Solitude at Sunrise with Standup Paddle Board(SUP)

As Easter celebration came and went, my husband Tom and I were excited to get back to our home in Florida, where the sun is always shining! April is a great month of beautiful sunny warm days, and bearable temperatures averaging about 75-78 degrees daily. Unlike the peak season June, July and August averaging temperatures from 85-95 degrees. The nights are comfortable in April so that you can enjoy most activities and dine alfresco. Also, did you know that April and July have the longest days of sunlight of 10 hours each day? I just knew I would be able to go out this morning with my Stand Up Paddle board (SUP) now that the water was calm and warming up.

Our home is situated on the Boca Ciega Bay, so it is perfect for boating, jet skiing, kayaking and SUP. Even though it was low tide at 8:30am, I had no problem getting it in the water off our dock and from the ladder.  I start out on my knees until I am comfortable to stand up. The water was smooth as glass and excellent conditions for SUP!  Oh my, I was excited to head out! It had been since last September since I was out on my SUP.  I was only on the water about 5 minutes of slow and steady pace with no one around, and then suddenly heard a sound behind me of a bottlenose dolphin. I turned around slowly so that I didn’t fall in and there it was right behind me. I felt my heart skip a beat, the dolphin came up for air and said hello. Then… there was silence again. There wasn’t a boat in sight, not a seagull gawking above me, not a pelican swooping in for breakfast…just me on the calm bay surrounded by water, lined along the way with palm trees as I paddled North. I must say, it was a good start of my day. Much to reflect on, be grateful for, and work things out that were on my mind.

After your morning workout, make sure you have a lean protein and complex carbs to aid in energy throughout the day and muscle recovery. Try a tasty chicken power pocket with whole wheat tortilla and avocado. Or scrambled eggs and spinach on wheat toast.

What is your sunrise like? Do you take time to meditate before the mad rush of traffic to work? Do you immediately awake to look at your phone for messages? Or turn the TV on to see what the world is up to? Whatever it is, your sunrise should be as you wish it to be. It could be in warm sunny Florida, or on a yoga mat, or over a cup of coffee. Whatever it is you do, take the time to enjoy these small moments of silence. Solitude…does a body good!