Stand Up Paddle Boarding — a Joyful Sport

Another watersport that seems to take off all over the world

Gliding across the flat ocean. The sun sparkles on the soft waves. It’s quiet out here. On the sea. It’s just me, my board and the paddle. I stand up tall. Paddle with a strong push. And move fast across the dark water.

Paddleboarding. A new hype about a new sport. And I love it. The sport of paddleboarding.

What is a SUP?

The short version for a stand-up paddleboard is SUP and describes a simple board with one up to five fins at the back of the board. The only other item you need is a paddle. And then it’s up to you. Get the board in the water, try to stand up, and start paddling.

I do recommend trying it the first time in calm waters. If you can surf already you won’t have any problems keeping your balance on this board. But it will take you a few minutes getting used to standing on the board.

It’s best to first get on the knees and start picking up speed while paddling in this situation. Once you are moving across the water try to stand up and keep the momentum going by continuing to paddle. The faster you go the easier it is to keep the balance. Just like when you ride a bicycle.

I’m not an instructor or extremely good on the SUP but I’ve done quite a bit of paddling and brought a few friends to try it out as well. There are tons of YouTube videos teaching you how to learn the right technique. Or just rent a board, go on the water and figure it out by yourself. You might fall in the water a few times at first, but that is what all the fun is about.

My first experience on a SUP

The first time I tried to stand on a SUP was at the coast of Namibia in the rough Atlantic ocean. Maybe not the best place to try paddleboarding. I did fall off after two seconds but on the second try, I actually lasted quite a while.

And I loved it. The boys often took me surfing prior to that and I found myself fighting in the waves trying not to drown in the rough sea. Whilst it was a good exercise it was just not fun. Not for me. Not for a beginner. Not in the 12 degrees freezing cold ocean.

But this is different. After a few days, I could actually do a paddle session without falling into the water. As long as the waves weren’t too high. I did go out a few times when the waves were too high and I got seriously scared looking at them. I jumped off the board to dive through the wave and pulled out the board on the other side.

Eventually, I learned to read the ocean and look up the predictions. Even the rough Atlantic ocean has some calm days where the sea looks like a lake. Those ended up being my paddle days. Early in the morning, I would go out. Just in my bikini. If you don’t fall off the board you won’t get wet and you will actually sweat while paddling.

It is a good exercise too. You’ll train all the muscles in your body. I would paddle over an hour out on the ocean before coming back with a smile on my face and a tan on my skin.

Island hopping

When I moved to Thailand I was playing already with the thought of buying myself a SUP. But as a traveler, you actually want to try to keep your luggage as small as possible. And I do have already so much sports equipment due to my job. One suitcase is filled with skydiving and climbing gear. Where am I going to put a paddleboard?

Guess what? There is always an option of renting them. In October I went with my boyfriend to the beautiful island of Koh Tao where we both did our first diving course and where he proceeded with advanced training. Living right on the beach I would rent every day a paddleboard for an hour and do my round through the bay. On some days I would even go twice a day.

This was when I really started enjoying it. On the flat ocean, I could go for distance and speed. That’s what I love. I don’t like surfing waves. I love gliding across the water, watching parrotfish swim underneath my board.

I even got my partner to try it out. It’s not for him he says. The balancing part is a bit tricky. But we still had some fun together on the ocean. And I continued my rounds.

Later in the year, we visited the islands of Koh Chang and Koh Kood. They are like paradise. Seriously. Away from the main tourist attractions in Thailand. More quiet islands with lots of stunning beaches and tiny islands around the main island.

I borrowed an inflatable SUP from a friend and therefore I could go at any time of the day out on the ocean. I explored endless coastlines, abandoned beaches, deserted bays, and tiny islands. I had so much fun. My partner usually rented a kayak and we would go out together and explore.

Inflatable SUPs for the traveler

I mentioned that I used this time an inflatable SUP and you might say that can’t be fun thinking of an air mattress on the water. But that’s not what it’s like. This inflatable SUP was as solid as a normal one. When pumped up with air you wouldn’t feel a difference. It’s not bending or anything. And it can actually carry two people at once.

I was stunned. I was surprised how easy it is to fill it up with air and how quickly you can deflate it and pack it back in the bag. It comes in a backpack that you can carry easily from one place to another.

There are tons of inflatable SUPs on the market. And that is also the reason why I didn’t buy one yet. Simply because I couldn’t choose which one I wanted. There are cheaper versions and more expensive ones. As always. Bigger boards and boards for different occasions.

The conclusion

The conclusion is that it’s a super fun sport. It’s challenging and diverse. There are even boards you can do yoga on. If you haven’t tried it yet I highly recommend giving it a go. Paddleboarding.

You don’t need to buy a board immediately or not at all since you can rent them meanwhile all over the world for a few bucks. You can take a lesson or just figure it out yourself.

I love paddle boarding and will do it anytime and every time I possibly can. And maybe one day I can make a decision and know which type of board I want to buy.

Have you ever done paddleboarding? Do you do any water sports? Please share your thoughts with me in the comments below and have a read at these articles if you’re interested in more adventurous stories.