Well finally got out and about on the Amundson 11'3 Aquaglide.
Decided to hit the flat water of the bay for the first paddle... both for the board and for me.
Here's what I was greeted to when I pulled up !
If you look really really hard you can see a boat (ferry) in the middle of the bay and off to its right a little white cap roller peeling through !
The board is super stable and seems to glide through with little effort (although it was glassy smooth)
Seeing the little waves peeling off the sandbar I couldn't resist and thought I would paddle out that way and see how I felt on the board.
All was going well so I thought I'd just go a little further... then a little further... then a little further... and then I started to hear the waves breaking and I knew I was not going to turn around until I tried to catch one.
The swell wraps in around the heads and then calmly cruises through the deep water of the Bay until it runs into the sandbars... which result in a pretty fat bit very rideable peeling wave.
Throwing caution to the wind I paddled across to the marker channels and out across the sand bar.
I watched the first little set start to build and move gracefully towards me.
I was mesmerized by the oily smooth sheen to the water as I watched it approach only to realise I was facing the wrong way and really had no idea how to turn this thing.
3 frantic paddles on the right side of the board and a couple back ward digs on the left and I had wobbled round into position... still standing just !
I tried to concentrate on keeping the board relatively stable and not dig too deep with the paddle even though every fibre of my body was screaming at me to put in the big ones.
So many years experience paddling small surfboards onto waves is pretty hard to shake.
In the end I managed to get up enough speed so the swell did not pass me by as it began to form.
I whooped with joy as I got onto the little peeler and slowly turned into the little waist high right hander.
Not a huge ride, no zigs, no zags, no bottom turns or any real turns at all just a 40 - 50 metre ride... but enough to produce an ear splitting grin which I proudly displayed to the passengers aboard the passing ferry, which was cut rudely short by a serious case of the wobbles after the wave ended and I lost all forward momentum.
I was seriously stoked and dropped to my knees to give thanks... well actually just to paddle back out around the sand bar without falling off !
Resorting to sitting right on the tail surfboard style I was able to muscle the sup into position so I was once again facing the right way with the wave approaching from behind.
Back up on my feet I chanced a look over my shoulder to get a look at the approaching wave and got all wobbly.. again.
My next wave wasn't as good as I managed to dig the nose and got flung off the board. It was around this time that I finally gave some thought to a leg rope... or more to the point the fact I didn't have one.
Got the board back and managed 2 more little waves before heading in.
I just checked google earth as I was interested to work out how far the sandbar is from the waters edge.
Turns out I just caught my first wave on a SUP and did my first 4 km paddle all in the one session. 2 ks out and 2 ks back
Here's a few shots of the board.
I'll write up a review and post it in the review section.
SUPER STOKED !
Kev
