Paddleboarding Clearwater Beach

Stand Up Paddleboarding

Paddleboarding dates back over a thousand years, but modern paddleboarding, as a widely popular sport, seems to have its start somewhere around the year 2000, when boards designed for standing were brought to the US. The new style boards were easier to stand on than a surfboard, and far more buoyant. With the surge in popularity, the boards continued to evolve, the newest editions being wider and more stable than ever before. Stand Up Paddleboarding was born. Today when paddleboarding, falling into the water is far less likely. Some constants still remain, of course. Paddleboarding is still a workout, and first-timers will still discover new muscles –especially the next day.

Morning Paddle at Clearwater Beach

Clearwater Paddleboard Company extended an invitation to go paddleboarding a while back, which was easy to say yes to. The big decision was not so much when to go but rather whether we should paddle the shores of Clearwater Beach or the waters of Clearwater Harbor. While that decision might be a hard one for visitors, it was a little easier for us locals. For visitors, the sandy shores of the beach are a big draw. You can wave to your friends on the shore or enjoy the lively beach activities while you paddle by. For two employees who work on the beach, our bets were on the guaranteed-to-be-calmer waters of the harbor. With our plans set, we met in the morning, before most beach businesses opened. Clearwater Paddleboard Company has a large van which is capable of carrying a lot of paddleboards. We unloaded the boards at the library. Yes, the Clearwater Beach library has a boat ramp and a dock. After a short paddleboarding lesson, we pushed off the dock and into Clearwater Harbor.

Paddleboarding Clearwater Harbor

The harbor in the morning is remarkably calm. On the morning of our paddle it was like glass. The calm waters made up for the lack of sunshine, with seasonal clouds gathered overhead. We started with a tour of some favorite waterfront homes, something only some might appreciate, us among them. We then turned around and headed toward Clearwater Marina. The paddle took us past anchored sailboats, boats docked at the marina, and under the causeway bridge. We did not get to see dolphins but we did get to see some stingrays swimming by. The paddle was relaxing but also a little bit of work. It made for a perfect morning outing before heading off to work. We arrived back at the docks after an easy trip back, where we loaded the boards back onto the van. The owner of Clearwater Paddleboard Company was very accommodating, but who wouldn’t be in a good mood when their job is to help people go paddleboarding?

Paddleboard Season

The great news about paddleboarding at Clearwater Beach is that you can do it all year round. The waters of the Gulf of Mexico are almost always calm and the waters of the harbor are even calmer. A lot of fun sites are reachable with this simple watercraft, and it makes for a very relaxing sightseeing tour. Your chances of seeing dolphins swim by are actually quite high anywhere around Clearwater Beach, with lots of exotic birds thrown into the mix. If you are visiting the area, and you want to try paddleboarding, Clearwater Beach is a great location to get your feet wet, literally.