We tried SUP for the first time

I saw this video some years ago, it's about a guy contemplating the meaning of adventure as he crossed the Georgia Straight from Vancouver to Victoria. He explains that adventure can be as simply as wondering about the possibility of doing just one thing differently than before. It really inspired me and made me want to try SUP.

So, I finally went to Riviere Rouge to try it last weekend. It was a rainy, which sucks but we pretty much had the whole river to ourselves. When the rain finally stopped, we could see the clouds surrounding the mountains and made me feel like we traveled to another country.

Unfortunately for Dyno, he did not know he was going to do SUP. I pretty much dragged him onto the board and took off. Right when we took off is when it started raining pretty heavily. We got all wet and he was shaking from the cold.

After an hour or so, we took a break on one of the many beaches. I let him off leash so he can run for a bit and stretch his paws. When it was time to get back on the board, he really did not want to go back and wasn't listening to me anymore. It took me a good 10 minutes to catch him. I put him on the board and started paddling. Seconds after we left the beach, I don't know what he wanted to do, but he fell in the water, and it kind of pushed me and the board further. Also, the current was not helping. I was a good 3-4 meters away from him at this point. I went on my knees but almost lost my balance.

Poodles are water dogs and I hoped he would enjoy the water. The week before, I took him to a doggy pool to teach him swimming while he was still young. However, I did not know I couldn't get inside the water with him, which made him even more hesitant to be in the water. I gave the employee a ton of shit and gave up on the idea of teaching him swimming this year.

I debated whether I should jump in the water to save him but I really did not want to get wet. It wasn't one of those hot summer days where we were paddling in swimsuit. It wasn't warm and I only had one jacket to protect me from the rain. I see his head was still above the water, so I waited to see if he could swim to me. Obviously, if I could not see his head, I would jump in right away. I called him several times and finally...he swam towards my SUP. I was so scared but so happy at the same time, because Dyno finally learned to swim!

I'm so proud of my little wet rat!