SUPing Around Lake Chautauqua

La and Marlon had fun buzzing around the Lake. La's cousin Steven got in on the fun too - first time on a SUP and he stayed dry!

Fishing Report 6/21/2014, Part 2

After a while, we jumped on our boards and paddled out to the barrier islands further into the Chesapeake. Of course I had tackle onboard and Noe and I caught a few crabs along the way. When we beached, I was hoping to catch a flounder, but there were very few fish around. I did see tons of Stripped Killifish, but none of the bigger predatory fish. Marlon and La paddled their boards really efficiently - the narrower boards definitely paddled faster than the aircraft carrier that had two people on deck. Fun paddle regardless!!!

Paddling Lake Audubon in Reston

The forecast for today originally called for 70% rain. WRONG. With the dismal outlook, we had planned on knocking out some errands - changing the van's transmission fluid, begin shopping for back-to-school, finishing off the outfitting on the kids' new SUP board (Tahoe Grom) and more cleaning. After a while, I was getting cranky because I haven't had any water time. We did not have enough time to go out to Beaverdam Reservoir, but we did have some time to check out Lake Audubon. I paddled here last when I was back from my last tour for a conference (old blog post from September 2011). Marlon and Noe really like the Grom - they were each keeping track of how long the other had been using it - looks like we'll have to save up some more and get a second one. The ULI FAQ is a little wide for them right now - but both these boards are ding proof so that's what they'll be using for the foreseeable future. La met a new friend paddling another inflatable - NRS I think. The length of Lake Audubon is better for paddling then Lake Newport - but the fishing honey holes are different (as they should be for a different body of water - it's just that I don't know where they are).

Same Point in Time - Different Perspective and Fist Pumping

We had all four boards nested together during our breaks. La and the GoPro were working the same space - cool perspectives. Besides the cruising around, the kids and I had to break out the fist pumping to ensure we made it back through the thick aquatic plants, the swooping ospreys and the oppressive heat. Our fist pumping was very good, very good indeed (we made it back didn't we??? ;)

Second Outing on the Hooked SUP

Yesterday after we got back from Goose Creek, I was scrambling around the garage to finish off the shelving rack (next post), cleaning out the Surf Taco from the earlier trip and organizing the other boards. All sweaty and ripe, I figure what better time to break in the Hooked SUP!!! I took the board out for a paddle on Lake Newport but the pictures Marlon took of me got erased in one of the GoPros today. Oh well - that's what these second day pictures are for. This board is MEGA stable - I can walk in circles around the deck. I can walk way back to the tail and not sink it in at a steep angle - that width back in the tail makes a huge difference in stability (but we all knew that already don't we ;) We took four boards with us today - La's Flatwater, the ULI FAQ, the new Tahoe Grom and the Hooked SUP - over to Pohick Bay. It was hot with hardly a breeze - but still 10 degrees cooler than yesterday. We had the big hats on today, neckerchiefs for evaporative cooling, lots of drinking water and we were still hot. The black deck pad didn't help my feet a whole lot. We practiced some towing drills - figure with the kids having to paddle themselves around now (unlike the Big Tuna kayaking days), what would we do if they got too tired or hurt. I had two tow lines rigged and we tried towing. Noe stopped paddling behind me and enjoyed the ride - which was ok, I needed the exercise and old habits die hard (lazy butts). I saw a bunch of fish on the way out - but when I made a follow up pass on the way in, there were three ospreys hanging out in the trees crying out - either pissed at each other, or pissed at us for hanging out in the dining room table. I noticed most of the fish I saw earlier (coincidentally when there were no osprey hanging around) weren't hanging around anymore. I did manage to hook into this bluegill - you can always count of bluegill to keep away the skunkfish - can't get skunked while on your first fishing trip on your new fishing SUP can you? - NO you can't!!! And I didn't!