At the halfway point, I received a call from an unfamiliar number. It was unlikely to be spam given the starting digits, so I picked up. It was our SUP instructor, who had called to provide a status update of the weather up north. "It's storming up here, but fingers crossed it'll clear by the time you guys get here." he repeated, "Fingers crossed."
After all, the decision to allow us onto the waters would ultimately reside with the greater force of Mother Nature.
And sure enough, the truck was there with its kayak trailer attachment.
SUP, the abbreviation for Stand Up Paddle Board, is an activity closely related to kayaking and canoeing. Those engaged in the sport would stand on top of the board and navigate using slightly angled strokes of the plastic paddle. A rectangular slot offered an opening for carrying while denoting the centre of the board, otherwise known as the most stable point for standing.
Upon our arrival, we were provided life jackets and instructed to leave majority of our belongings in the vehicle. The instructor himself wore none, but justified safety measures with reference to a Transport Canada-approved PFD (Personal Flotation Device).
https://tc.canada.ca/en/marine-transportation/getting-started-safe-boating/choosing-lifejackets-personal-flotation-devices-pfds
Paddles were adjusted according to our height: adequacy was determined by the presence of a slight bend in the elbow when the hand rested on top an upright-positioned paddle.