How paddle boarding is helping me disconnect from stress and reconnect to the people and places I love.
Dang it! The fin on my board is broken and flat water paddling season is just getting started!
I would be more upset about this, but I’m too excited about all the people I am slowly persuading to try out the sport by lending out my board. I am secretly building a paddle board gang that I hope will start wearing matching swim shorts and using slang paddle board language.
Yes, my fin will have to be replaced, but my husband finally got out on my board, and probably even enjoyed it. Not only will I have swayed him into connecting with the flat water promised land (can land be water?), I have also gotten my children, my friend’s children, and most recently my sister-in-law’s children into the sport.
Surf’s up
Paddle boarding is really modified surfing. Us mountain people are trying to pretend that we have an ocean, or that we are cool enough to be surfers. I often wish I lived near an ocean because I long for that meditative ebb and flow of the waves to connect and align my breath. I want to stare out over the water and see endless horizons, where sky meets water and contemplate life’s mysteries.
Still, there’s something terrifying about getting too far away from shore. I am more of a cautious adventurer. I used to think I was kind of a mermaid, until my husband had to pull me from a tangling mess of baby waves in Newport Beach surf during our honeymoon. Also, there are sharks in the ocean.
Still, paddling a lake or placid river makes me feel like I belong somehow. Putting your ore in and pushing away is proof that you are willfully disconnecting from safety and stability. Most importantly, you are opening yourself up to the stillness, building your relationship with the water. I think this is what hanging ten is like, a little.
So, in an effort to build my gang, as I mentioned earlier, here are my top three places to catch some waves, I mean float peacefully, in my #hometown.
My 3 favorite Places to Paddle in Durango, Colorado
Animas River
My all time favorite place to flat water paddle is hands down the Animas River. Yes, I said flat water. I recently saw some crazy guys doing some actual surfing in wet suits on the huge waves of the Animas. This is not what I am talking about. The river is high, I am waiting for the stillness.
Just behind North City Market, you will find the drop off point for the rafting companies. There is rarely ever parking here, but get there on a weekday, early, and it should be available.
The first time I put my board in here, I knew lots of people visited this area to play. What I didn’t know, was that you could paddle up river for about an hour on flat water to reach a sandy beach. What I love about this is not only is it an excellent workout, but it has a destination! Paddling around a lake has its own rewards, but this is almost like going on a trail run! Round trips are my favorite, but I’ll take a there and back any day. Plus, the way back is so easy!
Even more surprising is that I had been to this location several times and had no idea. I’m not sure if I am disappointed, or elated. Loving your community means seeing old things with new eyes, in new ways, or even discovering them for the first time. I recently wrote about this in my post about staycations.
Lake Nighthorse
Ya know those turquoise waters in all the Pinterest posts showing beautiful exotic tropical locations? Lake Nighthorse is almost like that. The water is at least 20 degrees cooler than tropical waters, but man is it blue. We don’t get as much of that in the Animas.
Nighthorse is a mere 5 minutes from downtown Durango! With an $8 day pass, you can get your board out onto those crystal clear waters. It is even wakeless on Mondays and Wednesdays. Don’t get me wrong, we enjoy our wakeboarding and boating days, but as a paddler, its cool to have the whole lake to yourself. They also have great bathrooms!
Just don’t expect to get a great beachy area to have lunch or park your board. I usually park by the boat ramp so I don’t have to carry my board too far. This lake is also a bit windy at times, but there is a water break and fun wakeless area here. Nighthorse has been my go to paddle haven since it stopped snowing in late May.
Pastorius Reservoir
Definitely one of the most secret places to bring your board within 10 minutes of Durango is Pastorius. This site has a technical description and directions. It is literally nestled inside of ranches and homesteads on a little known county road. Its a farely shallow lake which makes for smooth waters almost all the time. In a drought year, this lake is very low and probably not as pleasant.
A local favorite for fishing, it has only recently been discovered by paddle boarders, or maybe just me. I had been here several times for fishing, but hadn’t seen any paddlers until this summer. It costs nothing as of this writing to play here, but there are very little amenities and no bathrooms.
Want to join my gang?
Hit me up on my Instagram account @rachelwhatif, or email me at hello@rachelwhatif.com to find out about the matching shorts.