Stand up paddle surfing – cooler than you think
Taking your regular beach walk you may have seen surfers doing something strange: standing on their boards with a large paddle. It is not a new fishing technique or mysterious surfer ritual, it is a fast growing surface water sport called stand up paddle surfing (SUP).
surfers doing something strange: standing on their boards with a large paddle
SUP is not dependent on wave action and can be practised on any surface that has enough water to float a board – the ocean, rivers, lakes, estuaries – all bodies of water that we have in abundance in the Garden Route. And while it is an excellent workout for your core, people of all fitness levels and all ages can enjoy the unique feeling of standing on a board, gently paddling along and gliding weightlessly over the water.
Jacques Dreyer, owner of Thule Partner George says that although this exhilarating sport may only have reached our shores a few years ago, it has its origins in the Hawaiian islands of the 1960’s. “The so-called Beach Boys of Waikiki would stand on their long boards and paddle with outrigger paddles to take photos of tourists learning to surf. Yet it was only in the early 2000’s that Hawaiian surfers took up this new sport as an alternative method of training while the surf was down.”
“SUP has since grown into an internationally sanctioned sport with its own professionals and well attended events and competitions.”
Legendary surfer Laird Hamilton had a huge hand in developing the sport and initial equipment. “This is the surfing that made surfing popular,” he said in an interview with www.deseretnews.com. “When surfers used big, wide boards and anyone could stand up on them, the sport exploded in popularity. Paddle surfing, once again, allows people who would otherwise be unable – either because of ability or location – to surf, the chance to enjoy the freedom and fun a board offers.”
International windsurfing star Robby Nash is also an avid SUP-er. “I’m an adrenaline junkie,” he said in an interview with www.redbull.com. “I hate things like working out in the gym, running or even biking… but SUP somehow grabs my attention. I guess it is the element of surfing that still carries over. Riding a board, whether on a wave or just paddling across a lake is cool and fun.”
The only prerequisite for enjoying SUP is a basic ability to swim – in case you should fall over. But the sport has extended enthusiasts’ water activities as it can be enjoyed throughout the year, you don’t need waves and you don’t need wind. You only need a sense of adventure and fun…
For more information on this fantastic sport, contact Jacques Dreyer on 044 873 6502 or 082 412 5043, e-mail him at info@thulepartnergeorge.co.za, aim your browser at www.thulepartnergeorge.co.za, or pop into Thule Partner George at 67 York Street, George.