If you are active, like the water and know why did you come to the Caribbean try SUP: Stand Up Paddle. This is a surfing experience for anyone between 5 and 105, the greatest sport you can imagine. It will keep you fit, slim an beautiful. No pills required.

Let us share a beginner's exprience with you: the first four days on the water.

If you try it, get hooked and want to join the band you are welcomed. There is a SUP club in Santo Domingo and another one in Cabarete. The best and safest place to start: Boca Chica. Have a look yourself...

This is Stand Up Paddle:

Photo courtesy of the SUP Club RD

Welcome to the Dominican Republic!

If you are interested in SUP, you have probably seen the popular videos about paddle surfing, such as this (starters) or this (advanced).

The next step is getting wet. This is how I started:

THE FIRST DAY

As a beginner, I found perfect SUP conditions in Boca Chica: zero waves, no wind, shallow waters (4-5 feet max, usually 1-2 feet). A stable 11'4" surfing board looked encouraging, too. If you don't have your own board yet, you can rent a surf board here.

I mounted the board with the knees first... and fell instantly into the water. Too far behind the sweet point. Just forgot about it. Allright, the next attempt was successful and I started paddling. Wow, it moved! But stable was it not. Anyway after a few minutes I ventured what is the breaking point in any SUP career: raising from the kneees on my feet. And yes, I made it. Started paddling again and the board moved. Not much though. After two minutes I was swimming again. The balance! The balance is a real challenge, it is the key to be successful in this discipline.

When I first saw the videos about paddle surfing I thought it is all about the power in your arms. Wrong. It is about the balance. If your arms are weak you will move slower, but you will. Without catching the balance and the rhythm you will not move at all. You'll find yourself emerged in water faster then you think.

The true experience: on the first day, once you get on your feet, will find that everything is shaking beneath you. Your lower legs and feet will do most of the work. This is not what this sport is about and eventually you will come out of it.

BEGINNERS TIP #1:

Do not think I'll stand up and see what it feels first. Start paddling as soon as you rest on your feet alone. Like on a bicycle, the speed will help you to catch the balance.

On the first day I scored about 3.0 kilometers within one hour, three involuntary falls and a great feeling of success.

SECOND DAY

Much better. The feeling everything is shaking beneath me is gone. More distance and only one fall. Why did I fell? I was curios to see what happens to the leash behind me: is part of it dragged in the water? Can it catch a stone? This stroke me out of balance.

Most falls are avoidable, though. Technically, the general reason for falls (70%-80%) is that we bend our knees lower too late. More attentive attitude will keep you on your feet.

BEGINNERS TIP #2:

Look ahead of you: to the island or boat you want to approach. Do not look down. Do not look to check how your feet are positioned on the board. Check the feet before you stand up.

THIRD DAY

I think I am a professional now ;-) I ventured to the small island, watching the exotic birds and then to another one, with deeper, cristal clear water inviting for a swimm. Behind the second island a broad channel flows into the Caribbean Sea and I felt small waves for the first time. These little waves were some challenge, but not a big one. I went on the knees in one instant, but could then stand up again. No fall this day.

On the way back I met a bigger challenge though: the wind. At one point I realised that I am not moving at all: the wind was blowing from where I wanted to return. I doubled the effort, or perhaps even triplicated it and yes, I started to move. But it was a 100% power effort. After half an hour of intensive paddling I was half dead and decided to rest laying flat on my belly. And then the discovery: once on your belly, using the arms in the water as propellers moves you really fast. After the experiment I stood up again and reached my base, with the wind blowing stronger and stronger. Due to this circumstance I stayed on the water 1:50 hours rather then one hour I planned.

BEGINNERS TIP #3:

Do not underestimate the wind. Plan for it.