CINCINNATI — More people are trying to stand on the water this summer and taking their shot at stand-up paddleboarding.
Armed with a life jacket and a paddleboard, Allison Cone can stand on water.
“I got this. I can like move around, somewhat walk on the board, not there yet, still learning myself,” she said.
But after spending years doing other water sports she gets to teach everyone else how to do it safely.
“We’re gonna focus a lot on how the board works and how you and the board work together so you can become more stable and confident on it,” Cone said.
Cone is a trained and certified paddleboard instructor through Hamilton County Park’s Adventure Outpost.
This time she has a full class.
Since the pandemic, she said there’s renewed interest in outdoor water activities and many people like Christy Hemphill are trying stand-up paddleboarding for the first time.
“My husband and I go kayaking all the time, so I just like being out on the water, but I haven’t tried this so it seemed like a natural thing to try,” Hemphill said.
Thanks to a $13,000 state grant that paid for the boards, she’ll get to learn the basics and how not to do what she’s worried about.
“I certainly don’t wanna fall off and just worried about the balance piece I guess,” Hemphill said.
It just might take a little time, but with the right skills, educators say you can stand on water.
“(If you fall) it feels like to me like you’re hoping up out of like a pool, like pushing yourself onto the board, and then eventually you get your torso and throw your legs on top,” Cone said.
Registration is still open if you want to take a stand-up paddleboarding class.
It’ll cost you a $26 fee to do it.
For more information about the program, click here to visit the Great Parks of Hamilton County website.
