Paddle Boarding on The Salt River - 8/13/2025
On Wednesday the 13th I went paddling on the Salt River again with a few friends. There was very little cloud cover this time, but the temperature was a bit lower than last time, so it balanced out. We all jumped in the water a few times to get our clothes wet, and to stay cool. Overall it was a great time, though not without calamity this time.
There are a couple of spots along the river where it's possible to jump from a cliff, and into the water. Feeling adventurous I decided to give it a try. The first place to jump off requires a vertical climb up about 20 feet. There's a rope there to help pull yourself up, and without the rope it would be extremely difficult. I managed to pull myself up about 15 feet to a spot where I could make the jump. I had never jumped into water from that high up, and it was intimidating, but I did it anyways. I jumped into the water, and very quickly learned that I had made a big mistake. The jump itself was fun, but I failed to hold my breath, and plug my nose. The water went up my nose, into my throat, into my lungs, and stomach. There was a bit of panic while I tried to breathe. Luckily my friend Kaila was there to assist, and they helped me get back onto my board, and rescue my hat from the current. In the panic of trying to catch my breath, and simultaneously get on the board I flipped the board, completely soaked all my gear, including $4000 worth of camera equipment. While frustrating, and embarrassing, I survived, and stuff can always be replaced.
Lessons learned:
- Paddle boards can definitely flip over, and they can be a pain to flip back over.
- Always put water sensitive items in a dry bag.
- Hold your breath and plug your nose.
- Don't panic, the life vest will keep you afloat, and safe. Take a minute to calm down, and don't immediately try climb on the board.
- Use a dry bag. (I opted no for dry bag this time because it was a pain to carry without shoulder straps -- I've ordered a strap for my dry bag.)
I'm taking this lens, and the camera body, to a local repair shop.
Not using this day pack on the water ever again.
