BAY HEAD — The summer season is a plentiful time for paddleboarders in the area on the many waterways, but none travel as far or are on the water as much as resident Jean Mitchell.
In the summers, Mitchell calls her sailboat her home, living on it nearly full-time over at Sanzari Marina in Bay Head. In the winters, she snowbirds all the way to Point Pleasant Borough, in a small condo near the Lovelandtown Bridge.
While she bought the boat in 2015, Mitchell has been paddling since 2010. Her whole paddling adventure began after she bought her son a board when he was around 15 years old.
“He took off and that was it. I couldn’t see him anymore, and he ended up going to F-cove. So I was thinking, maybe mom should get one and see where he goes or just go out there with him,” said Mitchell.
A few months later, she bought her very own paddleboard.
“The rest is history. I have been paddleboarding since 2010, 2011 and honed my skills. Now it’s my life. I love paddleboarding,” said Mitchell.
She now paddles almost every single day from when she puts her boat in the water in April, until she takes it out in November. There are some days when the winds are particularly strong or the weather is uncooperative that she has to hold off. On average, she is paddling roughly six miles each day, equating to roughly 1,000 miles of paddling.
Her favorite and usual route is to the Mantoloking Bridge, down through Scow Ditch and, if the tide is low enough, into Twilight Lake. She also paddles in other bodies of water in the area and will even try to paddle in the ocean a couple times during the season.
STICKING WITH IT
One of the main reasons Mitchell has stuck with it is the nature, scenery and wildlife. She said, “In the Scow Ditch, there are egrets, and of course the fish and the ospreys. But the egrets have gotten used to me. They now know I am not a threat so they don’t bother flying away anymore, which is wonderful. It is really the fun and relaxing nature of it.”
Mitchell said she used to be a big rollerblader and skier, but as she has gotten older, she has found this a relaxing sport that has helped her stay in shape.
“The exercise is incredible. My arms are really in shape, it is great for your core and over the winter, when I can’t paddleboard, I swim everyday for about a mile at the Atlantic Club,” said Mitchell.
“I solve the world’s problems out there. I make friends both ways along the ICW (intercoastal waterway).” she further said.
Throughout her time, she has found that she loves riding waves and wakes the best. While others may see this as a bit perilous, Mitchell finds it to be so entertaining to balance on the board while being rocked by waves.
“I have been paddleboarding for the better part of 13 years and have honed my skills. The rougher the water is out on the bay, the better. I love riding the wake water.” said Mitchell.
She has also only ever had one close call in her time paddling, when a boat was speeding right towards her, luckily, due to her bright colored wetsuit and the ample distance between them, the boat was easily able to avoid her. This is part of the reason she wears a neon-colored wetsuit and has a whistle.
STAND OUT DESIGN
Mitchell has two paddleboards. One is called the S.S. Truman, which is named after the aircraft carrier her son served on in the Navy. Herself and her son often go paddleboarding when he returns from his times serving in the Navy.
Her favorite board, however, is known as the Scow Ditch Strike Force and can easily be recognized due to the name of the board being big and bold on the side of it.
“I wanted to be a little more military, so I named mine the Scow Ditch Strike Force, where I am patrolling the Scow Ditch and picking up trash along the way, plastic bottles and such,” said Mitchell. “The people along the Scow Ditch get such a hoot out of the name. Even this morning one of the neighbors came out and said, ‘I love your board. It is so cool.’ They get such a kick out of it.”
If that was not iconic enough, Mitchell can also be very easily noticed by her neon-colored wetsuit, which she always wears when she is out on the water. She encourages all residents or passersby to give her a wave as she paddles along.
COMPETITIVE SIDE
Just because Mitchell paddleboards for fun does not mean she is any stranger to competition. Mitchell has participated in and won several paddleboarding competitions in the area over the years.
One of her most notable achievements was being the three-time winner of the paddleboarding heat of the annual Mayor’s Cup races in Bay Head. Last year, she was dethroned, but loves the thrill of racing.
“I look forward to racing. I race my son and always look forward to racing in the Bay Head Mayor’s Cup,” said Mitchell. While she often races her son when he is down, she hardly ever wins against him.
Mitchell said she would be more competitive, but she owns inflatable paddleboards, where heavier, streamlined boards are made of a fiberglass material. These boards tend to be much faster than the inflatable ones.
Nevertheless, the excitement and passion she has for the sport always trumps the actual competition aspect of it.
Other than competitions, Mitchell can be seen in many other events in the area, including the Christmas in July paddle event that took place in Spring Lake over last weekend.
TIPS AND TRICKS
Mitchell said it took her about a full season of practice before she became as good as she is at the paddle. She actually learned a lot of tips and tricks from videos on YouTube.
She also recommends anyone interested in getting more into paddleboarding to take a boat safety course just so they are aware of the rules and regulations boaters have to follow.
She also recommends first-timers to start in calm waters, such as on Twilight Lake, as this will help boost confidence and stability rather than throwing a board directly into the waters of the bay.
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