For my first real SUP (stand up paddleboarding) experiance, if you don't count my ten minute demo in Oregon over a year ago, I joined Mr. Lele Kawa himself for about 2.5 miles around Mission Bay.
On a previous trip to San Diego, the owner of Wind and Sea surf shop in Mission Beach, offered me an unbeatable deal on a SUP package. I finally made my way back there to take the offer.
Sunday morning we hit the water starting from Fanuel Street Park. As the two of us Paddled our way across the Sail Bay, we were joined by a seal. He shadowed us as we paddled, often following just behind the tail of our boards. He would bump the boards and nibbled on my leash. We stopped for a while before crossing under the Ingraham bridge. As we sat on our boards the seal played around us. He could surface along side our boards and look at us, and then swim off a bit to splash around in the water.
View Mission bay SUP in a larger map
When we grew board of our seal friend we headed under the bridge. There were a group of outrigger canoes gettign ready to start a regata. Along with them was a single SUP rider. She told us she was the only SUP rider for the race, and tried to talking us into joining her. We declined and headed back to Fanuel Street Park. The way back got tiring because the wind made it so you could only paddle on one side to keep your line.
Swing flipping in the park
-James
