A Greensboro lake attendant and paddleboarding enthusiast is encouraging people to get out and enjoy the water but to do it safely. One tool to do that is Rockingham County's new blueways guide. 

What You Need To Know

  • Make sure you are knowledgeable about water safety before going out

  • Always wear a life vest

  • Don't be afraid to try something new while on the blueways

Blueways are navigable water trails based along rivers or lakes that include multi-activity recreation and nature-based tourism.

Before entering your blueway of choice, it’s important to look at a blueways guide, lake attendant Sunshine Anderson said. 

“You will find some ‘know before you go’ information. You can check water levels and conditions by scanning the QR code,” she said.

According to Rockingham County officials, the blueways boast 88 miles and over 4,500 acres of exciting water adventure. They are made up of the Dan, Haw, Mayo and Smith rivers as well as Belews Lake, Lake Hunt and Lake Reidsville.

There’s many things you can do on the water, including paddleboarding, kayaking and tubing. 

Anderson feels most at peace as soon as she pushes off and is floating on her board. 

She has been going out on these waters for as long as she remembers. She has been sup-boarding, or stand-up paddleboarding, for a while and says it challenges her more than kayaking. 

“Once you get that first fall out the way, it’s not that intimidating,” Anderson said. 

When going out in the water it’s important to wear a personal flotation device, or a life vest, Anderson says.

“There are a lot of instances where you end up in a situation where you cannot swim. If you get a leg cramp, swimming is harder or sometimes you don’t know how far you have to swim.” Anderson said.