What’s SUP at Silver Lake
I was not planning on sharing about my new recreational hobby, stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), but I recently shared my experience with a friend and with much joy, it is a new recreational hobby for her too after taking a lesson at Hydrology Stand Up Paddle.
I’ve been searching for outdoor recreation that my whole family can enjoy together. One of us is 12-years-old, so it’s been a challenge. I really wanted to try paddleboarding and the 12-year-old loves being in the water so I signed my family up for a 1 hour class from Hydrology Stand Up Paddle at Silver Lake.
A correctly sized paddle prevents shoulder injuries // Courtesy of Hydrology
After I signed up, I asked a couple of friends about their paddleboarding experience and they told me it was hard.
It’s not hard.
Turns out the $165 for my family’s lesson was an excellent investment because we have confidently been paddling around Silver Lake several times since.
There are a lot of things to know about paddleboarding such as how to not break the fin getting into the water, where your eyes should be when you go to stand up, how to get back on your board should you fall off and how to get a dropped paddle. Not to mention the slow way to turn and the fast way to turn and the most important thing, where to place your feet.
When hands are positioned correctly, elbows should be at right angles // Courtesy of Hydrology
We packed in all this knowledge in under an hour and had time to leisurely paddle on the water and ask any questions we had. On the way home, my son asked when we could go back. Adolescent enthusiasm doesn’t get much better than that.
It costs $22 to rent a paddleboard and paddle for one hour (without the lesson). A PDF comes with the package. We need to decide whether to purchase our own paddleboards. They make some pretty good inflatable ones starting around $500. For now, I need to get a dry bag because my 12-year-old would like to have lunch on the water.
Our smiling faces at the end of class planning for our next paddle // Courtesy of Hydrology
On one recent paddleboard excursion, we watched a pair of bald eagles catch dinner from the lake. Silver Lake is a beautiful place to explore and we’re lucky to have a body of water so close that doesn’t allow motors. Paddleboarding is going to be a regular thing for my family.
Hydrology Stand Up Paddle
11405 W Silver Lake Rd (Thornton A. Sullivan Park)
Everett, WA 98208
(425) 257-8300
Linda War Bonnet represents south Everett on the Live in Everett Team. When she isn’t working, she is running the Westmont-Holly Neighborhood Association. You might spot her walking her dog in the Holly neighborhood.
