Like walking on water (close enough, anyway): Paddleboarding at Cinnamon Rainbows

It's about as close to walking on water as some of us are ever going to get.

Paddleboarding - or stand-up paddle surfing - is giving those of us without heavenly powers the ablity to stand on the sea (or river or lake).

You may have seen paddleboarders lazily cruising the coastline just beyond the surf at some of Maine's beaches. And you might've asked out loud, "What the heck? Is that guy standing on the water?" Maybe it was a religious vision. More likely, it was a paddleboarder.

I've been wanting to try the sport out since my first SUP sighting, but the long, wide boards have been hard to happen upon.

Luckily Cinnamon Rainbows Surf Co. in Hampton, NH offers a free SUP demo twice a week during the season. And while this blog is dedicated to things to do in Maine, I still thought it was worth the trip over the Piscataqua River. (And you thought tax-free booze was the only reason to head south. Pshaw!)

Cinnamon Rainbows is right on the main drag in Hampton - just a stone's throw and a crosswalk away from the Atlantic.

At the beach, SUP boards lounged in the sun, waiting for their first novice riders of the evening.

Demo guide Kyle gave us some quick tips on the sand: Keep your stance wide (but not too wide), feet parallel (as opposed to one foot forward as on a surfboard) and crouch down if you feel unbalanced (assuming "unbalanced" isn't a adjective usually used to describe you).

Because of the shallow, rocky-bottom water close to shore, Liz and I both started off in a kneeling position for better stability until we reached deeper waters (the safer to take a spill in).

Another foursome headed out as well - and, as you can see, rain clouds overhead couldn't help but float in for a closer look.

I was able to stand up fairly comfortably. The length and width of the board make it incredibly stable compared to it's smaller cousin, the surf board. Even still, it was nerve-wracking to paddle for the first few minutes - I wasn't finding the right sense of balance and the water below looked cold.

Five minutes in, Kyle gestured over to a rocky area. I turned my head to look and felt the board moving out from under me. I stepped backward in quick succession, walking the paddleboard plank in an uncontrollable attempt to stay onboard.

Instead, I did a back flop into the Atlantic. And I was right, the water was cold. I turned to my friend Liz - who must've appreciated my spill and would want to mock me for it - and discovered she, too, had gone for a swim at the same time. Synchronized paddleboard tumbles.

No photos exist of my fall (aw, too bad!) but I do have evidence that other people tipped in too. Ha ha.

Once that first splash was out of the way, the jitters mellowed and I started to get the hang of it, practicing turns and even daring to turn my head.

When it was time to head back in, I returned to my knees for a calm and easy ride in the surf.

Except the nose of the board dipped into the water - and three feet from the sandy beach I was dumped once again. At the feet of other paddleboarders, no less. A pride-building experience. Or not.

Back on land, Liz and I watched the other paddleboarders try their novice luck on the water. Even caught sight of a faint li'l rainbow. Now that's a purty picture:

It was heavenly experience, to be sure. And while the son of God might not need a paddle board to stand atop the ocean, it sure helps out the rest of us. I'm still working on the turning-water-into-wine thing.

Free paddleboarding demos at Cinnamon Rainbows Surf Co. in Hampton, NH run from 6-8 pm Tuesdays and Fridays www.cinnamonrainbows.com. Bring your own wetsuit if you have one, or rentals are available.