Stand up paddling

During August 2023 I visited Horsetooth Reservoir several times with Starboard Waterline SUP, the same board I paddled in the Missouri River 340 race. It was rather a relaxed paddling with a lot of photography since I was recovering from the race which was very tough this year. I typically launched my board from Soldier Cove at Lory State Park, a serene and relatively uncrowded location, even on weekends.

Later in the month, my focus shifted as I prepared for the Middle Loup River Challenge in Nebraska. For this endeavor, I opted for my trusty 2014 Starboard All Star, which bore the battle scars and dents acquired from countless journeys through shallow river waters.

Open water swimming

I combined my recent stand up paddling with some open water swimming. At this time it was more about photography than fitness, but I am going to swim more even if I need to wear wetsuit soon.

I’ve been around water paddling and sailing for almost 60 years, but I must admit that I am not a proficient swimmer. I grew up in Sandomierz, a small town in Poland without a swimming pool. Fortunately, there was Vistula River, a smaller version of the Missouri River, partially regulated, but also with wild sections, sand dredges and barge traffic. So, I learned to swim by myself without any formal instructions in some old river channels.

I have additional motivation for open water swimming. Recently, I launch my battle against candida overgrowth. Swimming in chlorinated pools is discouraged in such situations because chlorine not only eliminates bacteria in the water but also disrupts the body’s and skin natural bacterial flora.

Navigational lights on paddleboard

I like to paddle late in evenings even well after sunset. In Horsetooth Reservoir I am using LED navigational lights by NaviSafe, the same as in Missouri River 340 Race. They are approved by the US Coast Guard for up to 2 Nautical Miles. These come with suction cups, but can be also mounted on GoPro type mounts. Suction cups don’t work reliably on decks of my paddleboards at least in muddy Missouri River, so recently I am using GoPro mounts. You can find cheaper and simpler lights, but I have been using NaviSafe lights without any problems with all my recent MR340 races.