The young waterfront instructor tilted her head as she held out her hand. “You can do it,” she said, calmly.
Cautiously, I stepped on to the stand-up paddleboard for the first time, and quickly knelt for stability. The stakes were high: Even in August, the icy mountain lake at Camp Cloud Rim would mean a painful dunk for any mistake.
As I glided away, I gained balance and soon mastered moving from kneeling to standing, confident to try something new, even as a grandmother. Growing bold, I shouted encouragement and a challenge to my friend also paddling across the pristine lake.