Stand-up paddleboarding this Saturday!

Rocky Mountain Paddleboard (please see https://rockymtnpaddleboard.com/about-rmp/) at Union Reservoir in Longmont closed for the season a few weeks ago but is opening up this coming weekend! They rent paddleboards and kayaks.

Stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking are naturally socially distanced which is a big plus. You will be expected to wear a mask until you get on the watercraft but once on the water you can doff the mask and leave it off until it is time to return to shore.

The weather speculators are predicting that the temperature on Saturday will be 68° at 11:00 AM which sounds kinda chilly but I know from experience that won't be bad if the sun is out. There is a small chance of precipitation in the afternoon but not in the morning so I am cautiously optimistic that the morning will be clear and therefore sunny. Predicted wind speed at 11:00 AM is 6 MPH which is good.

Hats and sunblock are strongly recommended.

The entrance fee at Union Reservoir (https://www.longmontcolorado.gov/departments/departments-n-z/parks-open-space-and-trails/directory-of-parks-trails/union-reservoir-park) is $10 per vehicle. Carpooling reduces the cost per person.

Bring your own watercraft or rent paddleboards or kayaks.

If you bring your own, Union Reservoir charges $5 per watercraft in addition to the vehicle entrance fee. And everyone boating on the reservoir is required to have a life jacket.

Rocky Mountain Paddleboard (RMP) charges $25 for one hour ($40 for two hours) to rent a paddleboard or single or double kayak. Life jackets and paddles are included with the watercraft rental. A life jacket can be rented for $5 if you bring your own watercraft. A single paddleboard can be shared by more than one person.

I inquired about group rental rates but RMP is not offering group discounts in the post season.

I am planning to rent paddleboards for only one hour for myself and my two daughters, but feel free to stay out on the reservoir longer if you prefer. We are planning on a picnic lunch on the Union Reservoir lawn after paddleboarding. Feel free to bring your lunch and join us.

Reservations are recommended since RMP is usually fully booked on weekends. Click on the "Encore Weekend at Union Reservoir, October 9-11, 11am-5pm! See you there!" banner at the top of the RMP web page (at https://rockymtnpaddleboard.com/about-rmp/) to reserve rental watercraft.