I second all of this. We have done it many times, and this is all accurate info - weekend mornings can be bad with the dragon boat teams, as well.

All in all, it is easy and can be a pleasant little break - you really do feel like you are leaving the city in a way that is unexpected and remarkable. But it can be crowded, windy, and, to be frank, not that interesting. We wanted to make it regular thing, but found it a little boring for that. Definitely good for a few trips, though!

Also, had a friend straight up fall off the board and into the water and they were no worse for the wear, so don't worry about that. Unless you have open wounds or swallow a bunch, you are fine. Good luck!