My summer in Washington D.C. has been, by no means, slow. I moved in to my housing a little over a week ago and I have already experienced and encountered so many things! My desperation to remain in the apartment for as little as possible was at an all-time high. But with a little research and a lot of browsing, I have managed to find an unbelievable number of things to do in the city!
One of the first things that I learned upon being inducted into the office email chain is the constant sharing of information on things in the area. From invitations to office happy hours to public service announcements about an event taking place, I was automatically connected to so much more information. And this is how I found out about Paddle the Potomac River!
What is it?
Paddle the Potomac, an event hosted by the Potomac Conservancy, allows a certain number of ticket holders to spend the evening.. you guessed it… paddling the Potomac River! Now, as an intern for an organization protecting America’s rivers, it seemed necessary to spread this philosophy and sign up for the event.
When my friend and I arrived at the Key Bridge Boathouse, we were directed to sign a waiver and head down to the dock. Within minutes we were strapped into our bright, red lifejackets and well on our way, out onto the Potomac River. Although it was an overcast D.C. day, the water was actually relatively warm!
The myth about Paddleboarding
The phenomenon of paddleboarding has been around for several years now, and I’ve only had the opportunity a handful of times. A lot of talk about paddleboarding states that it’s rather difficult. Or that you need an insane six-pack of abs to keep yourself balanced. This is the myth.
Paddleboarding only requires that you don’t jump around everywhere, and you are likely to never fall off of the board. Unless you just really cannot balance very well at all, then this activity should not be a struggle! It’s always worth a shot, and if it’s not your cup-of-tea, try kayaking or canoeing. You can even reserve a tandem version so that you aren’t in the boat alone!
Overall, the experience of paddleboarding the Potomac River was very enjoyable. They have another event coming up on July 12 of this summer. If you find yourself in the area during that time, I suggest getting your tickets now! They go quickly!
