First time paddleboarding

One of the first times I went to Hickam Beach S and I asked the lifeguard about renting paddleboards.  He inquired on if we had paddleboarded before and we said no.  He chuckled and said that he strongly recommended lessons before going out.  S and I thought nothing of it, how hard could it be, right?  A week later (when it was a different lifeguard) Ticklebug, S, and I went and rented the paddleboards.

Sadly, I didn't get any pictures of the event.  I keep going back and forth on if I want a waterproof camera or a waterproof case for my phone.  To make up for the lack of actual pictures I shall grace everyone with my paint drawings.  Don't worry, they are awesome.
  
The lifeguard told us that we could paddleboard to the left as close to the Honolulu Airport flight line as we liked, just make sure we don't go to the right towards Ahua Reef.  We thought we would be safe just going out straight.  We were wrong.  

Maneuvering the paddleboard was more challenging than we anticipated. S had never done any type of paddling before so she was pretty much learning on the spot.  At least she had an excuse though.  I had paddled before and would still go the opposite direction.  Of course Ticklebug got the hang of it the quickest.  

S and I had gotten the hang of paddling boarding on our knees (how you start off) so Ticklebug encouraged us to try it standing up, like him.  He fell a few times so S and I were both timid at trying it. We both tried it once but were too scared and went back to our knees.  Coming back down S couldn't manage the direction of her board at all.  I paddled over to her to try and help.  However, before I could get to her another paddleboarder started laughing.  I yelled to him, "Stop judging us!"  Then he pointed out that S was backwards on her board.  As in she was facing the tail end of it. 

That little fin means it's the back of the board.

When she had come down from standing she turned the wrong way.  LOL!  I was laughing so hard I almost fell off my board. 

In our attempts to get control of the paddleboard we had drifted out towards the right.  We heard over the loud speaker "Paddleboarders, you are too far to the right.  Please move to the left."  Ticklebug came over to help us and at one point we decided it would be easier if he just pulled S along behind him. 

Ticklebug pulling S by his ankle leash thingie.

 Again, I couldn't stop laughing and was doing it so hard that I almost lost my balance on the board.

We had gotten so far out that the waves were much higher and harder.  I started to panic at this point thinking things like, "There are sharks in this water.  They are going to come out and eat me." and "These waves are going to knock me over, I'm going to get knocked over and hit my head on the board.  Then a shark is going to eat me."  We must have looked pretty ridiculous because the rescue boat came out and asked us if we needed a ride back.  S was quick to jump in and I followed right after her.  Ticklebug had too much pride and said he would be paddling back. 

While we were in the boat the rescue lifeguard told us that we were his second rescue of the day and that a group before us had drifted towards the reef as well. We also heard the lifeguard that rented to us say over the radio, "I told them to stay to the left?  Why didn't they listen?"  Oops!

We all made it back to the beach safe and sound.  S and I hanging our heads a little bit in embarrassment lol.  Even though we had to be rescued we still have every intention to attempt paddleboarding again. 

Special thanks to S for letting me tell everyone how much I laughed at her.  Love you, S!