Social distancing is fast becoming the new normal during the Coronavirus pandemic in order to keep the most vulnerable members of our society safe from the virus. Many areas have been placed under stay at home orders, with only essential life-saving activities allowed. These activities include going to the grocery or pharmacy, and also getting some exercise each day. Luckily, people in these affected areas are allowed to go outside to exercise, and right now, doing so is vital to maintaining mental health. Vitamin D from the sun and endorphins from exercise can go a long way to improving mood and relieving stress. Team sports and group activities like going to the gym are on hold since those can facilitate the spread of the novel Coronavirus, but paddleboarding is the perfect sport and exercise for our current situation. You can even do it with friends or a small group, and its relatively easy to stay away from each other while loading and unloading in the parking lots and on the water. We’ll share with you some reasons why paddleboarding is a great way to get outside and get active during this pandemic, and why we love the activity so much!
One Person per Board
Paddleboards are designed for one person. In fact, even without the current pandemic taking a toll on humans around the world, we still wouldn’t recommend putting more than one person on a paddleboard at a time. This is perfect for social distancing. CDC guidelines recommend putting 6 feet or 1.8 meters of distance between you and the people around you in an effort to stop the spread of Coronavirus. If you are on a paddleboard, even if you are paddleboarding with other people, you will have at least six feet in between you due to the nature of the boards and of the sport in general. Just don’t “raft up” on lunch or snack breaks. Rafting up is when you hold each other’s boards and float around together. You’ll have to float solo but within earshot of each other.
You’re Out on the Water
Our favorite part about paddleboarding is being out in the open water. There is nothing more majestic than standing on a board on the water. This works great for the current Coronavirus situation too! The issue with other forms of exercise is the various surfaces that you will come into contact with. Research has shown the virus can remain on some surfaces for up to three days. If you go to the gym or exercise in a public place, you could be exposing yourself to the virus. With paddleboarding the only surface you need to worry about is your paddleboard. You can ensure that you disinfect and clean your board so that you are not putting yourself in undue risk while exercising and getting fresh air.
Water Equals Distance
There is nothing better than water for putting distance between people. Paddleboarding is the ultimate social distancing exercise because it is hard to get too close to anyone while you are out in the water, especially strangers. Plus, there are good odds that there won’t even be other people in the water while you are paddleboarding so you won’t have to worry about running into other people and contracting or passing the virus on.
We are very passionate about paddleboarding, and we are excited to share its benefits as a way to exercise and keep your distance. We know these are troubling times and urge everyone to stay safe, wash your hands, and practice social distancing to blunt the effects of the Coronavirus. And as always, listen to your local governments. Stay out of parks if they are closed. With a little common sense and a lot of creativity, you can keep yourself sane and healthy during this time. We hope you can go outside and paddleboard a little bit while all of this is happening, but remember social distancing only works if everyone gets on board!