In Portsmouth Harbor’s back channel near New Castle, Seavasana students pause in a modified Triangle Pose from the knee, allowing for more stability on their paddleboards.
Seavasana caters to all abilities with options for students to take more advanced poses if they are comfortable, like this demonstration of the One-Legged Wheel pose.
On a misty Sunday afternoon, I drove to Goat Island in New Castle for my first experience with stand-up paddleboard yoga.
SUP yoga, as it’s commonly known, involves familiar movements of on-land yoga practices with the added challenge of floating on water.
As I waited for my class to begin, I watched people launch paddleboards and kayaks from the boat access area, setting off to explore this sheltered section of Portsmouth Harbor. The smell of seaweed and salt water filled the air.
I found the class through Seavasana, a Portsmouth-based company whose creative name combines “sea” and “savasana”— the ultimate yoga pose that aims to revive the body and mind through the act of letting go. A sister of Portsmouth Paddle Co., Seavasana materialized from community requests. With her experience as a paddleboard guide, owner Alexandra Hampton decided to dive into the SUP yoga experience.
In Portsmouth Harbor’s back channel near New Castle, Seavasana students pause in a modified Triangle Pose from the knee, allowing for more stability on their paddleboards.
Amber Matsumoto /Seavasana
I met my instructor, Amber Matsumoto, and three classmates at the water’s edge. Before we set off, Matsumoto fit each participant with gear — a personal flotation device, board and paddle — and provided quick tips for paddling. She paddled with arms extended straight, not crunched in by her chest, and demonstrated how the blade of the paddle should pierce the water with each stroke.
As we pushed off from the shoreline, we practiced a few strokes from our knees. I felt confident and was ready to work my way to a standing position, repeating Matsumoto’s advice in my head: Place your hands on the side of the board for stability, lift one foot at a time, maintain a wide base, and bring your gaze forward as you extend your legs to come up.
I hadn’t been on a paddle board recently, but as I moved through the water, the natural rhythm returned.
Yogis hold Boat Pose as the sun sets behind New Castle.
Amber Matsumoto/Seavasana
Before class, I wondered how yoga could be taught in such an unpredictable environment and whether I’d be able to focus without floating away.
Fortunately, the experience was efficient from start to finish. Seavasana uses a custom anchor line to which each board is attached. Participants stay situated in one area, allowing them to be present in the moment.
One of my classmates, Nicole Maldonado from Portsmouth, attended her first class two days prior. Her friend — someone new to paddleboarding — had been doing a recurring summer series and said it was a fun way to connect with the outdoors.
With an ongoing home practice and time in studio, Maldonado came to class an experienced yogi. She had paddleboarded before, but not much.
“It made for an interesting yoga practice,” she said, “because there are more challenges than you’re used to.”
At first she wasn’t sure how difficult it would be to move on the board, but getting out on the water calmed her fears. “You have to be willing to go with the flow, literally,” she said.
A Seavasana yoga instructor demonstrates Pigeon Pose for a group of students near Goat Island in Portsmouth Harbor..
Amber Matsumoto /Seavasana
We started class sitting on our boards. Matsumoto guided us through a combination of breath, movements and poses modified for the outdoor setting. The flow was foundational with options for more advanced poses.
She demonstrated a modified version of the Warrior II pose, having us remain on our knees instead of standing in the typical lunging power pose with arms extended front and back.
Later, I spread my fingers and toes wide, pushing them into the board as I dropped my head and lifted my hips in Downward-Facing Dog. In this position, I challenged myself by raising one leg toward the sky, finding Three-Legged Dog. I enjoyed resting in Happy Baby and Child’s Pose.
During class I became aware of the gulls, their calls vocal and piercing. I watched seabirds dipping from the horizon down toward the water. I could hear boats moving through the bay, pushing a small wake in our direction. Luckily, conditions were calm.
Out on the water, instructors have so much more to manage than just the yoga instruction. They have to consider wind speeds, the current and tide, and the organization of the equipment. But, for Matsumoto, this is the appeal.
“It teaches you to be very adaptable and let go of control and just kind of surrender to nature and the elements.”
At the end of class, lying flat on my back in Savasana, or Corpse Pose, I shut my eyes, cleared my mind and took in the sensations around me. In fact, I felt so relaxed, I thought the gentle rocking might put me to sleep!
Seavasana caters to all abilities with options for students to take more advanced poses if they are comfortable, like this demonstration of the One-Legged Wheel pose.
Amber Matsumoto/Seavasana
It was the type of break I needed after a weekend of racing and running. For Matsumoto, this is where her passion lies.
“The reason I teach yoga is to connect back to myself, and I love being able to help facilitate that for other people, especially with such a busy world that we live in, such a digital, technologically heavy world. I just love when people can create space for themselves.”
Seavasana offers a variety of class options, including pop-up classes, summer series, and private events, that cater to all levels. For more information, visit seavasana.com
NH Outside appears in the Union Leader on alternating Fridays. Contact Jill Armstrong at jaarmstr1@gmail.com
