snorkel with confidence and I don’t feel on edge every second of every minute that we are near water like I used to when my twin sons were toddlers. We’re ready to REALLY start enjoying the water.
So what’s the problem? Oh ya know, surf boards and paddle boards for a family of five…yeah, the cost would be more than we could justify spending when so many other household projects and family expenses should be our first priority.
What is Paddleboarding?
Paddleboarding in our area is like a cross between surfing and kayaking. You don’t need waves although you can ride a wave on a paddleboard and many people do use them on our beaches for both paddleboarding and longboarding. With a paddleboard you stand up, use a paddle and can cruise around with ease, even with a child sitting on the front or back. They’re stable, sturdy and generously sized-enough to fit more than one person.
I can’t even imagine all the fun my husband and I could have with our kids locally if we owned a set of paddleboards. The Indian River Lagoon in our areas is loaded with islands and mangrove clusters and I can’t think of a better and more peaceful way to explore and spend time with the family than this.
These reasons and many more are why “we’ve just gotta try” paddleboarding! So how about you? Have you tried this fairly new water sport? Does it look as fun to you as it does to me? Please share!
Want to see how fun paddleboarding with kids can be? Check out this video!
*This post was created as an entry for a contest/sweepstakes but I can assure you, we REALLY would love to become a paddleboarding family of five!
Rachel N says
That looks like so much fun. We live nowhere near the water, there’s a few lakes within 30 minutes but they are cold and yucky. We are looking for some winter sports we can do as a family since winter is so long here. I think we have decided to try snow shoeing next winter.