It is hard to believe that we are going to welcome Summer this weekend. Although I know that it is impossible, I wish I could keep Spring for longer, because this year’s turned out to be a great time in my life.
The global health crisis is the main aspect that I will remember spring 2020 for longer. Despite the need of isolation that affected every aspect of my life, I tried to focus on the positive sides of the situation. Thanks to online work, I gained an additional hour and a half for myself during the day which I could spend on intellectual development, getting back into shape after Winter or caring for family and social relationships instead of travel to work. Online coffee meetings with loved ones allowed me to keep a little normality during lockdown.
I drowned out my need of SUP in exercising on the trickboard and watching “Baywatch” – my favourite series of the 90s. The daily rutine was lying on the sofa in front of the TV at 4 pm to spend afternoon with handsome David Hasselhoff and watch American surfers in action which interested me the most.
During the series watching I usually heard annoying scraping coming from the another part of the living room where the unpacked Red Paddle Co Elite 14′ x 27” racing board stood from mid-March. My Miss Cat was responsible for the sounds crying out for the box which my new gear was delivered in. My pet’s pressure was stronger than my promise to unpack my SUP chaser only just before its first launching. Finally, Miss Cat got her paper castle and I confirmed that the design of the board gives the same strong impression in reality as in the catalog. I saved the joy of Miss Cat in the pictures. Just look at her…
The longer I stayed locked down, the need of floating grew. I tried to turn my negative energy into something useful. The isolation influenced my creativity. Since SUP-ing was forbidden, I could enjoy it in a slightly different way. A SUP desk was my brilliant idea for rearranging the space in the house and getting used to the interior again thanks to which it was easier to withstand trapped for more weeks.
The top of my ingenuity was using the pond in the backyard for SUP. The SUPSurf Whip Red Paddle Co board, due to its size, was the one on which I spent Easter on the water. Somewhere between another helping of a panettone cake and sips of tea and read pages of the book “Barbarian Days. A surfing life” by William Fimmegan, I was thinking why this solution came to me so late.
This SUP arrangement brought me good mood for the next two weeks during which I improved my body flexibility during individual SUP yoga sessions.
My first walk on the water took place on the Stolsko lake at the end of April. I launched SHARK with great joy. I was curious how my muscles would cope after a seven-week break in paddling as well. Exercise outdoor had beneficial effect on my body and soul. Because I didn’t want to tire myself I limited the trip to my favourite places. One of them was covered with water mint with incredibly intensive smell. I wanted to say hello to the swans. However, they flew to the German side of the lake as soon as I shortened the distance to them inaccessible to me due to the border closing. Well, I won’t mind reminding them this at the earliest possible opportunity.
The occasion to spend a long May weekend at the Polish seaside was a chance for me to continue the tradition of opening the SUP season on the Baltic. I had never thought that I would stay on the coast the remaining part of Spring. I appreciated quickly the benefits of work online. Also, the setting had a positive impact on my both professional efficiency and physical shape. I changed my staying into a boot camp with the busy schedule for all day: work till 4 am, then sport training and an evening relax. The goal was to use my time the best way I could. I was alone just for myself. I had time to thinking, walks, passions, new friendships. I spent every free moment outdoor enjoying the views and the possibility of enjoying the nature.
SUP sessions were responsible for my full happiness. I missed floating on the Baltic Sea the most. I had my whole collection of boards with me so it was out of the question complaining about the weather conditions. Each of them was used. Waiting for windless days was in vain. I needed them to learn floating on the new racing board. I dared to take my favourite route Rewal – Niechorze – Rewal on it. It was a chance to explore possibilities and requirements of the equipment while covering a longer distance on the swinging sea water. Although the Planet Baltic SUP Race 2020 was called off, I decided to keep the tempo and follow my stages made of acquiring skills on “Strzała” – “Arrow” that is how I called my SUP chaser.
I celebrated the third anniversary of being the owner of SHARK on June 8th,2020. I’m glad that I could celebrate this event in the place where my adventure with Stand Up Paddle began. I have had a liking for this board because it changed my life for better. I took my first steps in this sport on it. I took a first place as an amateur in the Planet Baltic SUP Race 2019 on it. We sailed hundreds of kilometers together. We had unforgettable SUP tours to wonderful places. Trip to Trzęsacz belongs to one of them.
When the Baltic deterred people by waves and strong winds, I stood on the beach being all dressed in neoprene and armed with a board and paddle, ready to accept any challenge. The size of the waves already at a wind speed of 6m /s was terrifying. Still, I was entering the sea with fear in my eyes and being uncertain of the consequences of my courage. Although my surfing skills still leave much to be improved I treated each session as a psychological therapy during which I exposed and overcame my fears.
I see relaxing SUP sessions with spectacular impressions of the setting sun as the most beautiful moments of this Spring. When others admired an evening performance sitting on the beach I jumped on the board and paddled away from the shore. I found my comfort and intimacy zones on the water thanks to which I could experience the beauty surrounding me stronger being bathed in the light of the setting sun. The metaphysical moments to me were when I closed my eyes for a few seconds to feel the rhythm of the sea all by myself. Then I wondered what I deserved that I survived this difficult time for the world without much difficulties.
I only can be grateful to the fate that I managed to spend this year’s Spring peacefully and easy. Just normally.
