30 Aug 2019
By Sally Worthington
A Bank Holiday weekend in the UK is a special thing, a Bank Holiday in August with 28 degree weather is very rare occurrence and to a paddle boarder – it’s nirvana!
As it often is with the DPB WhatsApp group a single comment can spark an adventure. In this case it was simply along the lines of “I’m going to Bournemouth for the weekend if anybody fancies coming”. Next thing we have a separate WhatsApp group and a flurry of excited planning emails. I knew that some of the guys were planning a whole 3 day trip and also saw a couple of committed paddlers were planning a car share day trip to take their boards out on the sea for the first time.
I arrived late morning on Saturday and set off from my hotel with my board on my back in the general direction of the beach. As I stood on top of the cliff and surveyed the mass of bodies and wondered how the heck I was ever going to find the gang, I spotted the DPB flag flying strong and guiding me through the throng of sunbathers.
Boards pumped up we hit the waves which were very choppy so it takes a while for us river dwelling SUPers to find our sea legs. For those of you who have never tried it before I highly recommend the experience, it’s hard work on the legs and you will fall in a lot, but it’s exhilarating. The day was spent in and out of the water, paddling out to the buoys or just lying on the boards out at sea where the air was cooler. The company and banter were excellent and by 7pm with the sun setting behind us it was time to BBQ in the sand. The length of the beach is lit up in the evening with bonfires and BBQ’s as everyone enjoys the last heat of the day and many people arrive in the evening just for the experience.
Food gone, beers drunk, moonlight on the water – time for one last cheeky paddle in the dark!
If you want to join in the fun and take part in some of our Safaris, why no become a member.
