My friends and I were flipflopping about our weekend plans last week when we stumbled across a rental company in Edmonton for stand-up paddleboards. While I have tried paddleboarding before, it’s been a long time, so I was excited to do it again, especially since it’s skyrocketed in popularity lately. It turns out that there are lots of great spots to do it in Edmonton and the surrounding areas.

• Inflatable Paddleboard with Paddle

Rental at Gritty Knots Paddle Co.

We ended up going to Big Lake by St. Albert! The best way to find the boat launch is to look for Riel Recreation Park, as there is an inlet from the Sturgeon River that leads back to the lake. Despite the name, the lake isn’t actually that big, but for an overcast day, it was just right size for paddling and exploration.

They say that paddleboarding takes a lot of balance and core strength, but like anything, practice makes perfect. I found standing to be straightforward, but to be fair, I am small and have a low centre of gravity. My taller friend was a lot more cautious when it came to standing up, but he did manage it eventually! It is very empowering when you take your first few strokes.

First of all, I want to note that this is not a sponsored post, and I have no incentives to be writing any of this. However, I thought the rental price ($45 per day) seemed reasonable, and I really appreciated their free drop-off and pick-up policy. They actually drop it off the evening before your rental day, and then pick it up the morning after, so you get a lot of bonus time with the board! The supplies come in a large duffel bag with wheels, so it’s easy to transport, and you don’t even need a roof rack. I would definitely consider doing this again on a hot summer day, possibly even exploring a little further to a proper lake.

Until next time, happy crafting!