The SUP commute

Yeah! We made it!

So last week, I had a good buddy of mine staying with me for the week.  Lou-Doo came down for the Real Madrid vs Inter Milan soccer game and I convinced him to stay until next weekend when I was planning to go camping with college buddies.  Buddies Louie hadn't seen for a while.  And it has almost become a tradition to do some paddling with Louie whenever he comes down, so I looked up the tides and figured out that Tues would be a good day to paddle in.  In my arsenal, I have 3 kayaks (all of which I have paddled across the bay with), one surfski (not yet...), but I was also borrowing a touring SUP from Alexis while he was busy eating cheese, drinking too much wine, and partying in France.  I've been out on the board a handful of times, but never in choppy water.  I figured with Louie by my side, a weatherband radio, and the mighty coast guard ready to save lives, I'd give the SUP a go.  I'd always thought that with no morning wind, and the afternoon winds pushing you home, the SUP would be a fun way to commute.

As soon as we got out of the glassy water of Middle Harbor in Oakland, this tanker came to test my balance.  And soon I found out how tippy the board was.  BUT... I never fell in.  I was definitely puckered for a few minutes there...

Louie with the lifting fog... ready for a full day of exploring the transit.  Lou had already gotten in my car, was paddling... then he'd walk to BART, walk to Toro's and borrow his bike to tour around the city.  

Sweet Lou posing for the camera.  Very calm in the morning.  Perfect day for paddling.  We saw a bunch of Velella floating by us.  

On the way home.  Louie took the camera.  Here we are starting our journey back to Oakland.  

Ready to duck under the western span of the bay bridge!

And with the dismantled eastern span behind me.  I was just wearing a 1 mm wet top on, but I was getting so hot by this time that I decided to jump in.  So that was the only swim I had.  Felt good to be in the water!

Here's our tracks... for the way there... I was guessing I'd take more like 1:45, but was surprised to see that it took about the same time as compared to kayaking solo.


And the way home