Walking on Water

Katie Sikora snapped this photo of paddleboarding enthusiast Christopher Davis as he returned to South Shore Pier after an afternoon of paddleboarding on Eagle Harbor.

The rolling waves in Ephraim’s bay lapped against my bare feet as I tried to stay center on “Bomber,” the biggest and most stable paddleboard available to rent at the South Shore Pier in Ephraim. I was more than happy to give up speed for stability in choosing a paddleboard for the first time. Boat traffic was low but the wind was high and I was dry. The goal was to stay that way.

Paddle boarding takes place in the open water, on a long board resembling a surfboard. The idea is to stand on the board and use a paddle to propel you forward. Once in the open water it is easy to ride waves alongside the wind and get close to shores that are not as easily accessible by boat. Yet it is also easy for that wave to overtake you or simply lose your balance before even standing up.

Arriving at South Shore Pier, I was advised, as a first-timer, to use the most stable and “indestructible” of the boards available. The fact that a paddleboard benefited from being indestructible raised slight concern as to what I might be encountering in the water, but the feeling passed and I scrambled on the board trying to stay center.

Paddleboaders rowing through the waters surrounding Door County are becoming almost as commonplace as sailboats. Photo by Katie Sikora.

The activity is surprisingly easy to catch on to. After you recognize how to balance on the board, it only becomes a matter of navigating the waves and steering with the paddle. Though I had quite a few slip ups, I never took a full dive into the water; even after I had switched out for the faster yet less-stable board.

Once I got my feet set and no longer had to concentrate on the act of simply moving through the water, it became an exhilarating experience. I felt as though I was walking on water and found that I could scoot along shores and between moored boats unlike I ever have before.

Not only that, but it serves as quite a workout. Many runners use paddle boarding as a means to strengthen their stabilization muscles because that act of keeping balance on an unstable surface uses muscles that cannot be targeted with weights. My mildly aching thighs can speak for that.

Paddle boarding is a fun and inexpensive way to get out on the water in these hot summer months. Part of me wishes I had taken a dive after rolling over a wave but I’m sure the paddleboard will win one of these days.

South Shore Pier is located at 9993 Water Street in Ephraim. For more information, reservations, and hours of operation call 920.854.4324.