Good morning,
I just got back from my first stand up paddleboarding adventure on the serene Bayou Texar surrounded by Pensacola's East Hill neighborhood. I moved back to Pensacola about four years ago after living in Oceanside, California for two. I've done a little surfing in Pacific Beach last December and then again in March but didn't have tons of success riding waves. The conditions by PB Pier are a bit less favorable than half a mile north at Tourmaline Surf Park. I also tried to teach my then five year old son how to surf back in the late Fall but he didn't take to the cold water and the surf was all but flat.
I've had a kayak in my garage for years which I recently refurbished but it hasn't been out in the water since 2010 in Corpus Christi! Not the easiest thing to transport so I've been eyeing getting an inflatable paddleboard for a few years now. Ultimately I would like to take it out in the surf on calmer days when catching waves with a shorter board would be a bit of a challenge. Amazon had alot of boards but they all have very mixed reviews. A good friend of mine recommended the Bōte Brand and I found a very good deal for the Bōte Wulf at the local Academy. I also picked up a paddling life jacket, waterproof phone case, and survival mirror and whistle.
I set out around 7:30 AM at the Bayview Park Boat Launch; there is a $5 boat launch parking fee but I think I could have parked a few spots down and parked for free since I didn't have a boat trailer hanging off my car! There's a nice pier and small boat floating pier next to the second boat ramp where I was able to inflate my board and stow my excess gear back in the trunk. I set my paddle length to just over 6" above my height, attached the leash, and pushed off the dock while kneeling and stood up and took off. Pretty easy to get moving; definitely don't get the speed you'd would expect from a sit inside kayak but you feel more connected to the water than sitting inside a kayak. I headed north up Bayou Texar for about 25 minutes and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Several racing sculls were out and a few slow moving motor boats. Fish were splashing here and there and there were some beautiful houses along the water front. I'd recommend checking out this boat launch, conditions are nice for a beginner with little to know surfing or paddle boat experience. More updates to follow.
