"Erm Professor. I kind of walk better than I can swim. I don't do well at deep depths," Marco pointed out, "Can I stay near the shore? Just incase."

Punz frowned as they approached the lake....because it looked cold. As in, teeth-chattering-bone-numbing-how-does-that-Squid-survive-the-madness-cold. But she would bear it. All in the name of academics.

Cautiously, Rapunzel dragged her board down to the lake and gave it a little push in. She tried to hop/sit/skedaddle on board but just ended up sliding off the side.

Try #2. This time, Rapunzel waited for the board thing to be quietly floating, and then she pulled herself onto it, one leg at a time, until she was practically hugging the silly thing. And it worked. She was in the water, hallelujah! No matter that it was less than a foot deep, she was there, and paying attention, and she couldn't have been prouder of herself for floating in the middle of a magical lake.

Cassandra walked forward, then back, then forward and back again... this board was awkward... finally she took her wand and levitated her board out to the water as she got in, then gently lowered it beside her.

Heather shook her head and threw her bored into the water. She waddled to it and climbed on it. She stayed a little ways behind her professor but smiled still. The water felt good even if it was a little cold.

Emily frowned and crossed her arms as she watched the professor chuck her smurf board into the water and wade after it. Ems had not yet ventured into the lake during her time at school… what with all the things that lurked beneath it's surface. Plus, she’d had a bit of a bad experience last year.

She stood rooted to the spot as her fellow classmates followed the professor. She would follow, but wanted to check everything was ok first. No-one pulled under? Good. She pushed her smurf board gently out into the water and followed it, gasping at the shock of the coldness of the water, despite the wetsuit.

Christian placed the board into the water, jumping in after it. The water wasn't bad, rather refreshing if you asked him. When he had taken the board out far enough, but not too far, he clambered on top of the board and waited for the instructions. His feet kicked about lightly in the water. Sweeeet.

The water ripples out in the lake, though there is no breeze. The waves lap gently at the shore and then still.

"Oi! Miles!" She growled. "Splash the other way..." In Xana's direction.

Punz gulped as the water seemed to move. Maybe that was natural for lakes and all, but still. She paddled her board a little closer to Professor Lainey.....who looked like she knew what she was doing....

"Don't worry-- I'll rescue you, Marco..." Xana grinned, half-teasing, as she waded into the lake.

She slid her surfboard into the shallow water and waded out until it she was deep enough into the water. Then, she laid out on her board on her stomach , paddling out to where Professor Lainey was. She noted the balance point on the board and then carefully sat up, straddling the green board and waiting for further instructions.

Christian grinned, he wasn't used to people calling him Miles. It was so weird. "Aw, what's the matter Trelawney? Afraid of getting a little bit wet? Come onnnn, embrace the water. Have a little fun."

Rhiannon placed her board in the water near the edge of the lake and carefully climbed on. She maintained her balance, and therefore didn't even have to get fully into the water. It wasn't that she was afraid to get in the water, she just knew enough to want to try another way.

Leaning over, she sticks an arm in the water and paddles herself out to where the rest of the class is waiting.

Never mind the professor, Rapunzel thought. Look at Xana! Geez!

She smiled to see her friend look so natural on a surfboard. "Hey Xana," she called out, feeling more cheerful, "were you born on a board or what?"

Emily hopped up onto her smurfboard, dangling her legs in the water. This wasn’t so bad…

Marco spotted the squid. His eyes flew open. "I'm ok thanks Xana. I am just going to sit here." He sat down at the edge of the lake, placing the surfboard beside him.

She glared at the Ravenclaw... "Embrace it yourself." she spat back. She climbed the board and sat on it, as a lady sits on a horse... not in the crude way Venefica was doing... common... hufflepuff-like...

Heather looked at Marco,"Come one. Nothings going to hurt you Marco." She had finaly got her balance and was pulling her hair back.

With a grin, Ellie placed her surfboard in the water, that was going to be interesting. That was for sure.
She pulled herself onto the board and tried to keep her balance.
“It could be worst..”
She turned her eyes to Marco.
What? He wasn't going to try?
Weird.

"Marco... let me give you some floaties?" Lainey pointed to her bag on the shore. "Or you can come ride with me. You'll miss class though if you stay on shore, honey. We're going out there..." Lainey pointed over her shoulder to the middle of the lake.



"And once out there," Lainey raised her voice to make sure the whole class could hear, "you all will be on your best behavior. The squid's feeling are easily hurt and you do not want upset him. Everyone clear? If you're comfortable enough, you can go ahead and start paddling out!"

Something was disturbing the peaceful calm of the lake which made the creatures in the lake restless. Something tickled the toes of one of the surfboarding students, though nothing was seen above the surface.

Heather giggled as something brushed against her toes. She suspected the giant squid but she didn't mind. She began to paddle slowly to the middle of the lake.

After sitting on his board, Ray listened as his teacher explained some important stuff. He nodded when the professor was done and started paddling making sure to stay behind his teacher. Middle of the lake... I wonder what next...

Marco eyed the bag, "I don't need floaties." He probably did need them, but he didn't want to look like a wuss. "What are we actually doing, so I can prepare myself."

Xana grinned. "Too right! I grew up in Australia, and spent a lot of time surfing Burliegh Heads in the Gold Coast. I love it."

Xana watched, amused, as Trelawney tried to sit on her board... side-saddle? Whaaa? Oh, she was going to be taking a dip at that rate, that board wouldn't stay balanced long.... Oh well... She'd learn.

At Professor Lainey's instruction, she laid back out and started paddling out to the middle of the lake as she had indicated, using a crawl stroke to keep her board moving forward evenly and in the right direction and wishing the lake had waves. Maybe if they befriended the squid he could stir some up.