Hi! I am Martin, a Graphic Designer based in the south of Germany. My City is surrounded by many lakes and rivers but Liguria / Italy is the home of my heart. Since the mid 1990s I keep on exploring this lovely peace of earth. I know the people, I know the mountain roads and hidden villages. But I never stepped out on the water except some swimming after getting too much sun. In 2013, at the age of 42, I owned my first SUP board and it was like my very first ride on a bicycle.
I fell off ( more than twice ) but I felt like a hero.
This is Nelli, our little "Girl". Always worrying if I come home safe ...
Lakes are like shop windows.
Usually you aren't watching from the center towards the outside world. Means you are no part of the scenery. Just a spectator passing by. This feeling changes immediately on a paddleboard. No postcard has ever shown that view. You (think you) are the central element, the center of the bubble. The sunbeam falls on you not on what you focus. You realize a 360 degree mega mountain panorama. The familiar soundscape is far behind. Every move now makes a crisp sound. The paddlestroke, the water running around the nose. You dream in realtime. You cannot stop. You gain pace but keep the rythm. Don't let me reach another shore ...
The 10 stages of my first 13km Trip.
So let's face other realities.
This came out when proudly mounting my shiny new GoPro on my first Boat -errr- Board in open water. It felt like a ship to move. No more lake cruisin'. This must be the real thing! In the end it was more like "SUB" than "SUP" but the scenery was nice and I felt like a real pioneer. NO ONE HAD DONE THIS BEFORE ( ... in my street )
Credits:
all photos made with an iPhone. All rights reserverd ©2013-2016 Martin Michelbirnk