Originally submitted by Blueline Surf and Paddle race director and instructor, Jeremie Vaine
Photo credit: Lisa Bee
Those smiling little faces on the front of the board, splashing, playing and laughing are adorable. They also add the exclamation point on the aspect of fun. These little ones help encourage people to join, just by showing that anyone can join Tuesday Night Race League (TNRL) and have a blast while doing so.
TNRL is for everyone, no matter your age or ability level. We love to have you bring the kids to ride along, or maybe the pup. Paddle with a few friends to catch up, paddle as a workout or test yourself as a competitive racer.
It does not stop there, as all paddle crafts are welcome to join in. You can just sit in the water and float if that’s how you want to participate.
Here in Jupiter, Florida, we have an amazing community that has been instrumental in growing the attendance by sharing their version with others. The paddlers from the Ocean Rescue have encouraged others to join in adding to our prone and surfski numbers. Palm Beach Outrigger Club has been helping to spread the word, increasing the amount of canoes. The crew at Flying Fish has done the same, bringing their team as well as many of their customers and future customers to TNRL.
On the water, we try our best to have courses that cater to everyone that heads out, and for the people at Guanabanas watching. The start of the paddle is structured in a way that allows each person to experience their paddle in the way they like, while being a part of the group. The paddlers get to choose their distances, 1, 3 and 4 miles. Everyone paddles together on the same course, and returns back to the start for a buoy turn, adding some excitement for those watching along.
After the paddle the night is not over, our great friends at Guanabanas host the post paddle social. Guanabanas is an outdoor restaurant that is situated amongst numerous palm trees and tiki huts adding that Island feel and paddle vibe.
Included in the entry fee, $10 with your own craft, $20 with a rental, a ticket is provided for a beverage. This season Kona Brewing and Costa Tequila sponsored TNRL, providing beverages for the paddlers. You do not have to indulge in the beverages, but you may want to take a look at Guanabanas menu and surely not miss the stories from the paddle as the camaraderie aspect is in full swing even if you just have a glass of cold water.
At TNRL there are no awards and we try our best to capture everyone's time and post it in our Facebook group for those that are interested. We are very fortunate that our friend, who is an amazing photographer, captures the night for the paddlers. You may have seen her photos as they are shared throughout social media, the moment they come out. Leisa M. Bee changes her perspective each week and captures her aspect of the night. Helping everyone share the fun of Tuesday Nights with friends far and near.
Our weekly community paddle has grown and last year we added a Winter Saturday series and this year we will be expanding it!
Starting on October 4th we will move to one Saturday per month. The first one will be on October 29th, knowing this community, costumes will be part of the day. In November we are hosting our first Turkey Day Paddle on November 24th. The remaining winter dates will be added soon. But for those Tuesday Night enthusiasts, don't worry we will start back on Tuesday Night in March of 2023.
We would love to have you join one of our paddles if you are in the Jupiter area. But if not feel free to join our Facebook Community Page and follow along.
