5 Great Places to Paddleboard
By Jenny Rough
What’s SUP? For the uninitiated, we’re talking about stand-up paddleboarding, an activity that big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton helped put on the map several years ago and that has been attracting fans among Bethesda-area residents ever since. Rock-solid abs and Popeye arms like Hamilton’s aren’t required, thankfully. “If you can stand, you can SUP,” says Scott “Buck” Jorss, director of Potomac Paddlesports. Even if you can’t stand, you can paddle on your knees or lie belly-down and stroke the water with your hands. Ready to try it? Here’s where to go.
Potomac River at Old Angler’s: The Great Falls region “boasts arguably the best stand-up paddleboarding” of any metropolitan area in the country, according to SUP Magazine. But paddleboarding in white water can be dangerous; the river doesn’t stop moving if you fall. So at Old Angler’s, where Class I and II rapids abound, lessons can be critical. A two-year SUP membership through Potomac Paddlesports will buy you four lessons, coached practices and unlimited rentals. You’ll learn more than 20 strokes and maneuvers, board care, river awareness and etiquette. Kids 12-17 can participate in Paddlestroke SUP’s CampSUP, a five-day session to build a solid foundation for the sport. Lessons begin on the C&O Canal before progressing to the river. Bring a waterproof camera. You’ll have some National Geographic moments in this gorgeous setting.
Angler’s Lot, 10801 MacArthur Blvd., Potomac; Potomac Paddlesports, www.potomacpaddlesports.com, 301-881-2628, $495 for two-year SUP membership; Paddlestroke SUP, www.paddlestrokesup.com, 301-442-6864, $329 a week for CampSUP.
Seneca Creek at Riley’s Lock: A perfect place for beginners, Seneca Creek offers flat water with minimal movement in a place protected from wind. Active Nature, an outdoor adventure company recently launched by extreme white-water kayaker and Bethesda native Jason Beakes, offers everything from single-session introductory courses to a full waterman’s package where you can train for races and competitions. (More-advanced classes are taught at additional venues like Old Angler’s and Lock 6.) Another option: Get a group together and the outdoor education organization Calleva will outfit you for an adult semiprivate SUP clinic. Calleva also offers paddleboard adventure camps for kids 9-15.
End of Riley’s Lock Road, Darnes-town; Active Nature, www.anadventures.com, $20-$200, depending on package; Calleva, 13015 Riley’s Lock Road, Poolesville, www.calleva.org, 301-216-1248, $65 for adult clinics (plus $20 board rental, if needed), $515 a week for paddleboard adventure camp.
Georgetown Waterfront: Take in Washington’s skyline from a different perspective. Along the Georgetown Waterfront, the river is calmer than it is upstream. And Key Bridge Boathouse, fully stocked with new equipment this season, focuses on beginners, says new owner Michael Aghajanian. Loop around Roosevelt Island or paddle upriver toward Chain Bridge with an hourly rental, or join one of the classes and clinics. Alternatively, sign up for a private lesson with Kathy Summers, owner of Stand Up Paddle DC. She’ll meet you at Fletcher’s Boat House or Thompson Boat Center to teach you the dynamics of working with a board on water.
Key Bridge Boathouse, 3500 Water St. NW, Washington, D.C., www.keybridgeboathouse.com, 202-337-9642, rental $20 an hour, $240 and up for classes and clinics; Stand Up Paddle DC, facebook.com/standuppaddledc, 202-550-8699, $75 an hour for private lesson.
Fishing Creek at Chesapeake Beach: Love wildlife? Try a morning paddle among the wetlands of Fishing Creek in the town of Chesapeake Beach, an easy one-hour drive from Bethesda. This peaceful three-mile stretch changes from open bay to saltwater marsh to freshwater marsh to pristine freshwater Palestine forest. As you float, look for red-winged blackbirds, white egrets, fiddler crabs and river otters. The vegetation is just as amazing, with cattails, red maples and cordgrass. Paddle or Pedal, a rental shop near Breezy Point Marina, can set you up with equipment and basic instruction. Grab lunch across the street afterward at Boardwalk Café at the Chesapeake Beach Resort & Spa.
Paddle or Pedal, 4055 Gordon Stinnett Ave., Chesapeake Beach; www.paddleorpedal.com, 410-991-4268; rental $20 an hour or $60 a day.
Valley Mill’s Lake in Germantown: Escape the summer crowds that flock to the Potomac River and enjoy an Intro to SUP class on a private lake at Valley Mill Kayak School (the truly timid can try paddleboarding in the pool). Lessons run every Saturday and Sunday from May through early October. Valley Mill’s canoeing and kayaking summer camp for kids focuses on those two sports, but paddleboarding is also part of the program. And if you become addicted to the sport? Valley Mill has a retail shop on location for those ready to make a long-term commitment.
Valley Mill Kayak School, 15101 Seneca Road, Germantown; www.valleymillkayak.com, 301-840-7388; $105 for Intro to SUP; $1,515 and up for summer camp.
SUP Fundamentals
The biggest mistake instructors see? Holding the paddle with the blade facing the wrong way. An easy cheat is to remember that the advertisement on the blade is usually on the backside, not the power face (the power face is the side that faces you).
Another mistake is purchasing equipment online. Use a local vendor, like Rockville’s Potomac Paddlesports at 11917 Maple Ave., or Hudson Trail Outfitters at 12085 Rockville Pike, where a qualified retailer will take the time to size your paddle and match you with the correct board.
Inflatable boards are more durable and less likely to break or chip. They also make for easy storage. Rigid boards are more responsive and performance-minded.
The middle of the board has a handle. To transport it, place the board on its edge and carry it like a suitcase.
For a basic stroke on flat water, stand in the middle of the board with your feet slightly wider than hip distance. Pull yourself toward the paddle rather than pulling the paddle toward you.
