Yesterdays conditions for Paddleboarding looked good enough for me to venture out for a lap around la Isla de sa Porrassa.
Go Slow
This is the first Paddleboarding video I've uploaded to 3speak and Hive and until I get a new machine I think it will be the last. The laptop I've used to produce almost all my content here (I was using a Phone to start but bought this machine especially) is 6.5 years old and really doesn't like editing video. I just about managed to cut this 2 minute clip from a 11 minute file and save with slightly reduced quality - the process took about half an hour :( If I am to produce a video with multiple edits, effects, and perhaps some music, I will need to upgrade.
Any ideas on kit around 500 euros/600 dollars?
The island named sa Porrassa is approximately 400 meters long and just under a kilometer from the shore here in Magaluf. Which means it is about a kilometer from my appeasement too.
Apparently it was used for 'salt collection' up until 1960, and is visited by many tourists who swim there. This information is from the Wiki page linked above, which I think should be updated to include that visitors mainly visit the island by Paddleboarding and those ridiculous Pedalos. I've also seen two people make it to the island sharing a pink inflatable, who were picked up by the coastguard on the way back as it was going dark and, from my balcony, they seemed not to be making much progress.
All the gear, but any idea?
I have 3 boards now (so yes, you can visit) which all have their pro's and cons, and yesterday it was the turn of the 11 foot Wave. This is my widest board (should be most difficult to fall off), and it also has a GoPro attachment on the front.
Yesterday I took both the manual and electric pump down to the shore but in the end left the electric pump running until the board reached 15 PSI. I'd normally put some manual effort in as the electric pump is really loud and I feel like a bit of a twat bringing noise to a busy beach. At present though that isn't a problem, and I also felt pretty confident that my bag of stuff would still be on the beach when I returned.
I got the place to myself
A quick look to both sides of the beach.....
And as usual for this time of year, there is no-one around. Thinking about it now, this was probably not ideal for a solo paddler heading out to sea wearing clothes with the sea temperature around 14.6°C / 58.3°F.
Conditions though were pretty good - little wind and very little swell. It took me a minute or two to build up confidence (I really did not want to fall in and so was not dicking around at all) but I felt stable and made my way around sa Porrassa in about 35/40 minutes.
I must say that Paddleboarding is not quite as much fun as when it's warmer and you are travelling with friends. So I'll see you soon? 😄
Cheers
Ash
▶️ 3Speak