Normally, “getting your feet wet” is a harmless little phrase that refers to doing something for the first time.

However, when it comes to stand-up paddling on the Deschutes River for the first time, in spring — when just about every Central Oregon body of water that’s larger than a hot tub is still frigid — “getting your feet wet” is enough to send waves of fear up your spine.

But if you have to get something wet, better your feet than your torso or head.

Last week, I met up with Gerry Lopez, legendary Pipeline surfer and Bend resident, as well as a dozen other upstanding citizens at one of the more popular launching points: the grassy bank of the Deschutes River, next to Alder Creek Kayak and Canoe, near Bend’s Old Mill District.

If you’ve driven or walked by the Deschutes River lately, you’ve undoubtedly seen stand-up paddlers: They’re the people who seem unnaturally tall on top of the water, sliding gracefully across the surface like some kind of giant-legged water insects.

Peter Miller, 61, says stand-up paddling’s difficulty somewhat depends on the conditions.

“It depends on where you go. On a day like today, it’s just your internal balance. If you’re in the ocean, it’s a lot different.”

Miller adds that stand-up paddlers tend to find a “sweet spot” in the middle of the board, an area that feels most comfortable on which to paddle.

Matt Willett, 37, started stand-up paddling after surfing for five years. He also runs a Web site, www.kite-line.com, that retails kiteboards and stand-up paddle boards.

“I like the active element of it,” Willett says. “It’s definitely an all-body, all-core workout.”

Also present was Dave Chun, a local paddle-maker via his company, Kialoa Paddles (www.kialoa.com), and Randall Barna, who runs www.standup paddlebend.com, a site for gear as well as information about paddling regionally.

Soon enough, we headed out under clear skies on this 80-degree afternoon — the exception rather than the rule of April weather — for fun, conversation and abdominal exercise.

Actually, those were the fringe benefits as I concentrated like a brain surgeon on a single goal: Not to fall into the bracingly cold Deschutes.

Stand-up paddling boasts a growing following both nationally and in Central Oregon. Though most of the paddlers on the water with me were experienced, three others were new to this sport, whose origins date back to ancient Hawaii.

If you’re like Hayley Wright, the owner of Bend book shop Between the Covers, or myself, your toes start to cramp up, the tiny digits clinging to the surface of the board for dear life.

When you’re surf icon Gerry Lopez, however, you can seemingly dance around the board with impunity. There were a few times I saw him shuffling his feet and turning on a dime, all out of the corner of my eye, whenever I risked looking up from what I was doing.

Any time I took my eyes off my feet and board for a prolonged amount of time, the ease of stand-up paddling quickly evaporated, and I found myself doing the regain-your-balance dance, mostly invisible to the naked eye but intense nonetheless.

Of us four newbies, only one fell in, and that was during the challenging take out. I won’t name names, except to say the person was not I.

When it was my turn to dismount, I turned and headed over to the edge of the bank, at which point the already-beached Lopez was kind enough to grab and hold the board while I jumped off.

Many of the folks that day told me of getting together Friday afternoons for group paddling on the Deschutes. Other flatwater mainstays include Sparks Lake and Elk Lake.

As for lessons, you likely won’t need any. When I asked Lopez if lessons are available, he smiled and replied, “Do you feel like you need a lesson?”

No. In fact, once I was back on the grass, Lopez’s wife, Toni, noted that my feet were barely even wet.

Looks like I’ll need to spend some more time on the water.

Getting there

What: Stand-up paddling

Where: Deschutes River between the Bill Healy and Colorado Avenue bridges in Bend

Cost: New boards retail for about $1,500; paddles from $199. Alder Creek Kayak and Canoe rents boards, paddles and life jackets for $40-$50.

Contact: For information, www.standuppaddlebend.com; for board rentals, Alder Creek Kayak and Canoe, 541-317-9407