How to get back home if the tidal current is too strong to go up against: wait it out (theoretically some 3 hours) or try anyway? Read what I did later on.
When I travel I like to do new things if possible. Travel in itself is exhilarating, doing something new makes it even greater. whilst I am a paddle boarder for 1 year now, and fully addicted, I haven't yet SUP'ed in Miami, so here we go.
Miami has got lots of water to go round and quite some tour operators offering it. However, I found the rates of $60 per 1-2hrs and the focus on courses or beginners not matching my plans to explore around, so I bought another inflatable board, or iSUP. It will be a great addition to my current board and now my wife can join me back home! It is bag nr.3 I will have to take on the place, which concerns me a bit. I guess that's what you get when you live in Africa (I'm also bringing an engine part back from Europe that is impossible to find in Africa, to fix my SUV that's been standing idle since February this year...).
My launching spot at the marina at Intercoastal Yacht Club, Sunny Isles Beach (board on the left)
Two days later I had had my Starboard Astro Touring 12.6' iSUP delivered, thanks to Paddleboard Specialists from Wisconsin (!) for the great advise and delivery and Walk on Water Fitness in Miami for the replacement part for the pump. The marina at the back seemed like the best launch spot. That way I'd just walk down and launch. Leave it there inflated with my bicycle lock. Launching required some acrobatics to get down from the baord walk to the water, without any stairs. Getting back up proved even greater challenge... First time I ended up hanging on my hands from the side of the board walk above the water, trying to pull the board back under me with my ancle leach rope. That's when I found out that the water in marina's isn't that clean...I always wondered what they do with these onboard toilets, now I know!
The paddling was better. taking in the vista's of your surrounding while standing on the water and being able to paddle anywhere is just marvelous. This is why I love SUP! Watch the video at the end to get an impression.
I paddled down south toward Bal Harbour, visited the mangrove, saw 3 Manatees swiming with me and popping out their heads to check me out. I ended up on the 'sand bar' in the middle of the bay, near the sea entrance. The bar is formed by strong tidal currents that pull in white beach sand through the sea entrance when the tide drops. it's about a 100 square meters where you can walk or sit in the water, and boaters, kayakers and paddle boarders gather here in the afternoons to chill. I saw a white spotted eagle ray swim next to me. I ordered a hot dog from the food boat that visits here. I was making conversation with some locals about SUP and GoPro gear. I tell you: this place is reason enough to buy a boat or start SUP'ing if you're in Miami!
Bal Harbour sand bar in the morning before the crowd arrives
Sand bar a bit later, food boat (hot dog!) arrived, and some others
Exploring is going further each time, so I decided to paddle out through the sea entrance and up north along the coast to the Sunny Isles Pier. Nice distance but the increasing wind from the sea meant paddling one side and correcting course all the way, which my knees didn't quite appreciate. After an iced cofee at the pier it was time to paddle back.
Sipping my iced-coffee at the Sunny Isles Pier in Miami
Meeting up with the family at the beach didn't work out so I got back around noon at the sea entrance. I had checked the tidal chart in the morning, high tide was 10.30 am so at this time the current would be increasing toward its peak. I could see the white caps of the current going out for some 500 meters into the sea; no way that I would make it against that. Should I wait it out? I walked up along the channel and found that under the bridge it widened and created a wake current that could take me back in. I went back to pick up my board and jump-launched off the quay, some 2 meters. I quicly stood up to paddle and avoid the quay wall on one side and the strong seaward current on the other. I now had to paddle through the entrance of the funnel where there were strong current changes. I tried 2 times standing up and got thrown off and drifted toward the centre of the current and outward to sea. I quickly shortened the paddle and sat-paddled back tot he wake. I decided to sit-paddle through the funnel and it worked. The current was strong and I had to paddle really hard to make any distance. Finally I managed, the current dropped with distance and I was back in the bay, on my way home. I overcame a new challenge and learned a new skill. Sport is great!!!