Standup Paddleboarding as therapy

[Keri]

what's a PDF? sometimes on the forum i feel like i'm in a Tom Clancy book with many unknown acronyms!! (or maybe i'm just dense)!!

Hey JB - what happened to the other gal from Australia that I thought was going to have surgery this summer? You posted pictures of you all eating cake, I think. I forgot her name, and didn't know if she was still updating here. I was wondering how she was.

Keri

[Jim Scott]

what's a PDF? sometimes on the forum i feel like i'm in a Tom Clancy book with many unknown acronyms!! (or maybe i'm just dense)

Not at all, Keri.  PFD is the acronym for Personal Flotation Device.   They used to be called 'a life jacket'.

Jim

[joebloggs]

I'll let you in on a secret Keri - I normally call them life jackets but because everyone else called them PFD I just joined in - I think PFD is more of a US phrase than an Australian one.  Lupy is the girl from Melbourne due for her surgery - she's really well (I'm sure she won't mind me telling you).  Her surgery is due to happen this Wednesday - same day as Stoneaxe.  There may be a set back though - this weekend she got sick (not with Swine Flu - although she has been in hospital imposed quarantine for two weeks at her house so she could avoid getting it!) so she's going to call the surgeons tomorrow, but it may be that they have to postpone the surgery till she's better.  Massive letdown if that is the case, but better to be safe than sorry - she's got a great attitude, but she's definitely quite disappointed.  Poor thing.  Hopefully they'll give her another date quite soon if they postpone it. 

[stoneaxe]

So sorry to hear of your friend JB. Fingers crossed that she can still make the 17th. That's been one of my biggest concerns. I seem to catch every bug that comes around and wouldn't you know it Sue has come down with something the last few days 9and she never gets sick). We are keeping our distance...very difficult....I'm washing my hands, sterilizing is more like it, every 5 minutes.

[Kaybo]

I got strep the week before I was to have surgery and they postponed it a few days - IF it would've have been less of an illness or infection, they would have gone ahead as planned but with a major infection, they had to wait!

K

[stoneaxe]

Back on the water...lots of training to do to get ready for the CCBC. Very excited to see my balance improve as a postie. Maybe my surfing won't stink so bad....

[joebloggs]

You're doing awesome Bob!  So cool.  I'm heading back to the UK in a week and a half... eeek.... to go back to work, now tell me what you think of inflatable paddleboards?  I think it might be the answer to the problem of A) not having a roofrack and B) not having any space to store a paddleboard and C) travelling back to Aus every so often.  What thinks ye?  Looks like they're ok for flat water and slightly wavey water which is fine for me, I'm not exactly hitting the big waves.... having said that we got a Tsunami warning on the TV the other night, so I was ready for some!  I was a bit worried and thought I might put my wetsuit on and grab the board ready to go but then it ended up only being 20cm!  Phew!  Anyway, can't afford a ULI but found these couple of sites with boards in the UK, I think I like the red one best:

http://www.redpaddleco.com/home?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=4&category_id=2

http://www.longboardhouse.co.uk/longboard_house_surfshop_022.htm

cheerio

JB

[NancyMc]

JB,
What's a ULI?
NM

[stoneaxe]

JB...the Uli is supposed to be a good board. I haven't tried one yet but lots of good reviews. I imagine the ones that Tim Mellors at the longboard house is making are pretty good too. I'd see if you can get some info on some of the SUP forums. Since you're headed back to the UK...this should be a good place to start. Pretty good community of SUPers in the UK. John Hibbard, admin of this forum and a championship windsurfer and SUPer is coming across the pond to paddle in the CCBC.
http://www.standuppaddlesurf.co.uk/phpBB2/index.php

As for durability and how good inflatables are in waves. Steamroller (guy in the orange hat) gives a Uli demonstration.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeqIgbunLfs

Did 12 miles Friday...I was beat...just 3 weeks of training left...yikes...

[joebloggs]

Nancy - a ULI is a brand of inflatable paddleboard:

http://www.uliboards.com/

Thanks for those links Bob, shall check them out.  Am defo leaning towards an inflatable - shall have a trial run first before I shell out though.  Is John Hibbard the same guy that did the massive paddle to Westminster Bridge?  My mate here Bryan sent me a link to it.  Looked full on! 

You'll be right for the CCBC, I'm sure of it!  You'll be knackered, but you'll be able to do it I reckon.  I went out today for my last paddle before I head back - Bryan and his partner Annie came up to go out with me and collect the board they lent me - was so nice to go out with other people.  I've been flying solo for a long time and it's nice to have company out there!  Middle of winter here and it was great out - wish I could stay!!!

[stoneaxe]

JB...yup...same John...CCBC should be easy for him. The UK forum has a spot to post where you can hook up with others. Definitely more fun with others and I've made some great friends through SUP.

[Keri]

have a good trip back, JB. are you excited about going back? i guess it's not to easy to hop over to Australia on a regular basis.

Bob... impressed with your progress. i need to go find out about your bay challenge because i can't remember how far you're going.

nancy, how was your last week mri? how have you been doing?

Bob, sorry i'm using your thread as a free for all Q&A session!

[stoneaxe]

The paddle is 30 miles across Cape Cod Bay from Plymouth to Provincetown.

Paddled 3 miles with the boss today. Then paddled hard for 3 hours trying to catch cabin cruiser wakes...most rides were very short but I did get one 1/2 mile ride on the wake of one of the big tourist boats. Caused quite a stir with the tourists on the boat...they were all at the back of the boat waving and taking pictures...

No worrries about the thread Keri...I think threads are like conversations....some of the most interesting stuff gats discussed when it goes off track for a bit. It can always be brought back on point.

Interesting sidebar to the CCBC. I'll be tracing in reverse a small segment of the journey one of my early ancestors, John Jenney..(Mom was a Jenney), made almost 400 years ago. http://www.jenney-jenne-family.org/

[NancyMc]

Oh, hi, Keri!  I have no idea what the results of my MRI are.  I'm enjoying summer!  If they tell me, I'll pass it along.  Otherwise, I'm not even thinking about it because I assume there ain't nothin' there.  I have the CD, but who has time for that now?

[joebloggs]

Thanks Keri!  I am excited, kind of sad to leave, but excited to see my friends again.  One day left to pack before I head to Melbourne.  Aaaaarrrrgghgghgh!  Too much to do!