For the first time, paddle boarders will be helping out at the Flowers Sea Swim
While hundreds of swimmers will be splashing through the water along Seven Mile Beach on 18 June, half a dozen people will be watching them from their elevated vantage points on top of paddle boards.
This year, for the first time in the Flowers Sea Swim 19-year history, stand-up paddle boarders will be working with kayakers to be close to the swimmers to offer assistance and encouragement.
Flowers Sea Swim coordinator Lexie Kelly explained: “We will use both kayakers and very experienced stand-up paddle boarders on the Flowers Sea Swim course this year. They will play the same role as kayakers, however, they will view the course from a different perspective – above the swimmer.”
The paddle boarders and kayakers will keep an eye on the swimmers, just in case any get into difficulty and to encourage stragglers.
A paddle boarder will bring up the rear, wearing a lime green shirt, to escort the last of the swimmers to the finish line and ensure that no one is left behind.
Paddle boarding is a relatively new sport in Cayman, but more and more people are finding this a great exercise to keep their core in shape and to explore Cayman’s waterways.
Among the paddle boarders helping out at the Flowers Sea Swim are Neil Martin, Jan Robson, Simon Ziccola, Damo Davis, Russell Bunton and Duane Magis.
Last Saturday, the paddle board team participated in a first aid refresher course.
“From a paddle board, you have a much better vantage point than from a kayak,” said Mr. Martin, one of the paddle boarders.
These paddle boarders are used to paddling, while standing up, in the open sea and take on waves and surf, so a (hopefully) calm run along Seven Mile Beach during the sea swim should pose no challenge for them and they can concentrate on watching the swimmers.
Easy to master
Mr. Martin explained that he first got into paddle boarding about a year and a half ago as a form of rehab after he had injured his knee. “I was doing physio and was on a balance ball and I figured that, rather than doing this inside, I could be doing the same thing outside on the water,” he said.
“I got a paddle board and started doing it. It was great for rehab, for building up core strength and keeping the muscles around the knee engaged,” he said.
Because paddle boarding is relatively easy to master – Mr. Martin says it takes about 20 minutes from first getting on a board to get the hang of it – it’s growing in popularity.
“The allure is anybody can get out on the water,” he said.
Standing on a paddle board means the paddle boarders have a great view of what’s underneath the waves as well. “I used to kayak a lot along South Sound. It was hard on my back and I couldn’t really see all that much, you get a lot of glare on the water. On a board, you see so much more because you’re higher up. My first time out paddling, I saw an eagle ray and a turtle. You get a great view of it all when you’re standing up. And there’s no back pain,” he said.
Paddle boarding is also fun for all the family, said Mr. Martin, who occasionally props his 14-month-old daughter at the front of his paddle board, where she happily sits as he paddles along in the water.
Mr. Martin, who has been involved in kiteboarding in Cayman for several years, plans to open a retail store this summer where people can rent and buy paddle boards, as well as other watersports gear.
“Everyone should give paddle boarding a go. It’s great fun,” he said.
If you’re taking part in the Flowers One Mile Sea Swim, ask him yourself.
Space is limited to 800 swimmers for this year’s Flowers Sea Swim. To register, visit flowersseaswim.com.
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