This turned out to be a lot easier than planned. I rented an aircraft carrier SUP from Newport Aquatic Center at $20/hour. Outside of an initial disembark facing backwards and wondering why it was so difficult to maneuver, it was pretty smooth sailing. DH and DD caught up with me in their kayak. They let me get a headstart for home while they played on the Newport Dunes playground. I missed their rescue of an older couple who had capsized a Pirate Coast kayak on the way back. They also snagged a sea-chilled White Claw* for their efforts.
I think our friend's inflatable SUP which I had briefly borrowed on an earlier trip had me worried that there would be more of a maintaining one's balance learning curve. I also concluded that acquiring a SUP wasn't high on my wish list, even if it had cool modifications like being able to convert into a kayak. I would only really be interested in kayaking with it. At that point, why don't we just get a multiseat kayak for family trips/adventure racing? Plus DH thinks he can fit 2 kayaks of the same spec on the roof of the Tacoma without needing to do much besides get a longer tie down nylon. It also had me less amped to join the very desperate housewives of OC-esque Fit4Mom group on their periodic Mom's night SUPing parties. At any rate, doing it once was $20 well spent. I earmarked this as unlocking Patagonia Baggies swimshorts, though they are out of stock on all but the most loud colors on their website at the minute.
*I am contemplating adding a White Claw in the Wild scavenger hunt as this was also the beverage DH and our SUP-loaning friends uncovered while setting up a top rope at our Joshua Tree campsite a few months ago...
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