Paddle Before the Storms; Pup on a SUP - Not Yet!

Gilgo looking very inviting for some light duty SUP

  A little more planning would have been in order to catch the tide before it got too high.

  That and a set of bowels that would cooperate instead of mimicking a light case of appendicitis or an ulcer.

  By the time Z got her walk and a few chores were taken care of, the south shore was looking like a flat to turning onshore proposition. No longer worth the gas.

  Back home meanwhile, glass flat conditions ruled on the bay making for the smoothest supping I've had in a year.  I tossed up the idea of introducing Z to the boards, but the nearest viable calm place — O'Bay — was another hour and a half drive commitment and she was skittish of the giant boards, and still not ready for off-leash.

  Forecast for the unlikeliest of T-storms, suddenly loomed into reality just before ignition.

I wanted to bring Z-Dog but she is now immense for a pup.
Gonna need even more volume and space than I thought.

  I checked Radar now, and the system was motoring through PA/NJ. But the time lapse showed there was a good 40 minutes before the rain arrived. Enough time for a paddle.

  On arrival, dark clouds crowded the north skyline. This would be touch and go. Sometimes these things sputter out before they can cross the sound, but the visuals gave me confidence there was a half hour before anything got here. Turned out 40 minutes of solid paddling was possible before the first raindrops rippled the bay. And a few drops was not a bother.

 The smooth water made for double-speed gliding. The 9'6" never felt so smooth. I worked on the stroke, the transition from one hand to the next. Some high cadence paddling for wave catching, and finding the trim sweet spot. ... Dang this board has a flat nose, very little nose rocker. Memo to self; best keep it up and away from pearling next time in the waves.

  A total pleasure to paddle, despite the dark murkiness of the muddy low-tide waters. Was that an orange and red colored jellyfish ?

Hope some early birds captured this worm

  Fortunately this would be a head-dry paddle, that said, still managed to soak the 3mm/3mm wetsuit with sweat. beads of sweat formed and fell to the board's deck as I dug into each mirror smooth pull of the water. This board moves well once you get up a head of steam. Sails well too for that matter.