Huck Finn would never have run away from a spot like the one Kimery Duda calls her office. An enormous bald cypress greets you, then the rest of the world disappears as you glide out onto Lady Bird Lake on a stand-up paddle board. Perfect for those at all levels of water aptitude, stand-up paddling is challenging but feasible for many in one session. Duda, founder of the Expedition School and former surf instructor for St. Stephen's Episcopal School, will even show you the wildlife at which you'll likely be staring from a field guide of Audubon prints before you set out. Having started Expedition School's SUP program along with site manager Don Goerner last March, Duda is proud that the program directly benefits Austin's Parks and Recreation Department's youth programs. On other days they'll gladly provide an afternoon of corporate team-building, instruct an 8-year-old's birthday party, or as they did recently, get students from the Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired out on the water.
