Sunday, April 20, 2008

Da Surfing

Surfing. Most of the attention Stand Up Paddle Surfing generates is from wave riding and sliding. It could be the guy standing on the outside of the normal line up scanning the horizon or the wahine doing a front side cutback leaning on her paddle. Either way it will make you look twice.

There are a lot of advantages that Stand Up Paddle Surfing offers to a wave rider. A lot of the buzz that surrounds Stand Up Paddle Surfing is the idea that you can paddle into a wave earlier than the modern laydown surfer. While this is true, we DO NOT promote the wave hog attitude. Just the opposite, as another advantage to Stand Up Paddle Surfing is the ability to see the lines of swells coming towards the pack. As a Stand Up Paddle Surfer you can spot waves and let others know how many are coming and where to be. That's sharing Aloha.

Another benefit is moving from one peak to another. As you scanning the horizon you might see a peak rolling in that nobody would be able to paddle to. As a Stand Up Paddle Surfer you can stroke over in time to catch it deep and make a nice wave that otherwise would go unridden. While on the wave you can use your paddle to stroke through what could be unmakable sections. This makes for really long rides.

Check out the Crowd...? Using the paddle while on the wave is a whole other experience. While making big turns you can drag and lean on the paddle helping you make awesome turns and adding some real old school soul to them.

You can charge any size surf. You can paddle to surf that is rarely ridden. You'll being paddling along your coast and find spots that break on different tides and have it all to yourself. Remember that half the fun of riding the waves is getting there.

With all these added benefits to modern surfing why wouldn't you want to Stand Up Paddle Surf? And remember, because you have these advantages doesn't mean abuse with, Paddle with Aloha. Don't be a kook!

2 comments:

er said...

Aloha!

Thanks for posting a great blog on SUP Surfing. Could you recommend any safe beaches to SUP between Huntington Beach and San Clemente?

Mahalo

hoku said...

There is Doheny State Beach in Dana Point. A pretty easy wave with a couple different places to take off. You can enter there but most everybody I know paddles from Baby Beach in the harbor then out and around the jetty.

In San Clemente there is San Onofre State Beach, not trails but the "Surfing" beach as they call it. Take the dirt road all the way to the end and that's where you'll find all the SUPS. We've been exiled down there. If the tide isn't completely flooded there is usually always something to catch there. The crowd is friendly cause we're all alike. Everyone once in a while we'll get some clown that brings in an attitude, but it is not accepted and quickly addressed. It's all about the fun and Aloha down there.

I can't really tell you about anything north of Dana Point. I like to stay close to home. Besides, with the breaks out my door there's no need to travel far.

Hope to see you at in the water.

Aloha