LAKES COAST VISITOR GUIDE | PAGE 87 LAKES ENTRANCE Try stand-up paddling on the Gippsland Lakes Sarah Carlisle, a Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) instructor from Lakes Entrance-based outdoor adventure company Venture Out, thinks summer is an ideal time to try your hand at this fun water sport. “Warmer temperatures tend to encourage beginner paddle boarders to give it a try,” Sarah said. “Every summer we’re seeing more paddleboards out on the water at Lakes Entrance, which is fantastic, because it’s a great way to exercise and enjoy nature at the same time”. Sarah includes SUP skills instruction on her tours to the Entrance, as well as running dedicated lessons for those keen to learn. “It’s easier than most people think,” she said. “If you’re paddling the right size board – and you’ve got a few tips to get you started – there’s a good chance you can stay dry...if you want to! Of course, there are always some who will lose their balance and do a little ‘SUP dance’ off the end of their board, which is a great way to cool off in summer...and also a bit of a laugh.” While summer is a popular time to paddle a SUP, Sarah says excellent conditions can also be found in winter. “The Gippsland Lakes are often more glassy in winter, which is perfect for SUP, and there are often more dolphins to be seen in the lake, which is pretty special,” she said. “If you get started on a SUP in summer, you’ll be pretty confident by winter – which means, with the addition of a pair of booties to your paddling attire, you can keep paddling all-year round!” Sarah explained that there are a variety of ways to enjoy to Stand Up Paddleboarding. In her free time, for example, Sarah enjoys taking her SUP out into the surf, where she loves paddling out and riding the waves back in. Other lesser-known SUP disciplines include ‘Downwinding’ and ‘Whitewater SUP,’ which Sarah said are great options in East Gippsland, thanks to an abundance of rivers and lakes. Along with running paddling lessons and tours, Venture Out hires and sells a range of Stand Up Paddleboards – both hard and inflatable – for a variety of paddling disciplines, including some SUPs designed specifically for use in the surf. “If you’re not ready for the more extreme versions of Stand Up Paddleboarding – but are keen to give it a go – you can book-in for a lesson, tour, or even just hire a board and give it a try,” Sarah said. Venture Out is located ar 347b Esplanade, Lakes Entrance. To book a tour, lesson, or find out more, visit ventureout.com.au Padding an SUP is a great way to exercise and enjoy nature at the same time. 347B Esplanade, Lakes Entrance M: 0427 731 441 www.ventureout.com.au MAKING MEMORIES ON BIKES, KAYAKS AND STAND UP PADDLEBOARDS SINCE 2014 TOURS - HIRE - SALES PB17702
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