Witches are Now Paddle Boarding – Why You Should Too!

Why are Witches Paddle Boarding? 

The Fourth Annual SUP Witch Paddle happened last October 30, 2021, and it was the biggest one yet!  An exciting event happened just this spooky Halloween season. Hundreds of people dressed as witches, warlocks, and wizards braved a windy day and were seen paddle boarding the Willamette River in South Portland, United States of America. 

While the origins are not clear on how this tradition started, the founder of the Portland event stated that this was inspired by a similar event that happened in California many years ago. Through this, you can see hundreds of witchy people clad in amazing outfits, make-up, and hats having the time of their life paddle boarding across the river. It really does make you want to pick up a paddle and just join them! 

I couldn’t agree more. Here are the reasons why paddle boarding is just so magical and why you should take a note from these spooky witches for your next adventure. 

The Magic of Paddle Boarding 

But first, what is paddle boarding exactly? 

Paddle boarding is an outdoor sport that has been growing in popularity in many countries around the globe. It delivers a full-body workout without the intense impact on your body. It’s also a great way for people to enjoy beautiful scenery and nature.

Paddle boarding can be done standing up, lying, or kneeling on a board. The great thing is that unlike surfing, it can actually be done in any body of water. From open oceans, to calm lakes, and even exciting white-water. 

From this outdoor sport alone, you can get a plethora of benefits that can better your health, travel, and adventure. Here’s how.

Health Benefits of Paddle Boarding 

Like mentioned before, this activity is actually an outdoor water sport and a great easy exercise and full-body workout for just about anyone. Paddlers are all ages, shapes, and sizes and they’re all enjoying the amazing health benefits that this sport can give you.

The first benefit is of course, improving your balance. To be able to get on the board, you can practice your balance and maintain your center of gravity. With paddling, you can also increase your endurance and get your cardio in. Since it is a full-body exercise, paddling for long periods of time can actually allow you to lose a lot of calories.

Despite that, this is still a low-impact exercise that many sports cannot offer. The chance of muscular injuries is relatively low and it is not as strenuous as other high-impact sports. Instead, you can stay relaxed and paddle in your own time while still getting the results you want.

That’s another benefit you can get! Paddle boarding actually reduces stress which is so very important these days. Aside from the stress-reducing capabilities of general exercise, paddle boarding is done outdoors and water has a healing ability and relaxing effect on the body and mind. You can keep the pace slow and really have a calming experience while on the board. Out in the sun, you can also boost Vitamin D levels and boost your general health even further. A little sunshine and a breath of fresh air are perfect reasons why you should try out this well-rounded sport. 

Travel and Adventure Benefits of Paddle Boarding 

The other reason why you should really try paddle boarding is the travel and adventure aspect of it. Not only do you get physical health benefits but the sport is actually plain fun and enjoyable. You can really see that in the witches’ smiles at the event last October!

Paddle boarding is one of the easiest sports to learn and the fastest growing! This allows you to find a community of like-minded people that you can truly go on an adventure with, discover new spots, and enjoy beautiful scenery with. 

That’s exactly what you get with paddle boarding – adventure. There was once a British adventurer named Dave Cornthwaite who journeyed through the entire length of the Mississippi River –  all while on his paddle board. Paddling can open up a whole new wealth of the world that you just won’t experience anywhere else. 

You can camp across the lake or even lay in the middle of a vast river. You can get to hard-to-reach areas of nature parks, enjoy a relaxing afternoon basking in the bigness of the world, or even enjoy rough rivers or rapids in a paddling adventure. The sky really is the limit or the water, in this case! Check out these dream paddle board destinations!

Aside from drifting along a river and letting nature just pass you by, there are still so many activities you can do while paddle boarding. Others do fishing in further treasure troves, some relax and do SUP yoga on their board, others go on an epic multi-day journey across vast lakes and rivers. No matter what floats your boat, paddle boarding will definitely have something for you.

If you’re not convinced yet about how magical paddle boarding really could be, just try it and see for yourself!