Paddle What?

September 2, 2007 on 7:47 pm | In Local, Main, Oddball |

Ever heard of paddle surfing? I hadn’t either until this afternoon when I happened on these two brothers, Bill and Bob Babcock, at the Salisbury Town Grove. Bill (61 and the guy with the gray hair) is an experienced conventional surfer and a retired ad exec who lives in Portland, Oregon, and Maui. He has only been paddle surfing for three years but, as my camera montage attests, he looks great at it.

He tried to teach Bob how to do it. Bob, 50, and an engineer from Carver, Mass., struggled to get up but finally paddled away for about 100 feet before taking a spill. A self-described thrill-seeker, Bill is also a race car driver who was up here for the weekend to drive in the Rolex Vintage Race at Lime Rock Park.

I didn’t try it, folks, but believe me: It’s harder than it looks and is exhausting. I plan to have a full story with photos in this week’s LJ, if there is room (and if my editor indulges my whim).

2 Comments »

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  1. Hello,

    I’d like to photograph one or both of these guys paddle boarding. Would you get me in contact with them. I’m based in Connecticut. My cell is: 646-423-0907

    Many thanks,
    Dan

    Comment by Dan Burns — September 12, 2007 #

  2. Dan,

    I never got their phone numbers but I’d guess they are in the book. Bob lives in Carver, Mass., and Bill in Portland, Oregon, and Maui.

    Comment by Terry — September 12, 2007 #

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