I got the chance to re-charge a couple of weeks at the beach on Long Island, NY. I tried to limit commuting to walking/biking/scootering. A few car trips were unavoidable on congested NY Route 27 to get provisions.
One of the many highlights of the trip was stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) on a lake using an inflatable SUP purchased while traveling to the Island (It arrived by FedEx on day 3). The inflatable SUP came with a convenient back pack that made commuting the roughly 0.5 miles to the beach then lake doable with a kick scooter.
This is our second inflatable stand-up paddleboard (SUP) purchase. I bought the first one at at a Walmart a couple of years ago for about $300 but forgot to load it in the car along with the bikes and other gear we jammed in there. We justified purchasing another one on the ferry ride from Connecticut to Long Island with the idea of leaving it at the family home for my sister, parents and guests to use.
I was surprised to see inflatable SUPs for less than $200 on Amazon now. The one we ended up purchasing is now just under $150 (affiliate link). So far it’s at least as good and maybe even more portable than the SUP purchased a couple of years ago for twice the price. Of course, I can’t say that it’s lasted a long time after two uses. And, the manufacturer may no longer be in businesses (the web address listed on the box went nowhere). But, it filled the need and rentals on the Island are not cheap ($70 per half day for a hard board).
While I wouldn’t use it on rough or ocean waters, it worked perfectly for the calm lake. It was an awesome feeling to be in the middle of a large lake disconnected from everything (except my husband who was trying to keep up on a kid-sized inflatable kayak designed more for pools than lakes :>).
While searching for inflatable SUPs, I came across this very cool site that I plan to consult in the future if I get more serious about the sport. The end of summer sales right now look tempting though!
Happy Commutes 